MEN'S SKIN COMES FROM MARS AND WOMEN'S FROM VENUS... STOP, LET'S COME BACK TO EARTH!
Skin is skin. Epidermis, dermis, hypodermis, that’s what our skin is made of, established during embryonic development, and the Y chromosome has no say in it.
Okay, okay, let’s not be too radical in our statements, there are indeed some differences, but we are (almost) equal when it comes to skin. Let’s sort fact from fiction with you.
Is men's skin thicker? True. Between 20 and 30 years old, men's skin is 25% thicker than women's. But as age advances, this difference fades, and believe me, cosmetic actives will still penetrate the different layers; a few extra rows of keratinocytes (skin cells) won’t scare them off!
Do men have more acne? True & ... False! Actually, “boys” have more acne because it’s true that during adolescence men have shinier skin and more pimples than young girls. The culprit is the male sex hormone, testosterone, which literally boosts sebum production. But in adulthood, it’s a different story; luck changes sides, and pimples colonize women’s faces. 85% of adults with acne are women. Thanks to hormonal variations due to pregnancies and contraceptives!
Do men have fewer wrinkles? I’d say they have them... later. They do start with some advantages in terms of skin aging: thicker skin, generally oilier, and fewer hormonal variations that can reduce collagen or dry out the skin! Wrinkles therefore appear more slowly but... surely.
Small differences exist, certainly, but these are details. Keep this in mind: a woman can have men's skin and vice versa. We are all different, our skins too, and sex is not the most influential factor on our skin barrier. The actives in cosmetic products won’t turn back or stop working just because your name is Jean-Claude or Anne-Marie!
So you wonder why each of you has a shelf full of different cosmetic products in your bathroom when you could use the same ones. It’s not your fault, keep reading...
CREATING CATEGORIES: THE (NOT SO WELL-KEPT) SECRET OF MARKETING!
Let’s do an exercise together, try to visualize the product I’m describing: a cosmetic product in black or even midnight blue or emerald green packaging, with the brand name in white or gold and a very strong scent that escapes without even needing to get close. What does it make you think of?
... A men’s product indeed. The marketing technique is well-honed, and over the years it has entered everyone’s imagination. But ultimately, why couldn’t men choose products with a clean and natural design?
The marketing services’ goal can be summed up in three words: CREATE - CATEGORIES - To put you in boxes, so you buy three products when you only need one. The logic is simple: why sell only one product when the customer is ready to buy two?
The champions in this field are shower gels: kids get brightly colored products smelling like apple or apricot (not often picked from the fields, by the way), women use shower gels with sweet notes evoking nature or travel (but believe me, you wouldn’t want to travel into their composition...), and men have to put up with products always black or midnight blue that smell very strong and foam a lot, of course! (Do you think all that foam is natural, gentlemen?)
Cosmetics are no exception to this rule: on one side, cosmetics for men, on the other, for women. You must use different cosmetics, and watch out gentlemen if you dare use your wife’s products, you might be able to do two things at once!
At Novexpert, power belongs to those who create the products, not those who dress them up. In other words, these illogical and unfounded marketing practices are not for us. So, SCOOP: yes gentlemen, you can use the same cosmetics as your wife! And guess what... you can even share them if you have the same dermatological profiles!
FIRST TIMES ARE NEVER EASY, FOLLOW THE GUIDE!
You don’t know where or especially what to start with, don’t panic, we’re here to help.
First rule for a beginner in cosmetics: the right routine starts with... cleansing! For that, we have THE product that will quickly become your favorite: the Flash Radiance Cleansing Foam with Vitamin C. 20 seconds flat to have clean, smooth skin—who could resist? And I’m not even talking about its texture, I’ll let you discover it for yourselves...
We continue in the same range with the Vitamin C Booster Serum, already a favorite among our male clients, perhaps attracted by the performance claim (25% Vitamin C complex?) or the word Booster? Here we are caught red-handed with clichés.
If you’re looking for targeted treatments against imperfections, take a look at our Trio-Zinc collection designed for everyone concerned with excess sebum, regardless of their sex.
Lessentials
Skin is skin, and on this point, men and women are (almost) equal. Sure, men have slightly thicker skin, sometimes oilier in adolescence, and fewer wrinkles at 50 (thanks menopause!), but that doesn’t really make a difference.
Believe me, cosmetic actives won’t act differently on your skin just because you have a Y chromosome or not! So why don’t men and women use the same cosmetics? Well, I’ll turn the question back to you.
Why did you buy that midnight blue packaged face care product whose scent fills the bathroom even though it’s not even open? Because marketing got you! Rest assured, it’s not your fault and you’re not alone. We’ll explain how marketers put you in boxes and of course give you REAL cosmetic advice with your wife’s products... which will soon become yours!
