In the era of COVID-19, skin care has become more necessary than ever before. Wearing a face mask to the gym, to play sports, and even to run errands has added a whole new level to the clogged pores of yore. Many adults of all ages are dealing with acne in places that were previously perfectly clear. Some lucky individuals may have developed acne for the first time in their lives; therefore, they don’t know how to take care of their skin.

Since masks are here to stay, it’s time to perfect your skincare routine. Not only that, but it’s also important to explore the best face mask for your skin type and individual preferences. Perhaps look into the best face masks for men or women specifically, as oftentimes the two have different needs when it comes to breathability and comfort while offering maximum protection from the coronavirus.

1. Scent

There are a few things you must include in your skincare regimen, no matter who you are: cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF. A notable difference between skincare for men and women is how it smells. A lot of female-marketed brands will use chamomile or aloe, whereas many male-targeted products will include charcoal, tea tree oil, and more masculine-smelling ingredients.

Whether you use products with masculine or feminine scents is all about personal preference. Your skincare routine is about YOUR needs. For example, it is especially important to use cleanser right after sweating through a mask. The more often your face gets sweaty under an unbreathable mask, the more often your skin will need a deep cleaning, so you should consider doing a sheet mask or clay mask a few times per week as well. Whether this is a Mars/Venus issue is debatable; just know that the more you sweat, the more you’ll need to cleanse. And your cleanser should smell good enough that you’ll want to use it.

2. Sun Protection

People who don’t wear makeup must wear SPF every single day. There’s no way around it. Whether you identify as a man, woman, or anything in between, if you aren’t covering your face with makeup each day, you need to make sure you’re protecting that beautiful skin from the sun’s aggressive rays.

It’s important to note that SPF protection is a different step in your routine from moisturizer. Moisturizers are meant to soak into the skin, and SPF is meant to sit on top, so make sure you apply them separately. Whether you have dry skin or oily skin, moisturizer is your best friend. Consider finding a gentle moisturizer full of hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and ceramides no matter your skin type. In order to highlight your skin’s glow while keeping it shine-free, you have to make sure it is properly hydrated.

If you are someone who regularly wears makeup, make sure you’re double cleansing in order to remove any stubborn dirt or impurities that may be the culprit of your acne breakouts. In addition, if your issue is oily skin, chances are you’ve tried salicylic acid or another chemical exfoliant. The problem with this is that many skincare brands recommend exfoliating too often, especially if you’re also shaving your face regularly. Too much exfoliation will cause you to develop irritation and sensitive skin, and then it can become dry as well as oily. So, no matter your skin type, heed this warning: only include exfoliation in your skincare routine a few times per week.

3. Marketing

At the end of the day, the biggest difference between male and female skincare products is how they’re marketed. “Female” skincare may target soothing irritation and developing the perfect complexion, whereas “male” products may target blasting dead skin cells and excess dirt from men’s faces. “Female” packing may use pastel colors, and “male” packaging is more likely to be gray, black, or dark colors.

Vegan skincare gets marketed toward women more than men. But it isn’t just women who care about using cruelty-free and clean beauty products with natural ingredients. Men also care about preserving ecosystems, being fair to animals, and fighting climate change. Vegan skincare doesn’t use animal byproducts or animal testing, which raises the question: “why does non-vegan skincare need to use animal products?” Anybody, regardless of gender, can use vegan skincare products to make the world a better place.