Chapter 3
The 5-Minute Basic Routine: Cleanse, Moisturise, Protect
This is the most important chapter in the book. If you only adopt this one routine and nothing else, your skin will look noticeably better within a month.
The routine has just three steps:
- Cleanse (morning and night)
- Moisturise (morning and night)
- Protect with sunscreen (every morning, and reapply when you're outdoors)
That's it. Three products. Five minutes a day. Everything else in this book is an add-on for specific problems.
Step 1: Cleanse
Why soap isn't ideal for your face
Most bathing soaps are made for the body. They're often alkaline, which means they can strip your face of its natural oils and disturb its protective barrier. Your face then feels tight and dry, and oily skin often responds by producing even more oil. That's why many guys feel their face is “squeaky clean” after soap, then greasy an hour later.
A face wash (also called a cleanser) is designed to remove oil, sweat and dirt more gently.
How to wash your face properly
Most guys splash, rub for three seconds and dry off. Do it like this instead:
- Wet your face with normal or lukewarm water, not hot.
- Take a pea-sized to coin-sized amount of face wash in your palm and rub it between your hands.
- Massage it over your face for 30 to 60 seconds, covering your forehead, nose, the sides of your nose, chin, jawline and the area near your ears. If you have a beard, work it gently into the beard as well.
- Rinse thoroughly. Leftover face wash near the hairline and jaw can cause pimples.
- Pat your face dry with a clean towel. Don't rub hard.
