One of the most important beauty and health routines you can have and keep up with is skin care. Even though your skin is a part of your body that is constantly shedding and re-growing itself, it’s still extremely important to make sure your skin is in its healthiest shape possible.

A common misconception is that women are the only ones who are supposed to have a skincare routine, and that is absolutely false. Guys, you deserve to look good too!

Men’s products can even be more complex than women’s, because of their facial hair. Whether you are a man who decides to have facial hair or not, there are products out there designed exactly for you!

In the winter months, using aftershaves containing alcohol can dry out your skin even more, so to avoid that, some products that come highly recommended include: Nivea Men’s Skin Energy Double Action Balm (this product has chamomile in the formula which will sooth your irritated skin) and Neutrogena Men’s Triple Protect Face Lotion SPF 20 (because even in the winter you can get sunburnt!)

However, in the summer months, you may have the opposite problem as listed before, and your skin may be too oily from being outside in the warm weather. In this case, you may require an oil-free moisturizer. Some highly recommended ones include: Dove Men + Care Face Lotion – Hydrate and CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion (CeraVe is a very popular brand with wonderful moisturizers that do their job wonderfully without becoming too greasy.)

Another very important note to be made is that for men who choose to sport facial hair at any point during the year, beard oil is a necessity! Beard oil helps to tame your beard and give in that sophisticated manly look, rather than that of an uncivilized caveman.

I will be the first to admit that as a woman, shopping for skin care can be pretty intimidating! There are so many brands, products and choices to make, it can become overwhelming. I spoke to two female Washburn students who shared their skincare routines with me.

Amanda Alejos, a freshman forensic science major, avidly wears makeup and usually has normal-type skin, that can get oily in some areas. She uses Noxema face wash daily, and oil-removing wipes throughout the day to keep her skin from looking too greasy.

Jamie Schartz, a senior theatre and mass media major, doesn’t wear makeup and attributes her nice skin to that. She has normal-type skin, but can get oily on occasion. She also uses an apricot scrub daily to refresh her skin (plus, it smells amazing!)

My typical skin care routine is pretty basic. I use Yardley’s Lavender bar soap to wash my face in the morning. Yardley’s is a natural soap that smells absolutely heavenly and can be found at most drugstores and markets. When it comes to moisturizer, things get a little trickier for me, because I tend to have combination skin, meaning some spots are oily but others are normal. In the spring, summer and fall months, I use Morning Burst Clean & Clear Hydrating Gel Moisturizer, but in the winter months I use Promise Organic’s Ultra Moisturizing Argan Crème Facial Cream (which smells like fruit candy!).

Another important aspect of men’s & women’s skin care, especially in the winter, is to wear lip balm to prevent your lips from getting chapped and cracked. My go-to for lip balm for years has been Burt’s Bees. It’s natural formula won’t over moisturize or dry out your lips, plus it can be found basically anywhere and comes in many wonderful scents and flavors.

As a college student, it can be tricky to find good products and a good routine that isn’t going to break the bank. Hopefully I’ve done all the hard work for you and now all you have to worry about is looking and feeling your best!