It is common knowledge — at least common Twitter knowledge — that the skincare routine of most Nigerian men begins and ends with a bar of soap and vaseline.
For many of the men we spoke with, they don’t see why they should care that much about their skin but others are actively taking time out to learn about skincare because they have been bullied by the timeline or just because they want to be a part of the baby boy lifestyle.
Michael, 25
The first time I saw the Nigerian men and Irish Spring banter on the timeline my heart skipped a beat because of a truth that was the extent of my skin and body care routine. Last year, I got a better job with much better pay so I decided that I should reflect how much I earn and one of the things that changed was caring about my skin. I got one of my female friends to help give me one of her skincare plugs and see that shit is expensive even though it’s worth it. My skin had a purging phase after I started – where my skin was shedding and broke out even more than normal – which I think people should talk about more, but after that, I was gleaming. I still use my bar soap sha but now I have a whole ass routine as well.
I budget about N50,000 – N60,000 monthly and I have no regrets because I can see the return on investment.
Brian, 28
I was very insecure about my skin when I was growing up so I got into skincare really early. I tried astringents, Dermatol, everything. Most of them made it worse but I hated having acne with a passion. I think I cracked the code three years ago, I went to a professional dermatologist and within a few months, my acne cleared. It was an absolute game-changer and confidence booster.
I think monthly I spend about N40,000 on products, this is excluding consultation visits and spa trips. My skincare routine now is very simple, cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
Ade, 23
You know when people say men only use soap and vibes, that’s me. I tried getting skincare once but everything wasso expensive. I’m lucky I have fairly good skin, to be honest, so I just wash my face with soap and rub Nivea and bounce.
My skincare budget a month is about N4,000 or less.
Emenike, 28
I use my girlfriend’s products, can’t even lie. She spends the weekends at mine and most weekdays so she has a lot of her stuff there. I just ask which I’ll use that won’t turn me into a frog because the bathroom looks like an alchemist’s lab because of her products. My skin is naturally good but the extra oomph isn’t bad.
I don’t spend on skincare products, my girl does. But when she is out buying stuff and asks for money, I try to always give her more than she asks for because na me dey enjoy am.
