Face wash for men: what to choose and how to use it

Which face wash suits your skin?

For sensitive skin, look for "fragrance free", not just "unscented". Unscented products can contain masking fragrances that still irritate skin. Regular bar soap often contains harsh ingredients that dry skin, so a mild facial cleanser is a better starting point.2

How to wash your face

1. 1Wet your face with lukewarm water. Use the same temperature if you cleanse in the shower.
2. 2Massage the cleanser gently over your skin with your fingertips. Avoid scrubbing.
3. 3Rinse the cleanser off completely, including around facial hair.
4. 4Pat dry with a clean towel instead of rubbing.
5. 5For an ordinary cleansing routine, apply moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp.

Moisturizer traps water in the skin; cleansing does not replace that step. Before going outdoors, apply sunscreen with broad spectrum protection, water resistance and SPF 30 or higher. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.2

How often should men wash their face?

A usual routine is cleansing in the morning and before bed, with washing after exercise. If you have acne, keep washing affected skin to no more than twice a day: repeated washing can irritate skin and worsen symptoms. When practical, make your post workout wash one of those two washes rather than adding another.13

Use mild cleanser and lukewarm water for acne. Very hot or cold water can worsen acne, and sweat can irritate it, so shower as soon as possible after exercise. Frequency and technique matter alongside the cleanser you choose.3

Should your face wash contain an acne ingredient?

Salicylic acid and glycolic acid chemically exfoliate, meaning they remove cells from the skin's surface without scrubbing. Salicylic acid also reaches into oil glands. A gentle wash containing either ingredient is an option for acne beneath a beard. Benzoyl peroxide is another acne treatment and comes in cleansing products as well as creams and gels.145

Acne develops when excess oil and dead skin cells block hair follicles, the openings where hairs grow. Bacteria can grow in those blocked follicles and cause inflammation. That is why scrubbing harder is not an acne treatment. A pharmacist can help you choose salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide treatment for mild breakouts; persistent or severe acne needs more than a cleanser.6

What if you have a beard?

Wash the skin beneath your beard as well as the hair, because the beard is not a separate address. Beard hairs can trap oil, dead skin cells and bacteria against your skin, contributing to clogged pores. Apply cleanser gently with your hands using circular motions, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, and blot dry with a clean towel.4

For beard acne, avoid using soap or ordinary shampoo as your facial cleanser. Use a small amount of noncomedogenic beard conditioner rather than beard oil to help prevent dryness and itching. Acne treatment belongs across the acne prone skin, not only on individual spots. Clearing beard acne typically takes two to three months of treatment; if breakouts have not reduced after one month, the treatment needs reviewing.4

How does face washing fit around shaving?

Cleanse before shaving and soften your skin and hair with water. Use moisturizing shaving cream, shave in the direction of hair growth, and avoid stretching your skin taut. If close shaving repeatedly causes razor bumps or ingrown hairs, try a razor with one or two blades. Rinse away shaving products and moisturize afterward while the skin is still damp.12

A gentle moisturizer is more useful for most people than an alcohol based aftershave, which dries and irritates skin. A face wash cannot settle every shaving problem: ingrown hairs happen when short, curly hairs bend back into the skin, and can resemble acne.14

What acne body wash can men use?

A benzoyl peroxide cleansing product is an option for mild to moderate acne on affected body skin. Follow its package or prescription directions. Start once daily, testing a small amount on one or two small affected areas for three days before wider use. Keep it away from eyes, nose and mouth, and from hair and coloured fabrics because it can bleach them.5

For chest or back acne, wear loose, breathable clothing, especially during exercise or sweating. Avoid picking spots and scrubbing affected skin. Acne can affect the face, chest and back, so treatment choices should follow the affected area and severity rather than whether a bottle is marketed to men.7

What should make you stop or get help?

Benzoyl peroxide can cause dryness, peeling, warmth, tingling or slight stinging. Contact your doctor if symptoms are severe or persist, or if acne has not improved after four to six weeks. Get immediate medical advice for burning, blistering, rash or swelling. Stop using it and seek immediate help for hives, throat tightness, trouble breathing, faintness or swelling of the face, lips or tongue. Discuss other medicines, pregnancy or breastfeeding with your doctor before use, and avoid combining it with other irritating products unless directed.5

See a doctor for deep or painful spots, scarring, acne that does not improve with treatment, or acne affecting your mental health. Hot, swollen or red skin can indicate infection; redness can be harder to see on brown or black skin. Persistent beard problems need assessment because acne, ingrown hairs and other conditions can look similar.46

The basic plan is cleanse, moisturize and protect, which leaves the bathroom shelf with surprisingly little to do.1