Men's grooming expert, Craig the Barber, recently joined forces with Lab Series to help all you dashing men out there find your perfect products. And since not everyone could make it, I decided to bring the fun to you! I was fortunate enough to meet with the expert himself, so I took the liberty of asking him about the five products that every man needs, how ethnicity plays into the equation, and when men should start thinking about anti-aging products.
Since Craig's mission is to educate men on grooming, I decided to dive right in with the most important lesson of all - skincare. While we both agreed that telling men they need five products may sound a little high maintenance to skincare newbies, it just is what it is, and it's not high maintenance at all. Each of these products should be considered a necessity ... At least if you strive for something comparable to Craig's perfect complexion. Here's the breakdown:
1. Wash
No muscle needed here, just cleanse your face morning and night using Multi-Action Face Wash. With purifying beads built in, it cleans and exfoliates in one easy step.
2. Prep
Don't jump directly to shaving, start by applying this Smooth Shave Oil. According to Craig, "This captures the moisture of the cleanser and provides a great glide for a closer shave." It also softens your beard and helps prevent razor burn.
3. Shave
The ultra-rich formula of Maximum Comfort Shave Cream provides cushion to help protect shave-sensitive skin while preventing bothersome irritation and redness.
4. Treat
Admire your clean shave and treat your skin with 3-in-1 Post-Shave. "It helps protect against ingrown hairs, refines the skin, and slows hair growth over time so your shave lasts longer." Win, win, and win!
5. Protect
You want your good looks to last, which is exactly why this last step is so important. Everyone needs moisturizer and I was thrilled that Craig picked Daily Moisture Defense SPF 15 with sun protection built right in. We both agreed that SPF is an everyday must-have and this lotion is so light that you guys won't mind wearing it.
Next up, I wanted to understand how ethnicity impacts a man's skincare routine. "Generally speaking, the darker the skin the oilier it tends to be. It's also more difficult to deal with ingrown hairs because the hair curls in. So, individuals with darker skintones would benefit from lighter-weight products and definitely need something like the 3-in-1 Post-Shave."
"Lighter complexions will see the signs of aging earlier, and they're also prone to more dryness and redness. Since their hair grows straight, they also tend to shave against the grain, which leads to razor burn. Using the Pre-shave Oil and Post-Shave can really help with this."
Finally, I asked Craig for his take on men's anti-aging products. As I suspected, he recommended that men start using something like the Max LS anti-aging products in their early-to-mid 30s as long as they've been taking care of their skin. The last part of the sentence is very important. Ladies, unfortunately this doesn't apply for us. You'll want to start adding anti-aging products into your routine earlier.
Tonya Mann, Macy's beauty blogger, will be sharing all of the latest beauty tips and trends
