Many clients have been taught or have learned that having good habits and living a healthy lifestyle will give them a better, happier, and longer life. They know that eating well, exercising regularly, sleeping eight hours daily, relaxing, meditating, and having fun with friends and family are simple, habitual actions that make a big difference long-term. But, when it comes to their skin, they may need help turning their skin care routine into a self-care ritual.

The skin care professional can play a role in this process by:

• selling them on the benefits of having a daily skin care regimen to look and feel better about themselves
• taking away the worry and hassle of making the choices for what products to buy and use
• helping to ease their mental stress when they are feeling overwhelmed by a skin condition

In order for a skin care professional to serve their clients in a proficient manner, they must understand the differences between men’s and women’s skin, common adult skin problems, and product ingredient recommendations to help them keep healthy-looking skin and prevent premature skin aging. Let us briefly take a closer look at these basic differences.

MEN
Men tend to have thicker skin and are prone to razor burn, bumps, and ingrown hairs. Their skin also typically ages slower, has more and larger pores, and is oiler and shiner than women’s skin.

WOMEN
Women tend to experience drier and more fragile skin after menopause. They can be prone to hormonal breakouts. Compared to men, women tend to show first signs of aging faster. They are also more prone to age spots and dry skin patches.

As a skin care professional, knowing these differences and having a thorough knowledge of what chronological changes take place during an individual’s lifespan in his or her 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond will help determine what specific product ingredients and how many products can be used in a skin care regimen to treat, correct, and prevent further skin damage and aging.