Natural Skincare Has a Bit of a Boy Problem
Well, my boy has a bit of a problem, in any case, and I need your help finding him a good, um, boysturizer.
First, let me back up: Despite the fact that I do this for a living and can be a bit of a zealot (“Do you know what is in that?!”), this is something he has decided he wants to do (mostly) on his own. He’s switched his shampoo and conditioner, uses my Tom’s toothpaste, and is super supportive of what we’re up to over here. But after a couple of attempts to switch his face lotion to something a little less…Clean & Clear, we’re sort of stuck.
He likes his J&J moisturizer because it isn’t greasy, absorbs well and doesn’t leave any film on his skin. It also doesn’t smell like a girl, which is a bonus.
Now, I know most skincare lines are unisex, but if we’re being honest we all know that most of them smell like candy, fruit or flowers—and he doesn’t want anything like that. He also doesn’t want something that feels oily, which, hey, I get! It took me a long time to love the feeling of plant oils on my skin, and some people never get into it. Finally, it can’t feel filmy on his skin.
So far he’s tried Organic Apoteke Active Face Gel, which was too acidic and caused his face to turn red. The redness quickly faded, and with it a desire to ever try it again (which works well for me, frankly, since I only have half a bottle of it left and the company appears to be on hiatus!). Next, he tried Dr. Alkaitis’ Organic Day Cream, which is aloe-based but has shea butter high up on the list. This lotion feels lovely on my skin, but it was way too heavy for him, leaving him with that dreaded “coated” feeling. Also, it sort of smells like a natural version of the gum you get in baseball card packets when you’re a kid. To me this is a plus; to him, not so much.
So we turn to you:
Men, it’s time to stop lurking and share your skincare secrets. Women, tell us what your boyfriends, man friends and husbands are using. And if you’ve tried something yourself that you think fits the bill, weigh in. Let’s find him something that will make him as happy at that guy up top.
Please and thank you.
I use Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser and an electric razor (energy star rated)
@Steffie, try a salt scrub to remove the grease. This works very well. Actually I take a Lemon&Ginger salt scrub (from Body Delights) daily. Just be careful with scratches and open wounds.
My guy uses skincando’s Combat Ready Balm on his face after shaving (http://www.skincando.com/combat-ready/). It soothes the razor bumps, moisturizes, and isn’t super greasy or girly smelling! It may be too heavy for all-over man-moisturizing though. :)
Hilarious. This is an issue that we deal with often at my house. My man is one of those men with naturally perfect skin that magically stays well hydrated whether we’re fighting a blizzard here in Montreal or tromping around a desert in the middle east. It’s almost scary.
So he’s not really into fussing with moisturizer, but I do make him test things out for me, and he particularly likes mists and toners. As long as they smell fresh and clean, don’t linger too long and help him feel both ungreasy and revitalized, he’s good. I’m slowly, slowly getting him onto masks and facial oils, but it’s like coaxing a donkey to ride a mini bicycle, and there’s much bribery involved. Also, if anything is least bit sticky or greasy, forget it (Argan and honey mask? Might as well tar and feather him.)
Also, soap must be sudsy and he’s not so fond of castille of any kind or anything that smells too much like vanilla/almonds.
I think for the dudes, it’s a matter of keeping things really, really simple and utilitarian.
My husband loves my Marie Veronique Organics Anti-Aging Mist and Anti-Aging Oil+! He uses it morning and night. Not too girlie and great after shaving.
My husband uses Neals Yard Rmedies Men’s range. He’s over the moon about the shave cream especially, I have to keep plenty in stock at all times, as how he’s always raving about it to other men. The line is certified organic, has a nice manly, but not overpowering essential oil blend as the scent. There’s a whole host of offerings from eye gel to body wash. & as a bonus NYR also offers 2 man friendly deodorant options, lemon & coriander being the most faced among the guys!
Devita- Solar Protective Moisturizer… yes it has spf in it, but it’s super lightweight, smells completely neutral and isn’t filmy in the least. And the spf is the good stuff. It’s all around awesome for anyone but it’s the only thing my guy will use. And I love that all the Devita products are aloe based… the consistency is somewhere between a gel and a lotion.
have you tried John Masters lotions…my husband doesn’t mind the scents in these…and they are some really nice products. My fave was the pomegranate oil but, my husband likes the rose and apricot day cream for is combo skin. There are also a few serums that would probably (don’t know for sure but…) work for oilier skin.
Have you heard of Martina Gebhardt? Its a German line imported from a Toronto based holistic beauty spa. Their creams are pretty thick and often oily but their lotions sink right in and aren’t greasy. They also don’t have added ingredients for scent . I loved the black mud one in the summer / early fall. Now that its winter I am going to start using something a friend discovered. Bubble and bee makes an awesome face cream. It isn’t oily, no scent, moisturizes super well and leaves very little film on the skin. You can get both through http://www.pureandsimple.ca and http://www.bubbleandbee.com
Try Purenuffstuff; everything they make is brilliant, although my husband wash´t too keen on the smell of the moisturizer I bought him. I now buy him Bulldog, which smells fantastic and does the job really well. Yes to Carrots is another brand worth having a look at. All of these are available at reasonable prices, which is always a good thing!
I just gifted my fiance some Ursa Major. We both like the way it smells and he seems to really like the performance of the products – I am awaiting the release of their face lotion so I can give that to him, too. I was hesitant before finding Ursa Major to push the product thing because I couldn’t find any really viable options for him, though he liked Max Green Alchemy shampoo and body wash. This is definitely an under-served section of the natural market – thanks for the post!
Because I’m a dork, I’ve actually started a list in an excel document with all your wonderful suggestions! I will have him start trying some of these soon. Stay tuned for the boysturizer update!
@Siobhan Boom!
@Comagirl I want that soup. For breakfast.
@Liz Aw, Clementine’s are one of the most nostalgic foods for me. My sister and I had a Clementine sticker wall in our first house.:)
I’m a guy. I use Goé Oil. It isn’t greasy and it’s totally clean.
Goé Oil http://shoppretty.ca/collections/andreafaves/products/goe-oil
Same issues, and hubby found, likes, and uses both the KMF Honey Calandula, and a lavender lotion from WF… Says neither is greasy, soaks in, and he does not smell it all day… He’s happy, I’m happy, all good!
I am a guy. This website has changed my life and made it very expensive! Since reading, I have been using, pretty religiously, Tata Harper’s eye cream, moisturizer, cleanser and face mask, Oralive toothpaste, skinnyskinny neem/tea tree soap, and Rahua shampoo and conditioner.
Will prob also get Kahina’s Argan Oil.
M
I (female) use Indian Meadow Herbals’s Love your Face cream:
http://www.imherbal.com/products/detail-69841-Love-Your-Face-Cream—Made-with-76_-organic-herbs,-oils-
It has a very gender-neutral/herbal/almost medicinal smell. My face does love this cream! You should do a post on them, though given that they’re from Maine it may be hard to source on the west coast.
As a man, I do really like Dr. Alkaitis. I don’t use the day cream though, but the Soothing Gel which is perfect for my skin that is a bit oily. I use this as aftershave, and as .. well, all around moisturizer.
I also really love Skin & Bones and Kimberly Sayer, which has a nice lemony smell and really wakes me up in the morning.
Oh and do check the new line from Sweden, M Picaut. A very nice 95% organic skin care line.
Olie Biologique’s 004 Huile Moderne is THE miracle oil for man-skin. It doesn’t leave you greasy, no girly smell and my Brazilian boyfriend who shaves head to toe LOVES using it . It’s great for an after work out in the pool especially!