Skin + Hair Basics

Healthy Skincare Habits That Are Easy to Maintain

Having consistently clear, healthy skin requires balance—and it shouldn’t be so hard to maintain. Here are some easy skincare habits for men.
Healthy Skincare Habits That Are Easy to Maintain

We get it. You lead a busy life and sometimes forget to wash your face. However, having a consistent skincare routine helps keep your skin clean, clear, and healthy. So here are our top tips on how to easily incorporate skincare habits into your regular everyday life.

1. Choose Multitasking Products

Get the most out of your products with multi-functional skincare products. For example, you need to apply SPF daily. Many people keep their SPF and moisturizer separate, requiring two products. So why not combine them and only buy daytime moisturizers with SPF already packed in? Cardon's SPF Moisturizer also triples up for after-shave soothing. This saves you time, shelf space, and money. By finding products that promise more, it’s easy to build a minimal skincare routine with maximized benefits.

If you’re worried about covering a lot of bases with your regimen—like sun protection, post-shave soothing, overnight recovery… then pick products that have clear, multiple benefits. For example, you need to apply SPF daily. Many people keep their SPF and moisturizer separate, requiring two products. So why not combine them and only buy daytime moisturizers with SPF already packed in? (And with an SPF 30 or higher, no less.) This saves you time, shelf/dopp space, and money. Another example: You need to cleanse your face at least twice daily, but you also heard about the pore-clearing powers of clay face masks. But did you know you can simply get a clay-based cleanser, and let it handle both tasks at once—all without overdrying your skin? (Which is what many cleansers and clay masks do on their own.) By finding products that promise more, it’s easy to build a minimal skincare routine with maximized benefits.

2. Buy Multiples, and Leave Them in Convenient Places

If you like a product and plan to use it in various occasions (at home and at the gym, post work-out) then it’s smart to buy more than one. You can place the extra in an alternate location—so, one cleanser in the shower, and another for your gym bag, or perhaps one in the downstairs bathroom. Carry an extra SPF moisturizer or dark-circle eye serum in your work bag, or even your jacket pocket, in case you need a mid-day re-up. Having more than one of each product means you never forget to have it with you when you need it most—which is one of the key things preventing most guys from staying loyal to their regimen.

And while it might feel like you’re buying more than you need, just remember that it’ll last twice as long—and more importantly, you’ll stay dedicated to the regimen. (Not to mention, probably save on shipping.)

3. Shop Small, Literally

Another thing to consider is whether or not your products are easy to carry around and/or are they TSA-friendly? And while it may seem that smaller products don’t go as far, it all boils down to the formula in play. For example, our 1.2-oz. SPF 30 Moisturizer may seem small, but a pea-sized amount can cover your whole face, and this pocket-sized vessel should last an entire month. If the product you love comes in a larger bottle, then it’s smart to invest in TSA-friendly, spill-proof bottles. Pro-tip: Make sure the packaging isn't see-through, however, since light can sometimes deactivate certain important skincare ingredients.

Another thing to consider is whether or not your products tote easily. Are they too big to take as a carry-on in your weekend bag? Are they too bulky or heavy to have in your gym bag? Would you keep a spare in your desk, if only it were more desk-drawer compatible?

Each of these things is an argument in favor of picking TSA-friendly, pocket-portable products. And while it may seem that smaller products don’t go as far, it all boils down to the formula in play. For example, our 1.2-oz. SPF 30 Moisturizer may seem small, but a pea-sized amount can cover your whole face, and this pocket-sized vessel should last an entire month. If the product you love comes in a larger bottle, then it’s smart to invest in TSA-friendly, spill-proof bottles. Make sure they aren’t see-through, however, since light can sometimes deactivate certain important skincare ingredients.

4. Put them on dispaly

If it’s hard for you to remember to use the products, then it’s important that they stay on full display in your bathroom. The cleanser needs to be on the sink ledge or in the shower caddy. The moisturizer should not be hidden away in the medicine cabinet or thrown in some cupboard beneath the sink. Keep it out, and keep it ready. And if aesthetics are important to you, this also underscores the importance of picking a brand that resonates with you, since your house guests will see it there on your sink ledge. (They’ll probably even ask you about it—and that’s a good thing!)

5. Choose Affordable Products — But Don’t Cheat Yourself

It’s confusing when some moisturizers cost $6 and others cost $110. How do you know the expensive one is worth it—and honestly, why on earth would anyone pay that much? The truth is, there’s a huge gray area between these two ends of the spectrum. Odds are that the cheaper one was made with lots of preservatives and mass-production techniques. Certain brands do this while still delivering quality products. But in large part, those companies just want you to do the simplest task without really offering any additional benefit to your skin.

On the other side of things is the expensive product, with its long list of extracts and oils and top-tier ingredients. Yes, odds are that it’ll provide you with way more nourishment than the cheap stuff. So to many people, that guarantee is well worth the investment. But these products can only do so much for you when your skin is impacted by so many factors (like diet, sleep, stress, genetics, and more).

That’s why we tell guys to shop the gray area in between. Find those products that can still boast about the great ingredients in their products—and that can articulate each of their soothing, rejuvenating benefits to you—but that don’t cost the same as your car insurance. You’ll get the best bang for your buck, with carefully researched products that aren’t made en masse. This is the best way to know that your skincare regimen is working for you (with visible results in those first weeks and months), which will only encourage you to keep the habit up. It also won’t deter you from continuing the regimen, since you won’t associate the routine with a depletion of your savings account. It’s all positive reinforcement, see?

It’s confusing when some moisturizers cost $6 and others cost $110. How do you know the expensive one is worth it—and why on earth would anyone pay that much? The truth is, there’s a huge gray area between these two ends of the spectrum. Odds are that the cheaper one was made with lots of preservatives and mass-production techniques. Certain brands do this while still delivering quality products. But in large part, those companies just want you to do the simplest task without really offering any additional benefit to your skin.

On the other side of things is the expensive product, with its long list of extracts and oils and top-tier ingredients. Yes, odds are that it’ll provide you with way more nourishment than the cheap stuff. So to many people, that guarantee is well worth the investment. But these products can only do so much for you when your skin is impacted by so many factors (like diet, sleep, stress, genetics, and more).

That’s why we tell guys to shop the gray area in between. Find those products that can still boast about the great ingredients in their products—and that can articulate each of their soothing, rejuvenating benefits to you—but that don’t cost the same as your car insurance. You’ll get the best bang for your buck, with carefully researched products that aren’t made en masse. This is the best way to know that your skincare regimen is workingforyou (with visible results in those first weeks and months), which will only encourage you to keep the habit up. It also won’t deter you from continuing the regimen, since you won’t associate the routine with a depletion of your savings account. It’s all positive reinforcement, see?

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