THE JOURNAL

Grooming treatment for men at Toppers, Argyle Street, London, c. 1950. Photograph by Topfoto
Our four-step grooming guide.
Good grooming is just as important as good style, if not more so. A Prada shirt looks better on a man who washes his face. We stock hundreds of grooming products on MR PORTER and, while you may be spoilt for choice, trawling through them all to find what you need, especially if you’re not exactly sure what that is, would be a lot easier if you knew exactly where to begin.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a little guide below on what you need to start a skincare routine that’s straightforward to follow and easy to maintain and suggested some products we think you’ll love. Most importantly, it will help you adhere to the most important principle of skincare: consistency.


CLEANSE
The foundation of a good skincare routine is a good cleanser. Use in the evening to wash the day away and first thing in the morning if your skin needs some help to get going. This cleanser from Natura Bissé, a Barcelona-based brand with a solid range of premium skincare, is exceptionally kind to skin and will clean your face without stripping it of essential moisture. It’s the best way to return your skin to its prime if you’ve been using a lesser cleanser and is appropriately named The Cure. Grown Alchemist is also a good go-to brand, and makes a Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser in a handy pump bottle. As well as doing wonders for your skin, it’ll look great in the bathroom cabinet.


MOISTURISE
Perhaps the most important thing in your regime is a decent moisturiser, something that will keep your face in good nick and help your skin appear healthy and youthful. It should be applied directly after cleansing. La Mer Moisturizing Cream is vaunted for a reason. It’s a little pricey, yes, but is there a better investment than the skin on your face? It smells great and will diminish the appearance of fine lines and pores. The moisturiser on the right, from Haeckels, is made from natural ingredients sourced in the UK that will soothe, hydrate and repair skin.


REVAMP
Even with diligent cleansing and moisturising, once in a while your skin will benefit from a deep clean. You can do this with a mask, such as this parsley seed one from Aesop that will draw out impurities, or with an exfoliating scrub, such as this one from Sisley – Paris, which will remove dead skin cells and improve your skin’s texture. The former is gentle and packed with natural ingredients, so is ideal for sensitive skin that needs a little TLC. The latter will slough the dirt away when skin gets congested. Limit the use of masks and exfoliators to once or twice a week. Too much scrubbing and you’ll irritate your skin.


… AND SOMETHING EXTRA
A serum isn’t strictly necessary, and you can probably move through life quite happily without one. But a good one can give your skincare an edge. Effective serums are often on the pricey side, but once you’ve tried one and seen how it improves the look of your skin, it is hard to let go. This calming serum from Dr. Barbara Sturm, a German dermatologist with a severe-sounding name, but a fantastic range of effective skincare, will improve your skin’s texture in a jiffy, soothing irritation and redness to give your complexion a clean and glowing appearance. If anti-ageing is more your bag, try the Celestial Black Diamond Serum from 111Skin. It’s a rather dramatic title for a skincare product (and has a considerable price tag), but it promises dramatic results. It reduces the appearance of fine lines by encouraging collagen production and penetrating deep into the dermis to protect against environmental damage. It also contains hyaluronic acid to help skin retain moisture and give it a healthier appearance.

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