The Christmas gift guide for men of all skin types
Happy Holidays To Him
Read our Christmas guide to the best James + Jake gifts for every guy on your list, no matter what his skin type
Skincare and grooming products make great gifts for men. They are often something special that he wouldn’t always buy for himself on a regular basis and show that you care about helping him look and feel his best. But it’s not always easy to know what type of skincare or grooming product is right for every man. There are different fragrances, different textures and then there is the all-important skin type to consider.
Here’s a guide to buying Christmas gifts for men of all skin types as well as a couple of recommended Christmas gift sets for men that you might like from our range at James and Jake.
Christmas gifts for men with dry skin
There is a difference between dry and dehydrated skin and both will require a different set of ingredients or products. As a general rule, any guys you know who suffer from dry patches or irritated, flaky skin will probably benefit from using a rich, hydrating moisturiser. Select one with a mixture of oil and water, which covers both conditions - dry and dehydrated - to begin with.
If you know his skin type is specifically categorised as dry, then it’s oil he needs. So you might want to consider adding an oil-based, occlusive cream in his stocking this year. Ingredients that we included in our Major Hydrator to make sure it was super hydrating are camellia oil and sunflower seed oil.
Dry skin types are often (but not always) sensitive, which means it’s best to avoid anything that might aggravate the skin. This includes moisturisers that are heavily fragranced or contain artificial colourings or synthetic ingredients. Words on the labels that might help you make a purchase are:
Hydration
Moisturising
Natural and nourishing oils
Suitable for dry skin
Christmas gifts for men with a ‘normal’ skin type
Like most skincare brands, we don’t love the term ‘normal’ when it comes to skincare. But it does seem to be the most common way for people and our customers to describe a skin type that is neither dry or oily; sensitive or spotty, etc. Those who are fortunate enough to have a neutral (our preferred way of describing normal skin) don’t usually need to choose creams or lotions that are designed for a specific skin type, but they might still benefit from added moisture or nourishing ingredients in skincare products. They may have occasional periods of dehydration in the skin, for example, which can be common after a holiday or after an intense period of exercise when the body loses moisture. In this case, a hydrating face or body cream would make a great gift. We put together a Hydration Set, including both our face and body moisturisers, which can be used on a wide range of skin types to combat dryness and creates a great Christmas gift if you’re looking for some smart skincare options.
Christmas gifts for men with oily skin
While some skincare brands claim men are more likely to have oily skin, in our experience this is a myth and they are just as likely to have dry or dehydrated skin - depending on a number of factors such as the time of year, how active they are or what products they use. In fact, regular shaving can cause dryness and irritation around the face and stubble area, so it’s usually the case that their skin will require some form of hydration help. That said, oily skin is an issue for some men. Telltale signs include larger, more visible pores as well as a little more shine on the surface of the skin. It’s something many of our customers are keen to manage and they don’t usually want to add more product (which they feel simply exacerbates the problem). If you want to buy a skincare gift for a guy with oily skin, it’s best to check the labels to see if they cater specifically to this skin type. There are a number of specialist ‘oil reducing’ skincare products on the market, so do some research to find out which are the most appropriate for his skin.
A great product from our range that can help to reduce the presence and appearance of oil on the skin’s surface is our City Recovery Anti-Pollution Mineral Mask. Although it’s designed to combat the free radicals caused by traffic smog, air conditioning and day-to-day pollutants, it also contains ingredients known to help overly oily skin. These include a clay base, extracted from Dead Sea mud, and hyaluronic acid.
Interestingly, a little-known fact about oily skin is that it can actually still be dehydrated. So he might still use a light moisturiser, with less oil-based ingredients that helps to combat dryness as well as oil levels.
Words on the labels that might help you make a purchase are:
Clay
Oil free
Glycolic acid
Hyaluronic acid
Salicylic acid
Christmas skincare gifts for men who love sports
We can all agree that exercise is great for our body and mind. It can also have untold benefits on the skin. That post work out ‘glow’ people experience is real - and it’s most commonly due to the increased circulation and the body’s ability to deliver moisture and vitamins to the skin at speed when you’re on a treadmill or beating your PB on the rowing machine. But once a workout is over, the skin might need a little extra help as it can become dehydrated and prone to excess bacteria.
Those with sensitive skin or rosacea can experience more redness than they’d like when they exercise, so choosing a face product is tricky. A body cleanser is key to post-workout skin health and makes a great gift - so make sure he has a nourishing, refreshing shower gel or body wash for men such as the Out of the Blue Energy Elevating Body Wash from Santa under the tree this year. Ingredients and benefits to look out for on the labels include:
Refreshing + cleansing
Nourishing
Awakening
Citrus
Hydrating
Energy enhancing or elevating
One area that men often neglect on their body, especially after playing sports or working out, is their feet. This is an area that needs some serious attention after vigorous exercise. Not only does it mean his poor unfortunate soles are hot and more swolen than usual and in need of some TLC, but excessive sweat leads to increased bacteria and possible fungal infections. Add a less-than-spotless shower room floor into the equation and you’ve got potential for some seriously dirty feet that need some extra care and cleansing. A body wash will help if he showers straight away. But in addition to this why not help him recover and refresh from head to toe, with a Post Exercise Protecting Foot Spray?
In addition to our Foot Spray, the James + Jake Fitness Set was created for men who love to keep fit and healthy. With our refreshing, gentle body wash plus the cleansing and protecting foot spray, this set comes in our smart signature pouch, which makes it a great gift for the health conscious. Not only are both products cleansing, they are free from harsh fragrance, artificial colourings or damaging paragons. So it’s seriously clean skincare.
For more Christmas gift ideas or to see the full range, you can visit our Shop by clicking here.