Grooming for the New Season: Spring Skincare and Haircare Tips for Men

Advice on adjusting skincare and haircare routines to suit the changing season, including products to combat Spring allergies and skin sensitivity.

Good news, whilst there are many different hair and skin types, there are set rules and guidelines that can help keep you looking your best. There will be a certain amount of trial and error, but, below are tried and tested approaches that definitely work. You’ll just have to finesse for your own hair type, dermatology, and lifestyle.

For skincare, the morning routine naturally focusses on shaving, whilst the evening looks at face masks. The latter is unlikely to be necessary every night, usually two or three times a week is recommended at first before reducing to just one a week. Some men balk at the idea of face masks, but it’s not the 1970s anymore, these days male self-care is absolutely permissible.  

An initial hot towel to scrub the face is a sure way to ensure a smoother shave, relaxing the skin, opening the pores, and of course cleansing. What shaving method you use should depend on your type of skin; an electric razor often works well for oilier skin while a wet shave with a blade is preferred by many with drier skin types.

Sensitivity of skin also matters, and it’s good to experiment between standard modern foams and old-fashioned shaving soaps and brushes. Don’t expect a soap to foam up the way a can does, it’s not designed to. The effective layer, the one that really counts, is a fraction of a millimetre thin. Sometimes, the old ways are indeed the best.

For the evening, there are two types of facial masks; a sheet soaked in supplements and direct apply clay which hardens and then needs to be gradually peeled. Again, two skin types; clay masks are good for oily skin while sheet masks are better for hydrating drier skin. If you’re not sure which style is best for you, try them on different nights. They can do good in different ways.

As for hair, don’t wash too often, but when you do, use quality products. Shampoo washes out grease, sweat, and dirt. Conditioner replenishes essential oils and minerals. Washing every other day should be fine unless you have worked up a sweat in the gym or on a construction site. For those with office jobs, alternating hair wash days will help keep the natural oils that will preserve your hair quality for longer. You’ll have to judge though, as no one else should be noticing your hair wash schedule.

Even for very short hair, it is worth using a good conditioner, as many contain scalp care. There are five layers of skin on the top of the head, more than on any other part of the body. There are layers to cushion blows, facilitate blood flow (it’s why the head can bleed so much), sebaceous glands for producing oils, fat layers, and of course layers with hair follicles. A decent conditioner will have elements specially designed to nourish these skin types. So, even someone with a grade 1 or 2 haircut has reason to use conditioner.