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Why Are Dudes So Scared of Skincare? (Spoiler: It’s BS)

By Joe January 17, 2025 4 Min Read

Look, I get it. You spend hours in the gym crushing weights, meal prepping like a champion, and tracking your macros down to the last gram. But the moment someone mentions moisturizer, you act like it’s kryptonite for your gains. What’s up with that?

Let me paint you a picture: There I was, a 220-pound powerlifter who thought “skincare” meant splashing some water on my face and calling it a day. My bathroom cabinet? A bar of soap and whatever 3-in-1 shower gel was on sale. You know, “real man” stuff.

Then my face started looking like a topographical map of the Rocky Mountains.

Here’s the thing that blows my mind: We’ll literally drink nasty-ass protein shakes that taste like blended chalk, force-feed ourselves chicken and broccoli six times a day, and spend hundreds on pre-workout supplements. But put on some face cream? “Nah bro, that’s gay.”

rolls eyes so hard they might get stuck

Let’s talk about this BS logic for a second. You’ll spend two hours watching YouTube videos about the perfect form for face pulls, but won’t take three minutes to prevent your face from looking like a leather couch by age 40? Make it make sense.

The fitness industry has us measuring everything – our protein intake, our rest periods, our ROM. We track every gram, every rep, every percentage point of body fat. But suggest using a face cleanser, and suddenly everyone turns into their grandpa who survived on nothing but bar soap and determination.

Here’s my journey from skincare skeptic to convert:

Month 1: Started with just a basic cleanser and moisturizer. Felt weird. Kept looking over my shoulder in the bathroom like I was doing something illegal.

Month 3: Added sunscreen because, surprise, UV damage doesn’t care about how much you bench.

Month 6: Full routine locked in. Cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen. Skin looking fresh AF. Still deadlifting 500+ pounds.

Breaking news: My gains didn’t magically disappear when I started using face wash. My testosterone didn’t plummet because I put on moisturizer. And guess what? My PRs kept going up, AND my skin stopped looking like I was allergic to basic self-care.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: marketing. Have you noticed how men’s skincare products look like they could survive a nuclear blast? Everything’s black or gray, covered in “FOR MEN” labels, and named stuff like “TACTICAL FACE SHIELD” or “COMBAT READY MOISTURIZER.” Like, chill. It’s just lotion, not a weapon.

You want to know what real strength is? It’s not giving a f*ck about outdated stereotypes. It’s taking care of yourself completely – not just your muscles, but everything. You think The Rock wakes up looking like that without a skincare routine? Please.

Here’s a simple starter routine for you hesitant bros:

  1. Cleanse your face (with an actual face wash, not that 12-in-1 body wash/shampoo/dish soap garbage)
  2. Moisturize (yes, even if you have oily skin)
  3. Use sunscreen (because skin cancer isn’t very gains-friendly)

That’s it. Three steps. If you can remember a complicated leg day routine, you can handle this.

And for all you guys worried about what others might think – the same people judging you for taking care of your skin are probably the ones skipping leg day. Their opinion doesn’t matter.

The truth is, skincare isn’t about being masculine or feminine – it’s about not looking like a baseball glove by the time you’re 45. It’s about taking care of the only face you’ve got. It’s about being smart enough to prevent problems instead of trying to fix them later.

So next time someone gives you shit for having a skincare routine, remind them that real strength isn’t about following arbitrary rules about what men can and can’t do. It’s about doing what’s best for you, regardless of what others think.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go apply my night cream before hitting the power rack.

P.S. To all the dudes still using 3-in-1 shower gel on their face – your skin deserves better. Do better.

#SkincareBro #GainsAndGlow #RealMenMoisturize #FitnessCulture #SelfCare

J
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