I’ll be honest, skin care has never really been at the top of my list. As far as my appearance goes, building muscle, buying new clothes, and getting haircuts always took precedence. Now that I’m 21 years old, I’m realizing those things are important, just not important enough to overshadow how my face looks–you know, that thing everyone you come in contact with notices first?
The men’s skin care market is growing, so I wasn’t sure which brands to seriously consider. Tiege Hanley has a pretty massive following, great reviews, and a ton of content on YouTube, I’ve seen some Disco ads, and Lumin has sponsored a couple of events. I decided to compare those three, and here are my results.
An option catered to my needs
I experience the typical male skin care issues like acne and oily skin, which is only intensified by playing sports and working out. Lately I’ve seen more dryness and redness, probably from enjoying my twenties a little too much (if you know what I mean)!
What I was really looking for was some place to get started. Disco and Lumin have tons of products marketed as “essentials” that seemed a little excessive (and expensive!) for me at my age. As someone who cares about saving money and looking good, Tiege Hanley seemed to mesh with my lifestyle the best.
Why Tiege Hanley wins in my book
I’ll spare you the play-by-play of my research and Google history. The skin care package I found most appealing was the Essential Skin Care Routine from Tiege Hanley, AKA “Level 1,” and here’s why.
- It was the most common-sense bundle of products: One face wash, one morning moisturizer, one evening moisturizer, and one exfoliator designed to “smooth, hydrate and protect your skin.” That was exactly what I was looking for. In my opinion, Lumin is trying a little too hard with “balms” and “rubs.” Disco claimed to be both a starter kit and an anti-aging kit. That seemed a little dubious to me, and like I said, I’m not really concerned with anti-aging stuff at the moment.
- It included 4 products, not just 3: The Essential Routine (Level 1) from Tiege Hanley includes 4 products, as mentioned above. Lumin and Disco both include 3. I guess that’s not the end of the world, but wait until you hear my next point.
- Tiege Hanley is so much more affordable: Tiege Hanley’s Essential Routine (Level 1) costs $44, or $33 if you subscribe. There’s no fee to cancel, and you can pause the subscription if you need–I love the flexibility. Lumin comes in at a higher price point: the Classic Maintenance Set is $57 to subscribe or $60 sans subscription (for 1 less product, remember). Disco’s Starter Kit is $72 with or without subscription! And again, that’s for one less product than Tiege Hanley. I’m no economist, but that’s some math I can do.
My results
I’ve been using the Essential Routine (Level 1) for 2 months now. I’d say after the first week, I could tell something was happening. I definitely didn’t have dry skin anymore and I actually felt like I had a little “glow” going on. After two weeks, the people around me started to notice something was different, they just didn’t know what.
I was asked stuff like “Kyle, you look tan, what’d you do this weekend?” I definitely wasn’t hanging out at the beach–my skin just looked clearer and more even thanks to Tiege Hanley.
My second box of the Essential Skin Care Routine (Level 1) was delivered almost exactly a month later, and the timing was perfect. By month two, the routine itself is second nature. I’m on autopilot getting ready for work in the morning and getting ready for bed at night now.
Final thoughts
I feel a lot better about my appearance now that I have a regular skin care routine. I think it’s a “W” in my dating life, too. Now the rap on me is I dress well and have great skin. I’ll take it!
The Tiege Hanley Essential Skin Care Routine for Men (Level 1) is my recommendation for any guy out there looking to get into skin care. I’m about to get my third box (each box is a 1-month supply) so you better believe this handsome face won’t be fading anytime soon.
