4 SELF-CARE HACKS MEN WITH SENSITIVE SKIN NEED TO KNOW

Newsflash: if your skin ever feels dry, itchy or irritated, you’re not alone. Men get sensitive skin too. From the ingredients in your skin care products, to the temperature of your shower, to the fabrics you wear, there are several factors that can affect male skin.

Luckily, you can care for sensitive skin with a few small (but essential) tweaks to your routine. Here are four sensitive skin care tips and self-care hacks to give dry, sensitive skin the protection and moisture it needs.

1
TURN DOWN THE HEAT NEXT TIME YOU STEP INTO THE SHOWER
Does your skin ever look red or feel itchy after your shower? Chances are, you have the temperature too high.

Hot water can cause inflammation, which can make your skin feel uncomfortable and itchy. It can also strip away natural oils that help protect sensitive skin and retain moisture. Experts suggest that a lukewarm shower between 36-40℃ works best for our skin. If your skin is especially itchy, try dropping the temperature even further to calm and cool it.

Can’t imagine your grooming routine without hot water? Try trimming down the length of your shower instead. Who says you can’t save water every time you care for sensitive skin?
2
ADD A SENSITIVE SKIN-FRIENDLY BODY WASH TO YOUR ROUTINE
Sulphates, alcohol and colourants are all common ingredients in skin care products that can make male skin feel like it’s burning, dry, itchy and uncomfortable. To help protect sensitive skin, try switching your daily cleanser with a skin-friendly body wash.

Enter our caring Dove Men+Care Sensitive 3-in-1 Body, Face and Hair Wash. It’s sulphate and colourant-free. Dermatologically tested. Balanced with a sensitive skin-friendly pH. Specially designed to restore and moisturise dry, sensitive skin. And protects your skin’s natural barrier.

It’s head-to-toe, sensitive skin care for men packed into one bottle (which is recyclable and made with 100% recycled plastic, we’re proud to add).
3
MAKE SURE YOUR DEODORANT HELPS PROTECT SENSITIVE SKIN TOO
Just like your body wash, there are ingredients common in deodorants and antiperspirants – like alcohol and aluminium – that can irritate our underarms and even cause us to sweat more.

Give your underarms some much needed comfort and care with our Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Antiperspirant or Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Antiperspirant Roll-On. They’re both alcohol-free, made with ¼ moisturising cream and give underarms 48-hour sweat and odour protection.
4
CHECK YOUR THREADS AND DETERGENT AREN’T CAUSING IRRITATION
Skin care for men shouldn’t stop with your body wash and deodorant. What you wear and how you clean your clothes is also a factor.

Synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon are treated with harmful, skin-upsetting chemicals during production, and even wool can irritate non-sensitive skin. Natural materials like silk, linen, organic cotton and merino wool, on the other hand, are all known to be more gentle on skin.

To find out which materials might be bothering your skin, go through your wardrobe and ask: What shirts and clothes chafe my skin or cause me to overheat and sweat? This will help you identify what fabrics work (and don’t work) for you and your skin.

Next, make sure you have a skin-friendly detergent. Hypoallergenic liquid detergents without fragrance or colourants are kinder to sensitive male skin. You can also try adding sensitive-skin-friendly fabric softener to your laundry routine. These keep fabric fibres soft, minimising chafing and irritation.

One last tip to help you care for sensitive skin: when you buy new clothes, always wash them before you wear them. Brand new clothes can contain starch or dyes, while second-hand and vintage clothes can collect years of dust. Both, of course, can leave sensitive skin feeling itchy and irritated.

Now, go give your sensitive skin the protection it deserves.