There was a time when every skincare product on the market was aimed at women. It was like the world thought men barely even showered — let alone washed their face. 

In time, the market caught up and, in fairness, many men also did start to take a bit more pride in their appearance. Face-washing and skincare was now something that men, and not just teenage boys worried about breakouts, started to pay some mind.

As the culture changed, some of the marketing attempts were fairly comical. Led by the likes of Axe Body Spray and others, the entire personal care aisle for men started to look like an attempt to sell some strange blend between the X Games and motor oil. 

Fortunately, this mentality is dying out and most skincare products today are much closer to unisex. Different packaging still exists and certain differences can be seen in the formulas and ingredients depending upon who the target buyer is. Still, there has been a move toward science, and most men who buy skincare products just want the same thing that their wives, moms, girlfriends, and sisters are looking for: stuff that works.

Why should men actually care about skincare? What are the skeptics still missing? Are there substantial differences in the products aimed at men and women? For anyone still in the dark about these and other issues, let's go ahead and try to clear up the confusion.

1. We All Age the Same

All of us, literally every single day, are aging. Oxidative stress, free radicals, and diminishing elasticity are facts of life. These chemical, physical, and biological effects have no idea whether a face belongs to a man or a woman.

So it doesn’t matter who you are. If you possess a face, you should care about skincare. Do you want that face to look good? Well, if so, buy some soap, get some moisturizer, and use it once in awhile.

2. Cultural Norms Have Shifted

There was a time when our culture told us that it didn’t matter what a man looked like. Women? Sure, they were expected to spend hours every day to look their absolute best just to prove their worth to society. But men got off scot-free and could look like trolls for all anyone cared.

This was always a fallacy and nothing actually worked that way in most of the real world, but it was the fable we all bought into. Now, though, the jig is fully up. Some simple market research shows just how drastically this is all shifting. These days, anyone who wants to look their best — man or woman — needs to put some effort into skincare.

3. It Really Isn’t Very Hard

If you talk to some people about their routines, skincare is as complicated as astrophysics. While you can take it as far as you want, really, that doesn't have to be the case. It’s all quite simple. Much like diet and exercise, if you do the basics that everyone already knows about (daily cleaning, exfoliation, moisturizing, and protection), you will usually see good results.

There is certainly a lot of science involved in creating top products made with anti-aging ingredients. Certain skin types will benefit from different approaches as well. Really though, at the end of the day, it isn’t rocket science. Spend a few minutes each day, and your skin will thank you.

Skincare: Not Just for Women Anymore

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that there is value for both men and women when it comes to skincare. 

For one, looking better helps when it comes to relationships and attracting partners. In our modern, health-conscious world, everyone who sees your face also can see whether or not you make your fitness, diet, and general self-care a priority.

Beyond all that, you will just feel better and more confident about yourself. This goes equally for men too — even if they don't like to admit it. We all age the same, new cultural norms mean it is now an expectation for everyone, and at the end of the day it isn't even that difficult.

So it's time to man up. Take some pride in your appearance — from head to toe — and start putting some effort into your skincare.