Are We Ready to Talk About Practical & Sustainable Skincare for Men?
The beauty industry is seeing two emerging trends, in my under-educated opinion. One is the growing demand for eco-friendly and ethical products. Another is the awareness among the men about skincare, SPF, and more.
Is the latter very widespread where I live?
The answer would be not much, but not a complete no.
Thanks to social media, the women in their lives, their own concern for their skin and so on, men are increasingly turning against the traditional gender norms. Yes, the same norms surrounding men and skincare that dictate it's unmanly to take care of their skin. Also, we are not touching on toxic masculinity in today’s piece. What I want to say is that, yes, now men feel that perhaps it’s not the brightest idea to limit themselves to basic grooming products like shaving cream and aftershave. Our men know now that these gender norms? They restrict men’s access to skincare made for them and overlook the fact that men’s skin is just as susceptible to the negative effects of harsh chemicals and pollutants as women’s. We all need SPF. And sir, before you say my ancestors didn’t use SPF, they probably had their own form of sun protection. And they had way less pollutants and a much better ozone layer.
Why am I telling y’all all this? Well, because of these two things, I feel soon we will see demand for sustainable skincare brands that cater to men’s specific needs with more eco-friendly, ethical, and healthy options. Yet, it will never be sustainable, not truly until we look at men’s options. What do I mean? Well, time for a spiel.
What we think sustainable skincare for men means:
Something that ranges from basic aftershave alternatives made with better, not always natural, ingredients, and non-toxic, reef-positive sunscreens, to cleansing products without skin-damaging chemicals, right?
Yes, we are past the stage where sustainability enthusiasts say, “let us replace single-use cotton cleansing balls with micro-fibre towels and commit to a skin-care routine that causes as little waste as is possible for you!” Side note, do not fall for the 100% zero-waste skincare routine unless that is practical for you. And I am not saying this just because I still use the semi-sustainable Dot & Key facewash my sis gifted. I am saying this because using what you have is better than letting it rot in the landfill and making realistic choices is better than burning out trying to be sustainable when the options aren’t there for you. Though yes, I plan on finding a better alternative the moment my face wash runs out, because we can always petition and aim for better. And also, cuz, the thought of the marine life keeps me up at night. Which leads me to…
How we can help the sustainable skincare movement for men….practically
Yes, not everyone can buy 5-star Zoobop-approved organic products ( I am still stuck at 4 myself) and sometimes natural can harm the skin, but as long as we prioritise turning and learning our ingredients when possible, asking questions when we have the time about what their impact on our skin and planet is, and start looking for recycled or reusable packaging and CSSR- friendly brands with Impact Pages that say where they are recycling, how their supply chain works, fair trade certifications, and most important, requesting our doctors for eco-friendly options when feasible, we can make skincare for men more eco-friendly but we can’t make it truly sustainable, without doing what we will talk about next. Despite the companies that do great work in this department.
So what do we need to do?
The question is why are we choosing to focus on sustainable skin care for men, when all genders have a part to play in encouraging the use of more sustainable skincare?
The answer is simple.
By supporting sustainable skincare for men, individuals can challenge the traditional gender norms surrounding men and skincare. This in turn promotes a more inclusive and equitable beauty industry which is an important part of the industry’s sustainable development. It also leads to more innovations and more jobs. This might also reduce the number of men who suffer from skin diseases that could have been prevented with a little more understating of hygiene and self-care. And who doesn’t want a society that loves self-care for everyone? Instead of thinking men should work themselves to the bone.
Look we know that skincare for men used to be niche and sustainable skincare for men, even more. But that seems to be changing, enough that even conventional brands like Garnier are picking up on it. The question is, will we now move onto a world where sustainable skincare for men isn’t a tough topic but where practical suggestions are handed freer than a bottle of beer by your friends? After all, men are everywhere, from working in the fields to labour sites to offices, homes, and showrooms. Don’t they then deserve options that cater to these diverse needs? Yes, according to hospitality professional Ahana Ghosh, some professions have men-specific makeup but how widespread is that knowledge in the general populace? All this is without even mentioning their diverse skin conditions or the still staggering lack of incentive in many places for men to take care of the largest organ on their bodies without being mocked for it.
Without covering these first, can we truly move on to sustainability? Or would it just be eco-friendly and ethical?
These are questions I don’t think of often, but maybe we all should think of more.
If you want to get started on building a realistic skin-care routine, here are some tips I would love to have the consistency to use.
P.S.- If you like my work, a comment, share, or a subscription to RealisticallySustainableDiaries goes a long way. You can also pay what you want!
Beta Reading- ChatGpt
Updated- 29/11/24
