Men Should Take Skincare Seriously

Staying indoors these past few years must have been giving everyone an urge to go out in the sun for rest and recreation. Thing is, it's not just vitamin D that you're getting when exposed to the sun. There's Ultraviolet Rays that can cause skin aging, eye damage, sun burns, even skin cancer on worst cases. In the Philippines, there's a macho notion that skincare are for sissies, but once people age and become a prune, it suddenly becomes a huge issue (when it's too late).

Skin care is essential. It doesn't take a genius to know that men have thicker, oilier skin and needs the same attention as women do (or maybe even more). When I started doing grooming sessions, I had three rules to follow. That's to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I slowly discovered other things that would benefit my skin and over the years and started to test with other products. I've learned to use those that are good for my skin type, which I'm sure not a lot of guys have time to do. Grooming and skincare retailers like Doppkit takes the guesswork out of the equation. 

 

Burt Chua, Kenneth Toh and Richmond Chong of Doppkit

Founders Burt Chua, Kenneth Toh and Richmond Chong experienced how difficult it was to get good products and information about skincare in the Philippines. They curated these especially for the busy man to make sure there's something that would take care of the face, products to help for shaving procedures, hair, clean and nourish the body and even fragrances so you stay smelling good all day.

 

The Salt & Stone Sunscreen Lotion has SPF 30. It's not too oily and disappears after a few seconds of application. You don't get that weird ghost look when lathered on skin and get the protection you need from the harmful rays of the sun. It doesn't have a strong scent which is good in my books because I'm a bit sensitive when it comes to some fragrances, and this is au naturelle.

This one is Triumph & Disaster's Ritual Face Cleanser. It's a bit on a watery gel side and smells a bit minty. Safe for use daily, I'd recommend you wash your face with it in the morning before you go out for an event or work. You'll feel fresh without it drying your skin, something that some harsh soaps do. Make sure you rinse thoroughly to make sure you don't have residue on the side of the nose because that has become a problem area for some.

The Groomed Man Co.'s Smooth Operator Face Moisturiser. This is a bit thick for my liking and I'd be more fond of water based ones than this. The weather in Manila is a bit too humid, and this might be a bit too much oily skin. Although it left a matte finish, it was a bit on the sticky side. If you are on the mixed or oily skin type, I wouldn't recommend this. If you have dry skin, this would be apt for that.

The Anthony Facial Scrub was something pretty new to me. With scrubs usually containing something abrasive, this tops the fancy ones as it contains Bora Bora White Sand. It helps remove dead skin cells by exfoliating when you rub it gently on your skin. It smells citrusy, reminds me of oranges and apricots but it has Aloe Vera, Algae and Chamomile. It wasn't floral at all, which is good in my books. It's a bit sweet too, I would recommend this to be used at night when you have to clean up before you sleep.

If I'd have something to hoard from their store, it would be the Salt & Stone Deodorant Naturel. I love the combination of Eucalyptus and Cedar wood. It doesn't sting, very low profile, but so manly smelling. It's woodsy, gives you a boost of morale and confidence that you can take on anything when you're out going to work or for a date.

I've seen the difference of doing it earlier and not when lines, wrinkles, dark spots are already there before we take action. You need a good regimen, and it starts by choosing products that get you the results you need. 

Remember, clean up, moisturize, protect your skin. Get them from doppkit.co as it doesn't take a genius to do it.

Manscaping Tools From Romano Philippines: The STRIGIL SafeCut Trimmer

Sitting in your room all curled up with a cup of cocoa and Netflix? Hey man, how you doin? Have you already taken a bath? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror and told yourself how horrible you look today? Well, you've got to do something about it because your wife or girlfriend can smell you from a mile away. That's just wrong, that's nasty. :(

Grooming is essential, especially for men. Your woman wouldn't want a smelly boy when you're out on a date or even at home. Your skin tells your age, and if you don't take care of it, expose it much under the sun, you'll get a lot of your friends and family tell you that you look old. If you abuse it, not take care of it, then you will suffer the consequences of not looking and feeling good than people who lived in this planet the same time that you do. Are you a hairy guy like me? Do you have hair growing in different parts of your body that you would rather not have? I do too. Some Filipinos are actually like that and yes, in some instances, it's normal. If you're like me who doesn't like the aesthetic of unmanageable and unruly hair, I'd rather have it taken out either by manually shaving it off (which I do quite regularly). 

It's a little difficult to do it on other areas because of the uneven landscape especially on the privates where nicks and bumps happen. That's just not an option for a lot of men because of the discomfort you get just because you shaved it. There exists Romano Philippines who now have essentials that you can use to get rid of those problems with their premium manscaping tools. Exhibit A, this is their STRIGIL SafeCut Trimmer. This is the same thing professionals use in salons and barbershops to buzz cut hair. I also used this to cut most of my facial hair, to shape my beard, take out things in my chest, ear, and just about everywhere on my body. 

 

I still dig the leg hair so I left that part out. But for most of the face, you can use this to leave a stubble then take care of the rest with a razor if you want a cleaner shave. Although, I like the look of having a stubble so this was enough for everything. This would be something good to include in your grooming kits. I can imagine using this for the bulk of the work I need to do in trimming, then use a smaller one to sculpt or a plain razor to do the rest. But really, this has done quite a remarkable job that I didn't even need to have that because it does a close shave already. Now make sure you also utilize a clear mirror so you can see the things you can do if you decide to wear a beard or mustache. It takes a little getting used to if you want to sculpt things. Like in my case, I wear a beard so it could lengthen my face and look like I've lost weight LOL.

Now aside from the STRIGIL SafeCut Trimmer, they've also got an After-Trim Body Cleanser. This does the job, leaves your skin still supple and prevents it from becoming super dry. This thing has Aloe Vera which makes your skin feel cool and hydrated. This is pretty necessary right after the trimmer work you had. It also smells nice too, like a fainter, more manlier version of a popular men's perfume. I prefer it that way rather than making it a bit too musky or with leather notes. Some women can't really stand that sometimes. This one also feels fresh and something you'll love to wear after you take a shower, it doesn't smell like strong soap or chemically induced.

This is also very affordable, the replacement blade can also be sourced from the same store. They are a local brand and they want to spark change in the way the Filipino man depicts hygiene. They want heightened standards to make sure you feel good inside and outside when you use their essentials. I've been using it for a few weeks now and I've been satisfied overall. I even feel I can use this to have a haircut or facial hair (which I did for sampling), but it's special, I'd rather use it for just grooming THAT alone. Add to that, my own obsession with moisturizers before I sleep and after washing my face in the morning, I guess that's a good thing. Watch our unboxing here!

 

 

 Now if you fancy getting these, they're available at https://romanoesntls.com or their IG account @romanoesntls, Remember, 72% of women actually want their man trimmed. You know what to do. This would also be a nice thing to gift your husbands, boyfriends or just that guy who wants to keep clean. Can't stop you from doing that!