Men’s Special: Best Budget Skincare and Wellness Products for Men in India

Rejoice you men! This post is only for you 🙂 And the girls reading this, I’m trusting you for using this post to get good products for your fathers, brothers and boyfriends/husbands etc.

Men, you are SPECIAL! And for all the men in my life, my heart goes out to you. You work hard in the office, do a lot of running around, take care of your families, try and make life easier for people around you. And you end up not taking enough care of yourself, especially your skin. A lot of blame can go the fact that men’s skincare products came into the market really late. It has only been realized quite recently that the needs of a man’s skin is quite different from that of a woman. So I dedicate this post to you.

Now that we are at it, let me tell you a few basics. While researching this topic, I read how different the skin of a man is from that of a woman. Men’s skin is thicker, (almost 25% thicker than the skin of a woman), tougher, is firmer than a woman’s skin (hence you develop wrinkles a lot later than women, so go on and dance with joy!) and has a higher fat content. So all you men, do realize this difference before you pick that bottle of moisturizer, which I know, most men end up using on their faces too! Taking care of your skin would only make you look and feel good about yourself. Almost every good company has launched their line of men’s products, and with all of them quite easily available, now you really don’t have any reason to not get these for yourselves, your dads and brothers!

I know, you would rather spend your money on better things (read: girlfriends/wives, movies, eating out with friends, and things I can’t write here!) So I’m giving you this list, which has been designed with a lot of thought into the budget. If you go and buy all these, you won’t be shelling out more than Rs 1500-1600, and even lesser if you buy these online, where you can get a good discount and some freebies if you are lucky.

FACE CARE

1. Face Wash: Pond’s Men Energy Charge Face Wash (Rs 150 for 100 grams)

Do invest in a face wash, and be kind enough to your skin by not using soap on it. This one is meant for the skin which is exposed to sun and pollution. This face wash gives a burst of freshness as it contains menthol, and coffee bean extracts that awaken your tired skin.

2. Face Scrub: Nivea Aqua Effect Skin Refining Scrub (Rs 149 for 75 ml) or Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub (Rs 129 for 40 ml)

Guys, please please exfoliate your face. Your skin is inherently more oily than a woman’s, and this makes you more prone to blackheads, dullness and of course, dead cells. DO keep a face scrub in your bath-cabinet, and exfoliate at least twice a week. Do not use too much force though. You can instantly feel a tremendous difference. You can try Nivea Aqua Effect Skin Refining Scrub or Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub. Both work great for eliminating black heads and removing dead layer of surface skin.

3. After-Shave Lotion: Old Spice After-Shave Lotion (150 ml: Rs 199)/ Nivea Sensitive After Shave Lotion (100 ml: Rs 199)

 

I don’t need to tell you the importance of a good aftershave. It acts as an astringent on the skin, prevents infection of the nicks and cuts, and soothes your skin. Old Spice has been around for ages, has a masculine musky scent, and is quite affordable. If your skin is the sensitive type, which means that your skin gets irritated by alcohol, the Sensitive After-Shave Lotion from Nivea is free of alcohol, and has chamomile and Vitamin E.

4. Face Moisturizer: Nivea For Men Advanced Whitening Dark Spot Reduction Moisturiser (40 ml for Rs 180) or Pond’s Men Energy Charge Brightening Gel Moisturizer (Rs 135 for 40 ml) or Pond’s Men Oil Control Fairness Moisturizer (Rs 135 for 40 ml)

Using a moisturizer on the face should become a habit irrespective of season or time. Nivea for Men Advanced Whitening Dark Spot Reduction Moisturiser can be used by men who face extreme uneven skin tone with dark spots, as it claims to provide healthier skin and fights discoloration.

If you have normal skin, invest in the Pond’s Men Energy Charge Brightening Gel Moisturizer, which is a fast absorbing gel based moisturizer that refreshes and boosts up your skin.

For oily skinned men, I recommend Pond’s Men Oil Control Fairness Moisturizer, which is designed for oily, acne-prone skin. This is again, a gel based product with a fast absorption formula.

5. Face Cream: Nivea Creme (30 ml – Rs.40)

If you face dryness issues on certain parts of your face, then just dab on some of this amazing elixir for dry skin. You can read my complete review here

6. Lip Balm: Garnier Men The Ultimate Protective Lip Balm (Rs 150 for 4 grams)

The lip skin is still as sensitive for men as it is for women. And it is very much prone to chapping. This particular new launch from Garnier is being endorsed by John Abraham! It has SPF20, and no fruity flavours or garish shine, so you can use this one easily without any embarrassment. MUST BUY!

7. Sunscreen: Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 50+ (Rs 175 for 30 ml)

Boys, do understand that sun exposure is harmful. Hence, buy this one from Neutrogena, and use it. At least use it when you know you will be out in the sun for a long time.

BATH & BODY

8. Shower Gel: Nivea For Men Vitality Fresh Shower Gel (Rs 145 for 250 ml)

Soaps are harsh. And shower gels are just as economical, as they last significantly longer than a bar soap. Invest in something that will wake you up in the morning in the shower. Nivea Vitality Fresh Shower Gel has ocean minerals to relax you, and a refreshing scent.

9. Body lotion: Vaseline Total Moisture Lotion (Rs 148 for 200 ml)

Make moiturization a daily habit. This body lotion from Vaseline promises hydration for long durations, replenishes the lost water from your skin and keeps your skin smooth and healthy.

HAIR CARE

10. Shampoo: Park Avenue Beer Shampoo (200 ml: Rs 160)

I won’t lie, I have used this myself, ‘coz beer is said to be really good for hair. This one leaves hair super light, enhances volume, and is not harsh. (Plus it smells peculiarly of beer..so the boys would love it, I’m sure!)

11. Conditioner: Garnier Fructis Strengthening Normal Care Conditioner(80 ml for Rs 60)

Do condition your hair. However, make sure that you don’t put the product on your scalp. I recommend Garnier Fructis Strengthening Normal Care Conditioner. It is quite effective, and has a refreshing fruity scent.

12. Hair Oil: Parachute Advansed Coconut Hair Oil (Rs 80 for 175 ml)

This is a good hair oil. A regular massage would eliminate dandruff without the need of any harmful anti-dandruff shampoos. Do oil your hair once in a while to keep your hir smooth and healthy.

Where to Buy: Get all these online from any of online shopping portals such as Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal or Nykaa; I’m sure you will get some decent discounts too!

Some general helpful tips:

• Never use any anti-dandruff shampoo for more than 15 days, it ends up doing more harm than good.
• Always keep a multi-purpose cream in your bag. I recommend a tin of Nivea crème, or even Boroline would do. This can save you a lot of hassle, trust me. Men suffer from dryness as much as women during winters
• Always keep a hand sanitizer with you, wherever you go.
• Take care of your feet. Never wear socks on wet feet. Dry them thoroughly.
• While I don’t expect most of you to go to a salon for facials, I do suggest that once in a while, do an intensive cleansing and scrubbing, and follow up with a good facial cream massage. It would boost blood circulation and make you feel good too!

Men, you are very special. You must realize that, too! Let me know how this list went for you. And if you want to splurge, and want some product recommendation from high-end brands, do let me know through any of the social media!

And people! Fashion Food Soul is now also on Facebook, so do hit the ‘Like’ for this page (you can find the FB page link at the bottom of this page) to let me know you love this 🙂

You can also follow me on Twitter! I go by @Poorva_FFS

Image source: 1 Pond’s Website, 2a Flipkart, 2b Amazon India 3a Amazon India, 3b NiveaMen India, 4a NiveaMen India, 4b Pond’s India 5 Nivea India 6 Garnier India 7 Amazon India 8 Nivea Men India 9 Amazon India 10 Amazon India 11 Garnier India 12 Snapdeal