Here’s What Happens When a Man Discovers Skincare

Let’s get one thing out of the way up front: I’m a man. A red-blooded American man (although I’m not too different from my Australian or European counterparts). And up until recently, my “routine” every day was the same. Wash my face in the shower with soap, and occasionally put moisturizer on my face when I remembered to do so while combing my hair. My big achievement for 2013 was moving from Dove Soap to Dove Gentle Exfoliating Soap, which occurred not out of any active choice but simply because the grocery store was out of the regular kind. So even though I was and am well aware of KORA Organics’ ingredients, origins, and incredible results (full disclosure: I work with the brand), just like any other guy out there, skincare wasn’t something on my to-do list. I put time and effort into shopping at the right stores, eating the right foods, and trying to look fashionable, but the thought of putting on an entire skincare routine every morning (not to mention every night) was daunting and not something I ever really got around to. Enter Brandy Mussman, COO of KORA Organics. Knowing that I was the typical guy, she asked me to give her 30 days where I would promise to follow a routine and report back. I gave her my limitations—I could not follow something long and complicated, and if it required more than a minute or two, the likelihood of completion was low—and she gave me a routine. Morning: Apply Cream Cleanser before shower. Rinse face in shower, occasionally using Exfoliating Cream. After shower, apply Balancing Rose Mist, Luxurious Rosehip Oil, and Soothing Day & Night Cream. Night: Apply Cream Cleanser. Wash face. Apply Balancing Rose Mist, Luxurious Rosehip Oil, and Hydrating Day & Night Cream. This seemed like a lot at first, but Brandy reassured me that the whole process would take less than a few minutes. And, to my surprise, she was right. I would apply the cleanser right before brushing my teeth, letting it sit before I got in the shower. And afterwards, it was a few spritzes and sprays before I was on my way. Now, 30 days later, and I can cut to the chase and let you know I successfully completed the program. But what you really want to know is what happened. Evidently, skincare is exactly what it says: care for your skin. You need to care for it in the same way you look after your cholesterol or blood pressure, and when you do, the results are really shocking. I had never really had any routine before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I break out in hives? Would I suddenly look 10 years younger? Do wrinkles just magically disappear? The answer is no, but my skin would and did change, and substantially so. The day-to-day is hard to notice as you run from meeting to meeting or stare at yourself in the mirror, but the overall is unmistakable. My skin is softer. My wrinkle lines are fewer. My pores are smaller. With just this simple and short routine, I permanently look like I had a week’s vacation, even though I’m working 18 hour days. And if that thought doesn’t appeal to you, vanity should: apparently, I’m also now more attractive—just ask all the phone numbers I’ve been getting lately. It’s really kind of shocking, and as a guy, I had no idea that would be the case, no matter how familiar I was with the testimonials and results from others who use KORA Organics. So when I pushed on my little Rosehip Oil container last week and the last drop came out, I panicked and immediately ordered two more of them, lest I find myself without a backup again as the result of poor planning. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not at the level of my female friends. I don’t really know what masks are supposed to do, although I try to remember to apply one once a week because I was told to. And instructions about applying to my “;décolletage” are still a step outside my comprehension. But after a month of this simple routine, I can and do understand not just the importance of caring for your skin, but also its incredible results. Moreover, if you’re going to put the effort in, you can choose no better product than a certified organic line created by a woman whose livelihood depends on flawless skin. That’s the ultimate results-based testimonial. Now, with a KORA Organics “routine” in hand, I’m a better-looking guy. And you should be, too. (Or, for the women reading this, your husband/boyfriend/brother should be, too.)