well, i am a total product whore when it comes to skincare. my bathroom is filled with face washes/toners/exfoliators/moisturizers/masks/serums/etc etc etc. all my friends think i'm insane, but my argument is that my skin is my first impression to the world. its my largest organ and its the one that is exposed to all the shit in the air and the sun and everything else. i don't wanna be looking like i'm 50 when i'm 50, savvy? sooooo, hermes -- i love Korres as well. but there are sooooooo many options for you, Kapay, to choose from in this category. the men's grooming industry is literally exploding and there are countless different really great skincare companies. SO, first of all, you need to isolate your skin type. you can spend all the money in the world on the best products, but if you don't buy for your own skin type, its like buying a pair of expensive jeans that not only don't fit properly, but also make you look dreadful. So, there are basically 6 different skin types: Very Dry Normal (with a tendency to get oily) Normal (with a tendency to be dry) Combination (some areas particularly oily, others dry or mixed) Oily (large pores, face gets shiny and oily very soon after washing) Sensitive (skin is prone to rashes, sores, or other such blemishes) every good skincare company will have a large range of products designed specifically for your skin type. you also need to take into consideration where you live. in san francisco you have 4 distinct seasons, and each season may require a slightly modified skincare regime. So, the best overall companies, in my opinion, are (in no particular order):
Kiehl's ----- trust me, not only their shaving products are great. nearly everything you buy from them is top quality. they're truly perfected the easy, no fuss, fantastic skin formula. i swear by the
Foaming Non-Detergent Washable Cleanser -- it's for combination or oily skin (i have combination) and its perfectly gentle enough that it doesn't dry the non-oily parts of my face, but its great at keeping the oil in check as well. helps even skin tone, too. Plus, their
Facial Fuel Energizing Moisturizer is superb. it's very light and you can put on as much as you want without worrying about clogging your pores. but, i'm in a very humid climate, so i typically avoid the oily areas on my face with the moisturizer.
Aesop ---- this is an Australian company that uses almost 100% natural ingredients to make their amazing skincare products. i have and ADORE the
Amazing Face Cleanser. it is supposed to be used with cool or lukewarm water and it leaves my face feeling so completely clean and smooth it's unbelievable. I also love their
Primrose Facial Cleansing Mask. Its a mask designed for patchy or combination skin and i put it on every Sunday afternoon. it really keeps my skin tone ballanced. I am living in Seoul, where it's very humid and polluted, so this virtually restores my skin to its healthy base and cleans out all the environmental shit that i've accumulated throughout the week.
Shiseido ---- Many people swear by this Japanese company. i have to confess that i've only tried their toner and face wash, but both are fantastic. the
Shiseido Men Cleansing Foam is thick and smooth (though actually one time i got a tube that had exfoliant scrubs in it... exact same package though). it glides onto your face and when you rinse, you can hear that perfectly clean squeak. it can be a little too harsh for me to use all the time however.
Malin + Goetz -- I don't have any of their products on rotation right at the moment, however I absolutely love their
Vitamin E Face Moisturizer. This is a great, lightweight moisturizer that is reasonably priced and works wonders for softness. i did notice that if i put very much of it on the areas of my face that get oily, it did add to the problem. But that's not to say that this is a bad product. on the contrary, its quite awesome and if you have Normal skin i'd definitely recommend it.
La Prairie -- almost everything that they produce is extremely expensive. however, they have a BRILLIANT moisturizer which i use every other month that i'm not using Kiehl's. it's called
Cellular Purifying Hydrating Fluid, but what all that basically means is that this shit is the absolute best. it gets right into your skin on a cellular level and moisturizes there. this particular moisturizer is crafted to control the oil in your skin, so during the hot months when the air is so dense and my skin gets most oily, this is exactly what i use. its what i'm using right now and it just is the most amazing stuff. other great companies that haven't been mentioned:
L'Occitane Dr. Hauschka Zihr Dermalogica Peter Thomas Roth hope i've helped!
