I’ve always been lucky and my skin is pretty bulletproof, I could probably just about wash my face with acetone and shave with a broken beer bottle and be none the worse for it.

I shower, normally every day but occasionally skip a day or two due to weather, lack of motivation, and how much I’ve been sweating, with Dr Bronners Peppermint soap and a washcloth.

I like Dr Bronners because it’s the best I’ve found at stripping the wax out of my moustache. I also find the mint to be nice and refreshing, especially after a hot day. It’s also nice that its organic, fair trade, etc. and since it can be used for pretty much everything I like it for backpacking (I tend to go unscented for that purpose, but if I intend to brush my teeth with it mint in the way to go, still a bit gross and soapy tasting, don’t exactly recommend it but it does the trick in a pinch)

If we want to count it as skincare, though it’s more hair care I suppose, my moustache wax of choice is Firehouse Wacky Tacky

I shave my head with a double edge safety razor, I like Feather blades. I lather up with whatever bar of soap smells good to me when I bought it and looks like it will fit in my shaving bowl, right now I think I’m using Dr Squatch Bay Rum because they sold it in the checkout line of ace hardware and the line was moving slow one day leaving me with nothing much to do to entertain myself but stiff some soaps.

Sometimes, instead, I splash on some lectric shave and use a foil shaver on my head.

Then I splash on some aftershave. I used to rotate through the usual drug store brands- Brut, Pinaud Clubman, Aqua Velva, and Old Spice, but then I met my wife and it turns out she really likes me in Old Spice, so I don’t switch it up too often anymore. I do tend to get a bottle of cheap bay rum to use over the summer though.

I use whatever beard oil or balm smells good to me when I run out and find myself needing more. I honestly couldn’t even tell you what brand I have kicking around currently, I use it pretty infrequently, mostly when I’m dressing up and feel like my beard could use a little extra taming and shininess. I tend to like woodsy scents like cedar.

When my hands feel a little dry and cracked, which isn’t a very common issue for me, I use Duke Cannon Bloody Knuckles balm. Again, I’m pretty sure that was an impulse buy from the checkout line of a hardware store or something, but I think it works pretty well. My wife probably uses it more than I do and she has an actual skincare routine so I guess she agrees.

And for deodorant, I again like old spice. It works for me, and I’ve used it pretty consistently since I was in about 4th or 5th grade when we had a basic sex-ed/some-of-you-stink-so-use-deodorant-please assembly where they handed out a small stick of it to all the guyse Again, apparently my wife likes old spice so that worked out well, and I can usually find a 2-pack of it at most grocery stores and such that is probably the best value in the deodorant aisle.

I use Neutrogena soap on my face and occasionally a pore strip on my nose followed by one of those noxzema cleaning pads with salicylic acid to help shrink the pores. I also have some blotting paper in my backpack incase things get uncomfortable during the day.

I’d do more but I honestly can’t be bothered. Just the bare minimum to keep the acne and face oils at bay.

Oh and a beard trimmer. I don’t shave because I I don’t like the burn. Plus when I do get acne it really sucks to shave over.

The Jim Jefferies routine

I shower every other day, use a regular unscented bar soap (actually labeled soap, not “wash” or “cleanser”) every time with a focus on pits and junk. Wet hair but only shampoo once or twice a week. Morning and evening just splash the face with mildly warm water and hit the towel to dry. About as often as shampoo I’ll use a face cleanser in the shower too, cetaphil daily whatever, it’s just to help tackle my greasy face from poor diet.

I have one skin, yes.

Showering is my skincare.

(I do not count the shaving)

I use one side of the rag for the rest of me and the other for my face

Men, it’s okay to care about your skin. It’s not feminine, it’s human. If your answer to this question was ‘I shower’ or something else snarky you may want to consider looking up simple skincare routines for people your age and skin type. Just a tiny bit of attention to your skin can do so much for not just for how it looks and feels now, but for the difference it can make compounded through the years. Of enough soapboxing.

This ~30 lady’s routine:

I use a non alcohol toner in the morning followed by Kiehl’s moisturizer.

In the evening I use a daily enzyme face wash, hyaluronic acid serum, and the daily moisturizer.

I rarely see the sun, I never wear makeup. When I did those things woooo boy were there more steps.

PSA consider using a daily SPF moisturizer. I promise it doesn’t feel like that crappy beach sun block. Give it a try, skin cancer is no joke. Fuck I’m on my soapbox again.

I’ve never really been able to leave my zits alone, if i see one and don’t pop it i can’t stop thinking about it. So yeah i’ve been popping my zits into napkins since always and it’s kinda fine, it wouldn’ be fine if i got more though.

That’s my skincare routine in its entirety.

Liquid Neutrogena followed by Aveeno moisturizer in the shower.

Stridex pad periodically throughout the day if my face starts to feel oily.

I used to have a whole shave routine that included Proraso and Old Spice, but the ritual started feeling less zen and more like a chore so I don’t really do it much anymore.

Up until my late 20’s, I had very oily skin. I think I might need to change a few things because I am still oily but I do feel some skin dryness from time to time.

In the AM…

Wet my face with warm water.

Clinique All About Clean Soap - face wash - I used this after trying a few others. I like this ok. I might revisit the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser. I don’t remember why I stopped using it.

Rinse off with warm water. Blot face with towel.

Thayer’s Witch Hazel - toner - When I got the Clinique face wash, I got the three step set. It came with a toner that they called “Clarifying Lotion” and I hated it. I actually read it and it contains alcohol so I stopped using it. (Some “lotion”!) I saw that one of the ingredients in the toner was witch hazel, and it looks like it’s good by itself, so I just roll with that now. Just put some on a cotton round and gently apply it to the whole face. I use it because it makes my skin feel nice. I occasionally skip this step.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - facial lotion - I’ve tried so many facial lotions and they usually cause acne for me. Including Cetaphil. I love this stuff. This is good by itself when I’m oily. When I’m a bit dryer, though…

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly - facial lotion - I put this on when my normal moisturizer isn’t enough. I put it on after the other stuff sinks in.

I use SPF after that. I either use Clinique City Block or the SPF included in my foundation if I’m wearing it. I want to get back into Korean sunscreen but I haven’t looked into it. I use what’s on hand for skin not on my face. The City Block is meh but it’s by far the least unpleasant feeling on my face.

If I am feeling extra lazy, I just cleanse my face with micellar water and moisturize. The micellar water I use is Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, pink cap.

In the PM…

If I’m wearing makeup, I remove it with micellar water or Clinique Take the Day Off makeup remover, depending on what I put on that day.

I wash my face, use toner. Then…

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector + Interrupter - serum - I’ve tried this because I want to get rid of some of these dark spots on my face. I’m going to finish this bottle and not re-buy this though.

I moisturize when I’m done.

If I’m feeling lazy, I do the same micellar water and moisture deal like in the morning.

For the rest of my body, I use Gold Bond Diabetic Body Lotion, and I use Mediheal hand cream for my hands. I also apply witch hazel to irritated skin. If I have an irritated spot that would take over a week to resolve itself, using witch hazel makes it heal in just a day or two.

I used to use Stridex pads because I would get pimples often until my mid-20’s or so. I stopped using them. They were good but I haven’t found the need to use them any more.

I used to use Ole Henriksen Truth Serum at night. I stopped during the pandemic due to… Well I wasn’t feeling great at that time. I liked the serum, though.

I was thinking of researching what I can do for my dark spots and pitting from acne from years ago. I was going to look at Paula’s Choice, but now looking at your link I am reconsidering.

How is the tretinion treating you? Is it worth getting a script for it? If you’re American, was it difficult to get? I hear it is really good for many skin concerns and might help with the ones I’m looking to treat.

Everyday I have skin.

I also use E45 on my awfully dry hands and slightly dry face.

You’re using too many products. All skincare products are loaded with microplastics and hormone disruptors. The body wants lots of natural sunlight and exercise and vitamin D. The liver stores vitamin A for years and vitamin D for months so you don’t need to supplement daily but adjust the dose. Try washing yourself with just water and using a natural soap only as needed.

For the face:

Cleanse and moisturise twice daily, applying SPF 50 in the mornings and using scrub once every third day. If it’s a really special occasion and I’m doing a full face of makeup I’ll use bb cream.

For the body:

I just wash it with sorbolene. If I’m epilating my legs or have done so recently I might go over them with one of those exfoliating scrubber thingos and apply lotion once I’ve dried off.

I’m going to get reamed on here for too many products and spending way too much money but I’m an aging female in a very superficial location, so please forgive me! And marketing clearly works on me…

Morning: Cetaphil cleanser, with just hands. I wouldn’t scrub your face with a wash cloth, sounds too harsh. Skinceuticals Phloretin (it’s a high end vitamin C serum)- this one has really evened out my skin tone and apparently protects from further sun damage. Before upcoming lotions I mist with water or Caudalie grape water spray-helps lock in moisture with the lotions Alastin Restorative Skin Complex serum-my dermatologist recommended this one, he also sells it…no idea how much it has individually helped or not Kiehls avocado eye cream Dieux instant angel gel cream Little bit of La Roche Posay cicaplast under eyes Supergoop mineral matte spf 40 sunscreen

Evening: Double cleanse-start with Neutrogena sesame seed oil on dry face-I’ve only been doing this about a month and it’s my favorite (and cheapest) thing now-removes makeup and oil or dirt from the day really well and it’s really hydrating. Then lightly wash with cetaphil cleanser. Alastin Restorative Skin Complex Dr Dennis Grossman retinol eye cream Skinceuticals a.g.e Interruptor lotion Aklief- this is a prescription tretinoin derivative and I don’t use it every day Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Repair La Roche Posay cicaplast lightly under eye

On my chest I use Timeless vitamin c (a good dupe for the Skinceuticals Phloretin) in the morning and then the Dieux InstantAngel cream. Also been using some leftover skinceuticals HA Immerse there that didn’t work well on my face.

Body I do a messy mixture of Gold Bond Retinol body lotion mixed with a vitamin E oil and water nightly

I’m still sort of figuring it out and would love to eliminate stuff but I’m not sure what. It’s ever-evolving. Admittedly I spend WAY too much money on this, but fuck it, I can and it makes me feel good. Also this stuff (at least some of it) has totally transformed my skin for the better. So maybe some of it is a waste but some of it definitely works

I have read that it shouldn’t be used at the same time as retinol due to PH requirements

You can use a chemical exfoliant and a retinoid in the same routine. You don’t have to worry about pH once the product is on your skin and absorbed. One concern is just that both can be pretty irritating, so using them together might be overly harsh on your skin. Maybe start slowly introducing them one at a time until you’re ready, and always see how your skin is reacting. If you decide to exfoliate in the morning, keep in mind that AHAs make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen becomes extra important.

I have also heard about Vitamin E, though I’ve never used it.

Your CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains tocopherol, so you’re already using it. I don’t think you need to seek out a separate product.