Skin-Minded Father’s Day Gift Ideas

When it comes to taking care of their skin, men tend to slack off a bit. So with Father’s Day fast approaching, why not set up the man in your life with a routine that will keep his skin looking and feeling great?

The basic skincare steps for men aren’t much different than those for women. First up: He needs to know his skin type. (Get him to take our questionnaire here.) From there, the general skincare rules apply: Antioxidants, moisturizer (if he has dry skin) and sunscreen in the morning and a retinoid plus moisturizer at night.

There are skincare lines geared just for men at every price point from the drugstore to the department store, and Neutrogena Men and Clinique Skin Supplies for Men are worth checking out. He’s more likely to use a product if he thinks it was designed with him in mind (although the only difference between men’s and women’s products are fragrance and packaging).

Shaving is naturally the biggest difference, and a great razor is the best way to ensure smooth, calm skin. One to try is Schick’s Hydro 5, which has five blades, water-activated hydrating gel and skin guards that reduce irritation. And for trimming body hair, the Schick Quattro Titanium Trimmer (with built-in razor) works in and out of the shower and can be used for the back of his neck, too. (It makes a fantastic gift!)

Oftentimes, shaving leads to ingrown hairs, which is a particularly pesky problem for men. I’ve found that salicylic acid goes a long way for preventing these pimple-like blemishes, and it’s easy to incorporate into any routine. You can find cleansers, scrubs and moisturizers with salicylic acid—it’s really just a matter of how he wants to work it in.

Now if you want to treat him to some high-end products this Father’s Day, there are scores to choose from. A few masculine lines that I (and my husband) like include Anthony Logistics, Kyoku for Men Elements (launching next month at Barneys New York), Molton Brown and Sigma Skin. Who knows… He might just get hooked and you’ll be competing for counter space in the bathroom!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Dr. Baumann