Galderma’s Skin Awareness Month panel revealed things we didn’t know about even at our 30s.
There has long been a running joke online that men have it easy when it comes to skincare. While women juggle cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers, sunscreen, and the occasional sheet mask, many men proudly claim they’ve gotten by with nothing more than soap and water. But according to dermatologist-dermatopathologist Dr. Bryan Edgar Ko Guevara, MD, the truth isn’t quite that simple.
We had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Guevara during Galderma’s Skin Awareness Month celebration, where he joined Dr. Maria Jasmin Jamora, MD, President of the Philippine Dermatological Society, and Dr. Kaycee Reyes, MD, Preventive Medicine and Cosmetic Surgeon at Luminisce, in discussing today’s skincare trends. The panel touched on how preventive skincare is more effective than waiting for skin concerns to develop, as well as how social media has influenced the way Filipinos approach skincare for better and sometimes for worse.
(From L-R: Dr. Maria Jasmin Jamora, Dr. Bryan Edgar Ko Guevara, and Dr. Kaycee Reyes at the Galderma Skin Awareness Month panel)
With more people embracing active lifestyles through running, pickleball, Pilates, HYROX, cycling, and strength training, we asked Dr. Guevara whether skincare routines should differ between men and women in their 30s.
His answer? The foundation remains largely the same.
“I just want my patients to clean their face,” he shared. “You can put toner if you have issues with oiliness… add a serum so there can be antioxidants such as vitamin C, and also moisturizer. Moisturizer is my priority for both profiles, and of course, sunscreen in the morning daily. Don’t skip the sunscreen step because that’s very important here in the Philippines.”
For women who wear makeup, he recommends an additional cleansing step: “For females, especially if you’re wearing makeup, micellar water can be helpful as well.”
While the basics are universal, Dr. Guevara explained that certain ingredients can target individual skin concerns. Vitamin C and niacinamide, for example, help hydrate and brighten the skin, while gentle botanical ingredients may help reduce pigmentation over time.
“Sometimes patients have spots that they don’t want,” he explained. “Niacinamide can help… These are very gentle ways of lightening those pigmentations.”
Still, regardless of the active ingredients used, the routine always comes back to the essentials, which is to moisturize and protect the skin from the sun.
The big Q: Is soap really enough?
Perhaps the biggest myth Dr. Guevara addressed was whether men can truly get away with simply washing their face.
“If your skin is ‘healthy,’ just washing your face should be fine,” he said. However, that doesn’t mean the routine should stop there. “For men, if they have dry skin, just add moisturizer and sunscreen.”
Dr. Guevara also emphasized that he doesn’t believe in unnecessarily complicated skincare routines: “I’m a believer of less is more. I don’t want to over-exfoliate. I don’t want to have my patients use a vitamin C serum if they don’t need it.”
Instead of chasing every trending ingredient, he recommends sticking to the basics and only adding products that address specific concerns.
Why active people should never skip sunscreen
Whether you’re training for a marathon, squeezing in an early morning run, playing pickleball on weekends, or spending hours outdoors, Dr. Guevara says sun protection becomes even more important. He noted that many male patients, particularly those who spend long periods outside, often neglect sunscreen altogether so the consequences go beyond premature aging.
“Men in their thirties or forties already have pigmentary problems,” he explained. “Golfers will have melasma. It’s not only females who will have melasma, but men patients as well.”
Extended sun exposure can also lead to deeper wrinkles and, more importantly, significantly increase the risk of skin cancer. For Dr. Guevara, this is the message he hopes patients remember most.
Prevention always beats treatment
One of the strongest takeaways from Galderma’s Skin Awareness Month discussion was that skincare shouldn’t be viewed purely through the lens of beauty or vanity. Instead, all three doctors encouraged people to think of skincare as preventive healthcare.
So while social media may continue debating whether men’s routines are easier than women’s, the reality is that everyone—especially those living active, outdoor lifestyles—can benefit from a consistent routine built on the fundamentals. Remember to always cleanse the skin, keep it moisturized, and never leave home without sunscreen.
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