This guide is approximately a 5-minute read.

In this guide, you’ll get a basic overview of the following types of men’s body care products:

• Bar Soaps
• Body Scrubs
• Body Washes & Gels
• Body & Hand Lotions
• Sunscreens
• Deodorants & Antiperspirants

Here we go!

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A Guide: Body Care Products for Men

News flash: you don't just have skin on your face!

Of course, you already knew that, so why is it that you only think of your complexion when someone mentions skin care. Guys often forget about all of the skin below their necks and simply worry about bathing to stay clean from day to day.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be hard to put together an effective body care routine.

This guide will teach you about the common types of men's body care products that you can incorporate into your body care regimen.

Bar Soaps

Who They’re Best For: All men, especially those who want an economical cleanser or who travel frequently

You're sure to have seen a bar soap before. It's basically a mix of cleaning agents and other ingredients that are blended together, poured into a mold, and then allowed to harden.

When the bar gets wet, it produces a lather that allows oils and dirt on your skin to mix with water, so that it can be washed away.

Bar soaps are convenient cleansing solutions to use when you're on the go because they won't leak or spill.

The soaps also allow you to use your cleanser sparingly, making them more economical than other products that you can accidentally use too much of.

One downside to bar soaps is that many of them have a drying effect on the skin. This makes them typically better for guys with oily and acne-prone skin; however, you can find moisturizing bar soaps that are suitable for normal to dry skin.

An example of a bar soap is the Cedar Citrus Soap from Dr. Squatch:

Body Scrubs

Who They’re Best For: All men, especially those with dry skin or acne

Every day, your body makes new skin cells in the bottom layers of tissue and loses old, dead cells from the top part of your skin. This process is called cellular turnover, and it's important to the health of the tissue.

Body scrubs are products that assist with cellular turnover. They contain fine particles like ground pumice, moisturizing beads, or bits of shell from nuts that create friction to loosen dead skin, so that it falls off.

This is called exfoliation, and it makes skin feel smoother and softer.

Body scrubs are great for guys who have rough skin that tends to get dry and flaky. They also can help to promote clearer pores to benefit guys who suffer from back or chest acne.

Scrubs also cleanse skin while they exfoliate, so you don't need to a use a bar soap or a body wash with one.

Most guys can benefit from using a body scrub just once or twice per week in place of their usual cleanser.

An example of a bar body scrub is the Mint Soap Scrub Bar from Brickell:

Body Washes & Gels

Who They’re Best For: All men, especially those with dry skin and those who like a rich lather

Body wash and gels work like bar soaps but come in a different form.

Body washes are thin liquids, while gels have a slightly thicker consistency. Both types of products are very easy to lather up, and some guys find them more convenient to use than bar soaps as a result.

Men with dry skin typically benefit from using a body wash or body gel in place of a bar soap, as these products are less likely to dehydrate skin tissue.

An example of a body wash is the Invigorating Mint Body Wash from Brickell:

Body & Hand Lotions

Who They’re Best For: All men

You wouldn't try to go for days without drinking anything, right? Well, your skin needs moisture just like the rest of you - and body and hand lotions are the products that supply the hydration your skin needs to remain in good health.

These products contain ingredients that add extra moisture to your skin, and some also help to keep moisture from evaporating during the day.

You should apply a body lotion every time that you cleanse your skin and use a hand lotion after hand washing to keep your skin moisturized.

Lotions come in different varieties to meet the needs of different skin types. (If you'd like to learn more about body and hand lotions, check out this guide on how to choose body and hand lotions for men.)

An example of a body lotion is the Sport Body Repair Cream from Kale Naturals:

And an example of a hand lotion is the Wood Hand Cream from Portland General Store:

Sunscreens

Who They’re Best For: All men

Protecting yourself from the sun is one of the best things that you can do to reduce your risk from skin cancer, and sunscreens are products designed to lower your skin's exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation when you're outside.

Experts recommend using a sunscreen every day on all of the exposed areas of your skin to reduce UV damage.

When you're going to be outside for longer periods of time, you should be applying sunscreen at least every 2 hours to stay protected.

Deodorants & Antiperspirants

Who They’re Best For: All men

Do you know the difference between deodorants and antiperspirants?

Deodorants fight body odor by killing bacteria that grows in your armpits. It's actually those germs that stink, not your sweat!

Antiperspirants don't affect body odor. Instead, they reduce how much you sweat to keep you dry. You can find standalone deodorants that don't contain antiperspirants and combination products with both deodorant and antiperspirant ingredients. It's pretty rare to find a body care product that is solely an antiperspirant.

For deodorizing, you can also use deodorizing wipes like the Face & Body Deodorizing Wipes from Niche for Men: