Is it necessary for men to have their own skincare line?

I know this is a women’s site but I can’t help commenting on the new L’oreal Men Expert line that’s just been launched with Daniel Wu as the spokesperson/model. That’s Daniel Wu in the picture – model and actor in Asian movies. I’m not much of an Asian movie star fan so I’m sorry to say I’m not familiar with him at all.

Getting to the point though is whether it really is necessary for men to have their own line of skincare, or is skincare generally quite universal?

Cosmetic companies beg to differ because they say men’s skin are thicker and oilier and therefore have different needs from women. Many brands proclaim this and have developed specific lines of skincare for men. Among them are Biotherm, Clinique and Clarins, two classically female brands of cosmetics and skincare that now carry a specific men’s line. In the drugstore/pharmacy, you don’t see any segregation but now L’oreal has attempted this with Men Expert.

Packaging wise, it has a similar sort of packaging to the women’s line except the colour is a silver-grey with orange accent. The Men Expert range comprises Pure & Matte series for oily skin, Hydra Energetic for dull or tired skin, and the Vita Lift series for aged skin.

I’m not trained in this line so whatever I say from here is  my own view.

I just don’t think that men really need their own skincare line because:

• Skin is skin. Its all the same at the end of the day, whether men or women. I know men who use the same skincare I use and their skin isn’t any worse for it.
• Its all a bit of marketing gimmick. These consumer products need to find a fresh market so telling consumers that their skin is different is the key. It is a way to capture the remaining 50% of the market still untapped.
• How many men care? I don’t see many men browsing in the skincare departments of a drugstor, or buying skincare. Even if they did, chances are that a man would likely just pick up any facial wash and moisturiser without bothering to find out if their skin is oily or dry or aging. They’d wash with soap if they could and many do!

I’m all for men using skincare. I just don’t think men need their own line, that’s all. At the end of the day, the people manning the counters are still women. The counters still have a feminine look about them and there is still a social stigma of a man buying RM500 worth of skincare for himself.

The men in my life all use skincare – facial washes, toners, moisturisers, creams, treatments, masks, scrubs… and they all use the same products I do. Some of them even use more expensive products than I do! Their skin isn’t worse for wear. I exposed some of them to men’s lines but they did not find it any different or any better for them. In fact, some felt it was a bit harsh for their skin.

So, just based on my own observation, I’d say men need a proper skincare regime just as women do. They need to clean their skin with proper cleansers and then to moisturise. Many men forget the most important skincare item of all – sunscreen. Even if they don’t put anything on their skin, they should use sunscreen. Everyone needs sunscreen as a basic skincare item.

I  just don’t think men really need a special line of skincare just for them.