Thanks to a well informed wife who is really tolerant of my out-of-left-field curiosity, I've written a few hubs about skin care products for women. When she suggested I write one about skin care products for men, I had to confess that my only experience with them goes all the way back to those wonderful school days in which acne and oily skin were the only real incentive for a guy to look into anything for their skin. I'd have to do some research and, this time, I wouldn't have her to turn to for information. On the upside, maybe I'd get some good out of it.

Older, wiser and with a bit of disposable income available, I decided it's time I dispense with the macho image garbage (who am I trying to impress anyway) and start taking better care of my own skin before old age turns it to wrinkled shoe leather. I eat healthy and am now working out 6 days a week. Seems I'm doing things right, so why neglect my skin? But, being a guy, I have some requirements before I'll consider any men's skin care products.

Requirement #1: Any men's skin care products I'll even remotely consider using have to be reasonably priced. There are things I will spend ridiculous amounts of money on, but looking pretty isn't one of them. My usual skin care consists of climbing chalk and crazy glue (to seal torn skin while climbing) so you can imagine I'm not the kind who spends a lot of free time (or money) trying to look my best. If it isn't something I could reasonably afford without feeling it in my wallet once a month then I want nothing to do with it.

Requirement #2: Bottles, jars and containers must be manly looking. Or at least non-descript. A picture of a rusted hammer beating a brick wall (with the implication that it'll do that to my blemishes and wrinkles) would be acceptable. Or just plain text or a manly looking logo. No girlie images of flowers or sunrises or meadows or whatever passes for acceptable girl-geared advertising these days.

Requirement #3: It has to work. Not just a little. Not just a hint. If I don't see results in 30 days, I'll feel I've wasted my money.

So with my three requirements in mind, what seems like a reasonable option? Well, my research leans favorably towards Kiehl's skin care products for men. Why? Because it fits the bill.

While Kiehl's skin care products aren't as inexpensive as something I might pick up at the grocery store, I'm looking for something more than just your run-of-the-mill stuff, here. Even so, their products seem fairly reasonably priced. Plus, I can order Kiehl's products online. If you've read anything else I've written, you already know I'm a big fan of shopping online.

With Kiehl's skin care products, I don't have to worry about one of my buddies house-sitting, or using my bathroom and then investing the next 10 years relentlessly teasing me about my "thkin care pwogwam" in a lisping voice and always in the presence of other dudes. I may be an evolved man capable of accepting a little skin care and pampering in my life, but who wants that kind of abuse for a decade?

Kiehl's products come in non-descript containers with simple text. To recognize them for what they are, any buddies of mine would have to be prying deeper into my medicine cabinet than would be appropriate. Any comments after that would open them up to some pointed accusations I'm sure they'd rather avoid. "Uh, what were you doing, dude, trying to get a peak at my wife's feminine products?" So we have reasonable prices and non-descript packaging out of the way. That just leaves performance.

I'm always a little skeptical when I read the outlandish claims on some of the products my wife buys, and I applied the same skepticism to Kiehl's. I've concluded that their claims don't fall so far on the unlikely side as to warrant skipping them over without first trying their stuff out. Promises such as "wakens and uplifts dull, fatigued skin" are a little tough to prove. To the best of my knowledge, my skin doesn't sleep so I don't know why it would need waking up. But if it "lifts" (presumably tightening) and also comes through on the promise to provide protection against UV rays, then I'm all in favor of it.

Also adding points to Kiehl's scoreboard is that they've been around since 1851. I figure most companies that have lasted that long have probably been running a fairly legit business or their reputation would have sunk them long ago. So giving credit where it's due, Kiehl's business longevity might make it ideally suited to taking care of my skin.

So, whether you're looking for men's skin care products that waken, uplift, moisturize, protect, hydrate, refresh, firm or do any number of other things, Kiehl's skin care products for men seems like a perfectly reasonable place to start. And, gents, if you can't get past your primitive hang-ups, just order a few bottles of Kiehl's skin care products for women as a gift for your wife and sneak in a bottle of whatever you want for yourself. "Gee, honey, I guess they screwed up and added some men's product too. Well, we shouldn't let it go to waste, right?" If you don't have a lady in your life, they even have some shampoo, conditioning rinse and cleansing spritz for your dog.