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Have you ever had a conversation with a male friend and heard him say something along the lines of, “I don’t even wash my face,” “they’re for women,” or “I just use the same body soap for my face,” claiming that they work the same? And felt super baffled by what you just heard?
In an age where people are becoming more accepting and tolerant towards change, there are still stereotyped views regarding skincare or hygiene necessities, especially from the male perspective. But why?
Why do many men not care about their skincare?
It’s essential that we look back into the root of the problem when trying to understand an issue that has encompassed the male mindset. Ever since the start of civilisation, the male population has conformed to social norms that men have to have dominance, the primacy of work, and the pursuit of status.
But have you ever questioned yourself as to why it is the way it is? Could it be due to a belief that was pressured onto them to behave a certain way, and if not, they won’t be “man enough”?Could it be that caring for their skin would contradict society’s expectations of men having to be tough and resilient?
As of late, skincare has been related to self-care, which is to take the time and care for oneself for the benefit of your own health—however, that goes against the social norms constructed for men.
"They think that if they're taking time for self-care, they're losing productivity, time from work. And that goes against what society tells us is masculine." – Gregory Brown, founder and director of the Green Psychiatry Center.
The harm that this problem carries, and why it should end.
You might have experienced this personally, or know a close friend who was traumatised at a young age from receiving insults due to acne. Maybe you were even mocked for caring for your acne-prone skin.
If this stigma between men and skincare were to continue, it will cause a lose-lose situation for young men in the event that, it will further harm them mentally.
This type of male mindset needs to change. In fact, men (and relevant industries) should also be aware of the differences between a female’s skin and a male’s. For example, did you know that a man’s skin is thicker, coarser, and oilier by nature? Aside from that, they also produce four times as much oil production as women, especially after puberty. This is why men tend to have longer-lasting acne.
With consistent practice of a proper skincare routine (a cleanser, moisturiser, and sunscreen would suffice), this could help them tackle basic skincare problems, inevitably maintaining cleaner skin, lessening sebum production and with proper treatment, alleviating acne, which can be painful.
The bonus here is that with skincare, men also enjoy a boost in attraction from potential partners. It’s a win-win here!
Skincare is hygiene, nothing more, nothing less!
With all that being said, is society’s expectations of men overrule basic necessities such as caring for one’s skin? Is it worth it to have life-long ridicule when you have the power to put an end to it? Caring for our skin should be a routine practised by everybody, regardless of gender.
It’s time to recognise that skin care is not a matter of whether you’re crossing the line between femininity and masculinity. It's a matter of practising good hygiene care that will improve not only your facial appearance but also the state of your mental health.
It will take some time to break the mould that is the stigma surrounding men and skincare. So aside from supporting each other kindly, let us start the change here, perhaps by asking ourselves first, “don’t I deserve to look my best too?”