Walk into any pharmacy and the gendered division in skincare is immediate. Men’s products in black and grey packaging, women’s products in pink and white. Different names, different marketing, often different prices. The question worth asking is whether these differences reflect genuine biological need or primarily serve a marketing function. The answer sits somewhere between “completely the same” and “entirely different.”
How men’s skin genuinely differs
There are real physiological differences between male and female skin that are relevant to skincare formulation, though they are less dramatic than gender-differentiated marketing would suggest.
Men’s skin is approximately 20-25% thicker than women’s skin, with higher collagen density, which means it tends to show the more visible signs of ageing slightly later than women’s skin, though it does still age and often shows deeper lines when it does.
Sebum production in men is significantly higher, roughly twice the rate of women at comparable ages. This drives oilier skin, larger pores, and a greater tendency toward congestion and acne, particularly in the T-zone and beard area. Products for men should ideally be formulated with this higher oil production in mind: lighter textures, non-comedogenic ingredients, and potentially sebum-regulating actives like niacinamide.
Shaving is the biggest differentiator. It creates repeated micro-trauma to the skin of the face, disrupts the barrier in shaved areas, and produces a specific set of concerns including razor burn, ingrown hairs, and post-shave sensitivity. This is a genuine need that most women’s skincare does not address, and it is the clearest reason for male-specific product formulations.
Men’s skin pH is slightly lower than women’s (more acidic), which has some relevance to bacterial flora and the effectiveness of certain ingredients at specific pH levels, though this difference is too small to drive major formulation differences in most products.
What the “men’s version” of most products actually contains
Most men’s skincare products are not fundamentally different from their women’s counterparts in terms of actives and function. The primary differences are typically:
Fragrance profile: men’s products use different fragrance accords, typically woodsy, citrus, or aquatic rather than floral. Since fragrance in skincare has no skin benefit and is a leading cause of contact allergy, this difference is cosmetic rather than functional.
Texture: men’s products often use lighter gels or fluid textures rather than rich creams. This aligns with the higher sebum production in men’s skin and makes more functional sense as a differentiation.
Testosterone myth: some men’s products claim to address “testosterone-driven skin concerns.” While androgen-influenced skin physiology is real, the specific formulations do not typically contain ingredients that address androgen activity differently from how general skincare does.
Price: men’s grooming products are often priced lower per unit than equivalent women’s products (the “pink tax” inversion in some categories), though at the premium end this can reverse. Neither direction reflects meaningful formulation differences.
What men can use from “women’s” skincare
Almost everything. The most evidence-backed skincare actives work through skin biology that is not sex-specific. Retinoids stimulate collagen via the same receptor mechanisms in male and female skin. Niacinamide regulates sebum production (which is actually more relevant for men, given higher baseline production). Vitamin C provides antioxidant protection and collagen support. AHAs and BHAs exfoliate through the same chemical mechanisms.
A man choosing skincare from a “women’s” range is not using the wrong products. If the formulation suits his skin type (non-comedogenic if oily, with relevant actives, appropriately textured) it will work just as effectively. The performance of the product is in the ingredients and their concentrations, not the intended target audience on the packaging.
Where male-specific formulations are genuinely useful
Post-shave care is the clearest case. A dedicated aftershave product formulated with soothing, barrier-repairing, anti-inflammatory ingredients addresses a specific need that most general moisturisers are not designed for. This is the category where male-specific formulation makes the most biological sense.
HOIA’s Aftershave Facial Cream is built around this idea, with natural botanical ingredients chosen specifically for their soothing and barrier-supporting properties in the post-shave context, without the alcohol or synthetic fragrance that characterise most conventional aftershave products.
Multi-purpose products that simplify a routine (moisturiser with SPF, or cleanser with exfoliating properties) are often more useful in the male skincare context because many men prefer fewer steps rather than elaborate multi-step routines.
The honest conclusion
Men do not need to restrict themselves to “men’s” skincare, and doing so may limit their access to better formulations at better price points. The real criteria for choosing skincare are skin type, specific concerns, and ingredient quality, not the gender the packaging targets.
Where male-specific products genuinely earn their category is in post-shave care, where the specific skin needs are different from standard moisturiser use, and in multi-step-simplifying formats that suit typical male routine preferences. Beyond that, the most useful approach is choosing products based on what they contain rather than how they are marketed.
Good skincare does not have a sex. The fundamentals are the same: gentle cleansing, appropriate moisturisation, daily SPF, and targeted actives for specific concerns. That applies to everyone.