Picking the Right Skin Care for Men

Anti-Aging Skin Care Advice for a Man in his 40s

I am a male in his mid 40s looking for facial skin products.

I know what ingredients are important (DL-alpha tocopheral, Vitamin A in form of Retinal, Vitamin C, Anti-Oxidants ... , Vitamin B3, B5...), but I have difficulty finding actual products or a single product line to stick with for soap, day cream, night cream, exfoliator, and eye cream.

Can you tell me which brand(s) are best?

Thanks
David

That's a tough question. I have yet to find any one line that meets all of my skin's needs. So I pick and choose among lines looking for effective ingredients - pretty much like you seem to be doing.

I don't use soap for my face because soaps tend to be too harsh and drying. Neither do I concern myself with a facial cleanser.

Anything you wash right off will not have any anti-aging benefits.

I just want a cleanser that works gently but well.

Personally I prefer creamy cleansers. Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser is my current fave.

Be sure to include broad spectrum sun protection in your a.m. routine. It's the single most important thing you can do for your skin to keep it young-looking and healthy.

I like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF55.

Browse through my recently updated Top Ten and Affordable Top Ten lists and I'm sure you'll find day and night creams that meet your requirements.

If you want an antioxidant boost beyond what is found in the day and night creams, I recommend Revaléskin with coffeeberry extract.

This eye cream comparison I did for another reader can help you find an eye cream suited to your eye area. Some of us have lines, while others have dark circles and/or puffiness.

If you can get a prescription, tretinoin (a.k.a. retinoic acid) creams like Retin-A or Renova (Retin-A in a moisturizing base for dry skin) are still the strongest chemical exfoliating creams available.

However AHAs and BHAs have true age-reversing power as well.

A study reported in the May 2007 issue of The Archives of Dermatology found that a 0.4% retinol lotion applied three times a week for 24 weeks yielded a significant reduction in skin wrinkles.

Even more surprising was that the average age of the participants was 87!

Finally, you might find this article on Stepping up Your Skin Care helpful to adjust your skin care routine as you move through the 40s into the 50s and beyond.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.

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