As a Dad myself, I know how hard it can be to look after your skin. That lack of time in the morning, the exhaustion at night, the grey hairs and the dark circles. Even though being a parent is rewarding, it’s also pretty challenging.
When you’ve got children to look after you fail to prioritise things like a grooming routine. Where you once spent time on money on your appearance, paying attention to that precious hair of yours and baby looking face, you now sometimes find yourself with only enough time to clean your teeth twice daily.
But it doesn’t have to be like this for us Dads. We can still look after ourselves, improve our skin and the way we age without spending hours in front of the mirror. How? By doing these 3 things.
1. Choose Good Products
Ok let’s talk about the practical stuff first. The products you choose and how to apply them.
The male grooming industry is huge, with endless moisturisers, eye creams, face washes and even exfoliators to choose from. You could jog down to your local supermarket and pick up a bottle of moisturiser for less than £5, or you can pick a moisturiser up for over £100. With a huge range of products at a huge range of prices, what should you look for?
To keep your skincare simple, follow a 2 step process.
1. Cleanse
Cleansing your skin will remove the dirt accumulated throughout the day, leaving your skin feeling clean and refreshed. By the way, cleanse is just a fancy way of saying wash your face with face wash.
2. Moisturise
A moisturiser will soften the skin and also help freshen it up so combining the two go hand in hand. This is where the anti-ageing magic kicks in, and also the glowing skin you’re looking for.
*Photograph by Andreas Kleiberg
I mean what’s hard about that?
For each, just use a small amount as too much product can sometimes be more damaging. A pea sized amount is normally a good place to start for the moisturiser, and the size of a 50 pence piece for the face wash.
You could of course do more. An eye cream, an exfoliator, a toner and even the odd face mask but why overcomplicate things? Why not keep it simple at first?
Alongside what to do it’s important to choose the right products. Heavily engineered grooming products may sometimes lead to short term results but long term can actually damage your skin. We’d recommend going for something that isn’t heavily engineered, and because our skin is different from our female counterparts I’d also recommend opting for a product that’s made just for men.
BAD NORWEGIAN is a brand that was started after Founder Marius had been studying in South-Africa and spent way too long in the sun. After being introduced by female friends to some premium skincare products, he disliked the perfume and packaging. Because of this, he set about creating a cleaner offering just for men.
It’s a skincare and lifestyle brand that combines the values associated with the country Norway: Integrity, quality and honesty.
Having recently just launched in the UK market this Spring, the brand makes skincare easy for men. They provide clean and simple products that look after your skin with no harmful ingredients added. Everything is Made in Norway with natural ingredients, there’s zero silicone, alcohols, colouring agents, animal ingredients and perfume.
Personally, at the moment I’m all for products that are vegan and have a no-cruelty focus. The more natural the products we use on our face the better, so it’s always refreshing to see a brand with a focus on natural ingredients. You’ve also probably read a lot about the benefits of Cannabis seed oil as well recently, which is contained within the Face Wash so you can reap some of those benefits.
Check Out The Full Range
2. Implement It Into Your Daily Routine
One of the most common reasons why we as men (and in particular Dads) don’t have a skincare regime in place is because of time. But there’s no excuse if you simply implement it into your current routine.
The best way to build a habit is to attach it to another habit you’ve already established. Now I’m guessing you brush your teeth morning and night? Attach this simple skincare regime to that habit, so now every time you clean your teeth you apply a face wash and then moisturiser. It’s going to add 60 seconds to your existing routine but it’s going to make a huge difference. If you only want to use the face wash once a day, then apply it every time you shower or wash (again something you should already be doing daily).
Doing it this way will make it easier to remember and it will also form the habit quicker. Again, you’re not being asked to wear a face mask daily whilst listening to Whale noises and drinking Prosecco. You’re simply adding 60 seconds on to your existing routine to improve how you look and how well you age.
If you don’t clean your teeth twice daily, then maybe start there first. If that’s you, I’d seriously start questioning yourself right now…
3. Remember Why
“I can’t be bothered” is a common response to the question of why we don’t look after our skin as men. But again, not bothering now can lead to regret later on in life when you’re told you look older than you are.
Motivation to do something always comes from remembering why we’re doing it. Why we’re making it a priority. It’s almost like tricking yourself into looking after your skin daily.
The next time your mind says “I can’t be bothered” remind it of these benefits…
– It will help you age better.
– It will make you look less tired.
– It increases your attractiveness.
– And you’ll be a good example for your children.
Again, after a while you’ll naturally start doing this skincare regime without much thought and effort. But for now, remind yourself why if you struggle to get motivated to do so.
“Daddy, Your Skin Looks Amazing”
So all that’s left now is for you to reap the rewards as your kids, wife, and co workers tell you how amazing you look.
“What’s the secret?” they’ll be asking, but protect it with your life.
If you enjoyed this simple skincare regime just for you Dads then do let us know in the comments below!
Check out BAD NORWEGIAN’s range of natural skincare (Whether they’re for yourself or your Dad!)
* This article is sponsored by BAD NORWEGIAN. All words our own, and we only recommend products we’ve tested.
