4 men’s skincare hydration hacks you can use every day for healthy, great-looking skin

Dry skin can affect men at any time of year, but it can be especially harsh during the cold winter months when we are constantly moving from icing outdoor temperatures to dry indoor heating. A good moisturiser for men and your skin type is one solution to the problem, but there are ways you can optimize the effect of a moisturiser on your skin every day. Here are four tweaks you can make to your skincare routine for men that will supercharge your skin hydration.

Dry immediately after you shower

You might think that your skin is at its most hydrated after a shower and that is partly true. But over the course of a few minutes, beads of water on the surface of the skin can evaporate into the atmosphere and cause even more moisture to get sucked away from deeper within your skin. Our advice is to towel dry your face gently after showering (or rinsing your face) within a few minutes. Just light dabs to absorb the surface water is fine. You want to leave enough moisture within the skin’s pores to hang on to your hydrated skin throughout the day.

Wet shave before moisturising

We often encourage a wet shave at James + Jake, especially if you have dry skin. Typically this involves using warmer water on the face (see our Journal article for more advice on the perfect shave) which adds the moisture your skin needs to stay looking healthy and hydrated. Secondly, although razors can cause no end of grief for guys who suffer from breakouts, redness and shave irritation, using a razor to shave can in fact exfoliate and condition your skin. This creates a fresh, clean, brighter complexion and is an ideal surface for applying a men’s moisturiser for dry skin afterwards.

Apply a moisturiser within 10 mins or showering and / or shaving 

Although we don’t mind losing the layer of water sitting on top of the skin (see stage 1 above), we do want to make use of all that moisture that sits deeper beneath the skin’s barrier. By adding moisturiser to your face and skin at this stage you’re not only hydrating the top layer of skin, but locking in added moisture so it doesn’t escape. This can add hours - sometimes even a whole day - of thoroughly moisturised, healthy-looking, flake-free skin. Great news for dry skin types.

Apply moisturiser before bed
*We have a caveat with this one! Despite what you might have seen on social media, you do not HAVE to moisturise twice a day, every day. In fact, we would advise against it. Regular or daily moisturising = good. Over moisturising = bad. 

If you have a dry skin type, you’ll want to apply moisturiser to clean skin each morning. This helps to hydrate and moisturise your skin so that you avoid the tightness and discomfort associated with dry skin. It can also help you avoid the flakiness that so many people find uncomfortable or embarrassing throughout the day. 

If you are finding your skin unbearably dry, a second step in your skincare regimen could be to use your moisturiser again in the evening or before bed. However, only do this two or three times a week rather than nightly. This will give your skin time to recover from products and naturally exfoliate skin cells overnight. If your skin is so dry that it is causing you concern, see a qualified dermatologist or experienced facial therapist. 

The above information should be used as a guide only. If you have concerns about the condition of your skin, visit a qualified dermatologist.

Looking for major skin hydration? Shop our best-selling face moisturiser, here.