I was at a shop that sold Korean and Japanese skin care products. After skimming the subreddit for months and looking over the sidebar, I thought I would go in to make more concrete decisions on products, so I asked for a little bit of advice at the shop. However, the lady, seemingly in her 20's, had minor skin problems that seems easily solvable, so I got a little skeptical.

I was told that men usually start the skin care routine in their 30's, usually more of the simple stuff with just a lotion on the face before 30. She did recommend some products for a minimal routine, but advised me that I didn't need it. In this subreddit, there wasn't much content on age and I can't really distinguish what's aimed for men, if there is a lot of difference (though I think I get that race matters).

I'm not looking to look like a model when I'm 50 and I don't have that much of a skin problem besides some very simple stuff that I'm using, but looking more than formally presentable in a work place became a higher priority for me.

So then, what is the general consensus on the right age to start a skin care routine? How long should the routine be for a male in his 20's? What's a minimal, cookie-cutter routine recommended?