Why Skincare Shouldn't Be Gendered

By Brandon 

Human skin has almost the same structure, no matter your gender. Although there are minor differences, it is not enough to have a need for gender-focused skincare or beauty products. There is no need to choose products based on gender, but rather skin concerns and skin needs.

Although the typical shopping experience has moved away from in-person and more to online shopping, you can probably recollect seeing endless aisles of skincare and beauty products marketed for women. And there would usually be a small section for ‘skincare for men’ that is usually black or very ‘masculine’ looking.

Gender is something that is talked about greatly, recently. Society's perceptions of gender are constantly being changed and blurred, and creating a more inclusive world for all genders is one of the goals of the shift to a more genderless society.

Skincare and beauty brands should be focusing less on the gender of their customers and more on how the products make their skin feel, and for their types of skin such as acne prone, oily, etc. 

The future is androgynous and the lines of gender are being blurred. This can be seen not only within the skincare industry, but also in the fashion industry.

One of my first memories, having acne, was when I was about sixteen years old and I was desperate to find a product that worked for my skin. My skin was full of cystic acne and white heads and nothing seemed to work.

My mom had so many skincare products in her bathroom and I would often take them when she wasn’t looking - to see if they would work for me. I remember a toner that was in a pink bottle was one of the only things that actually helped my skin. I hid it from my mom and my brother because of a fear of being judged for using a “girl product.” But in all reality, it worked for my skin - regardless of my gender. At the end of the day, we ALL wash our face.

Are there differences between the skin of biological men and biological women?

Basically there's just some small biological differences. Men have higher collagen density than women and typically produce more sebum, which can make their skin more prone to breakouts. Even with this scientific fact, it is still not enough of a difference and different skin types and conditions are not exclusive to only one gender. That's why it's not necessary to need different types of skincare products based on gender.  

What are the main five things that skin care should be focused on?

• Skin Type: What type of skin do you have? Dry? Combination? Oily?
• Medical concerns: Eczema? Acne?
• Active Ingredients: What active ingredients to the products include? What do those ingredients target or help with?
• Formulation: How do the ingredients interact with each other?

The beauty industry continues to move toward the genderless approach because of one of the largest consumer groups, Gen Z. Gen Z is known to move away from the binary and question things, including gender. They are more about diversity and inclusivity for all.

The desire to have glowing and healthy skin is wanted by everyone, regardless of their gender. The mission of BANISH has always been to empower people and help them feel comfortable in their skin, no matter their race, gender, age, etc. And our customers of all genders have seen great results and improvement from using our products. Banish have always had a unisex and minimalist feel when it was launched years ago,  and can be used by anyone.