While the basic structure of a man's skin may be the same as a woman's, his skin has quite a few unique characteristics that make sharing facial products an unwise practice. For instance, even though signs of aging appear in men's skin similarly as they do for women, they don't necessarily happen on the same time scale.
Men's skin also is thicker than women's, making it tougher and somewhat more resilient. Further, the oil glands in men's skin produce more oil than women's, giving men more "natural" moisture.
Because of differences such as these, it's clear that men and women have different health needs for their skin. Unfortunately, however, men's skin care products have been limited until recently.
As more men become motivated to feel and look their best, more products that are made especially for men's skin care needs are hitting stores' shelves. In particular, L'Oreal, one of the leaders in
technology-driven skin care treatments, has created Men's Expert, the first anti-aging line on the mass retail market for men.
Men's Expert products contain what L'Oreal calls an Active Defense System, or ADS, which is a powerful combination of active ingredients that increase the skin's resiliency and help protect it against shaving irritation.
The Men's Expert line includes products such as Power Clean, a face wash that deep-cleans skin without drying it out; Oil Controller, an anti-shine moisturizer that zaps away oil, soothes razor burn and is designed for teenagers and young adults; and Vita Lift, an anti-wrinkle and firming moisturizer that recoups elasticity for men in their late 40s.