A simple skincare routine for men in Pakistan

A simple skincare routine for men in Pakistan takes about five minutes a day: wash your face morning and night with a face wash that suits your skin, put on a light moisturiser, and wash your hair and body regularly, especially after sweating. Add a little care around shaving and keep your hands off your face. You do not need ten products. You need a few good habits that you actually keep.

Why men need a routine at all

Many men grow up washing their face with whatever soap is in the bathroom, if they wash it at all. Then they wonder why their face feels greasy by lunchtime, why their beard area itches, or why their skin looks tired.

Daily life here is hard on skin. There is the commute on a motorbike through dust and smoke, long hours outdoors, cricket in the evening, heat that makes you sweat through your shirt, and then dry, cold winters. A short routine helps your skin feel clean and comfortable through all of it.

Men's skin is not a different organ from women's skin. But many men have oilier skin, shave often and spend more time outdoors. The routine below keeps those things in mind.

The morning routine

1. Wash your face

Use lukewarm water and a face wash, not body soap. Take a small amount, make a lather in your hands, and massage it over your face for 10 to 20 seconds. Include the sides of your nose, your forehead and along the jawline, where oil and sweat collect. Rinse well and pat dry with a clean towel.

If your face gets oily and shiny by midday, try Acne Ease Facewash. It is an oil control gel face wash for oily and acne-prone skin, made with tea tree oil. The box suggests using it twice a day.

If your face feels tight or dry after washing, the wash may be too strong, or you may be washing too often. Use it once a day for a while and see how your skin responds.

2. Moisturise

Many men skip this step because they think moisturiser feels greasy. A light, oil-free lotion should not. Take a small amount, about the size of a pea for the face, and smooth it over your face and neck.

Hydro Med Moisturizing Lotion is a light, oil-free daily lotion for dry skin, made with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and shea butter. Its box says to smooth it over the face, neck and hands. Read more about hyaluronic acid and why it shows up in so many moisturisers.

3. Think about the sun

If you spend hours outdoors, cover up where you can. A cap, sunglasses and shade at midday go a long way. If you want a sunscreen, choose one made for that purpose and use it generously. Our guide to daily sun protection in Pakistan has simple habits that are easy to keep.

Shaving without the sting

Shaving is where many men have the most trouble. Redness, small bumps and a burning feeling after a shave are common. A few changes often help.

1. Wash your face first. Shave after your face wash, or after a shower, when the hair is softer.
2. Use a clean, sharp blade. A blunt blade pulls at the hair. Change it often and rinse it during the shave.
3. Go with the grain. Shave in the direction your hair grows, at least on the first pass.
4. Do not press hard. Let the blade do the work.
5. Rinse with cool or lukewarm water and pat dry.
6. Moisturise afterwards to help the skin feel comfortable.

If you keep a beard, wash it with your face and dry it well. Sweat and food can collect in a beard and leave the skin underneath feeling itchy.

After sport, the gym or a long day outside

Sweat that sits on the skin for hours can leave it feeling sticky and uncomfortable. When you can, shower soon after exercise. Change out of sweaty clothes, including your vest and socks.

For the chest and back, a body bar made for oily skin is a handy habit. Acne Ease Soap is an oil control bar with tea tree oil for the face, back and chest. Lather it, leave it on for about a minute, and rinse well.

Wash your caps, pillow covers and the inside of your helmet regularly too. They touch your face every day.

The night routine

At night, wash your face again in the same way as the morning. It removes the oil, sweat and dust of the day. Then moisturise. That is all.

If you only manage one wash a day at first, make it the night one. Going to sleep with the day's dust on your face is a habit worth breaking.

Hair and scalp

A clean scalp feels better and keeps hair looking fresh. Wash your hair as often as your scalp needs. For many men in summer, that is every day or every other day. Massage the shampoo into the scalp with your fingertips, not your nails, and rinse well.

If you are noticing more hair on your comb or pillow, Grow Up Anti Hair Fall Shampoo is made for a hair-fall care routine, for men and women. Our hair fall care routine guide explains the daily habits that matter, and when sudden or patchy hair loss needs a doctor.

Small habits that make a big difference

• Keep your hands off your face. Touching, squeezing and picking leaves marks that last longer than the original spot.
• Use your own towel. Shared towels spread oil and dirt.
• Drink water and sleep. Your skin and hair feel the effect of a late night and a long day without water.
• Clean your phone screen. It touches your cheek for hours.
• Start small. Two products used every day beat five products used once a week.

How long before you notice a difference

Give a new routine four to six weeks before you judge it. Change one product at a time, so you know what your skin likes. If something makes your skin sting, turn red or itch, stop using it.

Before using any new product on your face, try it on a small patch of skin on your forearm for a day.

When to see a doctor

A face wash and moisturiser are for everyday care. Please see a doctor if your skin has painful or deep breakouts, if bumps after shaving keep coming back and hurt, if a rash spreads, or if hair loss is sudden or comes in patches. Do not keep trying products for months when something is wrong.

In short

Wash your face morning and night, moisturise lightly, shave gently, shower after sweating and keep your scalp clean. Five minutes a day is enough. For more on simple cleansing habits, see our daily cleansing page.