They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus. We aren’t too sure about that, but women’s and men’s skin are sure different. Don’t believe us? Check out the following research.

According to various sources on the web (from here, here, here, and here), there does appear to be differences between women’s and men’s skin:

Testosterone causes the skin to be thicker, so men have 25 percent thicker skin than women.
The rate of skin thinning with age also varies. For women, they start losing the most thickness of their skin after menopause, while men’s skin slowly thins over time.
Men have greater collagen density, which makes them look more youthful. However, men generally do not care for their skin as well as women (such as sun protection) and that causes the hastening of an aged appearance.
Men also lose collagen density slower than women.
Other than having a thicker skin, men’s skin texture is also more rough.
Men have larger pores.
Androgens like testosterone make men’s skin produce more sebum, which also leads to more pimples which are more persistent.
Men sweat more, and sweat contains naturally produced lactic acid. This helps to slough off dead skin cells, and may help a little in preserving moisture. However, this does not mean that men should not use moisturising and hydrating products.
Shaving, while exfoliating off dead skin, can potentially make the skin more sensitive over time.

In This Article

Things to look out for in men’s facial cleansers
1. Allies of Skin Fresh Slate Purifying Cleanser + Masque
2. Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser
3. Biotherm Homme T-pur Anti Oil & Shine – Purifying Cleanser
4. Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser
5. Clinique For Men Oil Control Face Wash
6. Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar
7. Estée Lauder Nutritious Micro-Algae Pore Purifying Cleansing Jelly
8. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
9. GlamGlow Supercleanse Clearing Cream-to-Foam Cleanser
10. Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash
11. Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr
12. Lab Series Skincare for Men Multi-Action Face Wash
13. Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel
14. Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser with Saw Palmetto and Mint
15. Philosophy Total Matteness Pore Minimizing & Mattifying Cleanser + Mask
16. Ren Rose Centifolia Cleansing Gel
17. Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser
18. SK-II Men Moisturizing Cleanser
19. Tarte Deep Dive Cleansing Gel
20. The Body Shop For Men Maca Root Face Wash

Things to look out for in men’s facial cleansers

In order to give natural characteristics of men’s skin, look out for such product ingredients and or claims when you search for your next facial wash:

Deep-cleansing/Purifying: Often containing clay to extract excess oil and congestions, they help to clean the pores and maintain clean skin. However, such products run the risk of being too drying if used too often so you have to gauge how your skin reacts. One example is the Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser.
Mattifying/Oil-free: Us men already have oilier skin, so any product that can help mattifying and keep the excess oils at bay will definitely be a plus. They also run a risk of making the skin overly dry as sebum is still necessary for good skin balance and health. An example is the Biotherm Homme T-pur Anti Oil & Shine – Purifying Cleanser.
Contain mild exfoliating acids such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs such as glycolic acid and lactic acid), and or beta hydroxy acids (BHA like salicyclic acid) help to gently exfoliate dead skin cells so that the skin looks more fresh and youthful. An example is the Pixi Beauty Glow Mud Cleanser.
For men that are blessed with naturally balanced skin, or if they have sensitive skin, they should stick to a gentle cleanser that do not strip the skin too much natural sebum. One example is the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser.

With these information in mind, we have compiled a list of 20 face washes for men. While not all of them are marketed for men per se, they contain ingredients or have properties that can help target general skin issues that men would face.

If possible, get a sample to try first to check if you have any adverse product reaction. If your skin problem (such as acne, rosacea, etc.) persists, please seek medical advice. Finally, let us know what are your favourite (for men or otherwise) facial cleansers you have tried!

1. Allies of Skin Fresh Slate Purifying Cleanser + Masque

Allies of Skin Fresh Slate Purifying Cleanser + Masque retails for SGD59 (50ml) at Sephora.

2. Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser

Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser retails for SGD50 (200ml) at Sephora.

3. Biotherm Homme T-pur Anti Oil & Shine – Purifying Cleanser

Biotherm Homme T-pur Anti Oil & Shine – Purifying Cleanser retails for SGD45 at Sephora and Biotherm counters islandwide.

4. Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser

Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser retails for SGD44 (150ml) at Sephora.

5. Clinique For Men Oil Control Face Wash

Clinique For Men Oil Control Face Wash retails for SGD38 (200ml) at Sephora.

6. Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar

Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar retails for SGD60/70 (100/150g) at Sephora.

7. Estée Lauder Nutritious Micro-Algae Pore Purifying Cleansing Jelly

Estée Lauder Nutritious Micro-Algae Pore Purifying Cleansing Jelly retails for SGD30 (125ml) at Sephora and Estée Lauder counters and shops islandwide.