How to Get Really Good Skin Like John Mayer
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: John Mayer is seen at 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' on May 10, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)GC Images
John Mayer's Snapchat is awesome. If you're not already following the O-faced guitarist and Japanese-menswear lover, we suggest you start right now. Most often his Snaps are just Mayer hanging around using filters in clever ways, but occasionally there's some GQ-approved down-the-middle service like how to clean a white tee. Today Mayer took to the ol’ Snaps to post a story about his skincare routine, unveiling the (expensive) products and methods he uses to maintain glowing skin at the not-quite-so-tender age of 38.
The Products
John Mayer uses Proactiv wash (which, by the way, if this is #sponsored, John, you have to tell us!), but almost everything else comes from the high-end skincare line Natura Bissé, which, as Mayer notes, "is mostly used by people in their sixties and seventies." He's also right that it is very high-quality stuff. But when you're 38 years old, skincare is definitely an area you should invest in—especially if part of your job entails making crazy faces on stage. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to drop $600 on moisturizer, but it's still important as hell.
The Non-Rich-Guy Version: Lab Series Daily Moisturizer for Men, $45
How to Use It
Look, just because Mayer can afford expensive creams and whatnot doesn't mean he's using them recklessly. His advice for conserving pricey moisturizer? "Applying directly to the skin," he says. By first putting the cream on your hands, you'll get some stuck in the crevices of your fingers, which over time will mean a lot of wasted good stuff. That said, we mostly just like this because it looks hilarious.
The Really-Rich-Guy Move
Eye creams, as Mayer notes, are just concentrated, better moisturizers (the eyes are the window into the soul, yada yada). So if you can afford it, just rub it all over your face, too. (Note: The Natura Bissé version he's using goes for around $200 a pop.)
The Non-Rich-Guy Version: Kiehl's Age Defender Eye Cream, $30
These Steps Are Weird and We Don't Know Why John Does Them
He calls them the "offest smile" and "crucial necessity zones," while we call them unnecessary. (Don't worry, we still love you, John.) Mayer also, in true baller form, uses a special vitamin C and E concentrate during these steps that retails for $110.
The Non-Rich-Guy Version: 100% Pure Vitamin C Serum, $38
John Mayer May Have Too Much Time on His Hands
And if you've got time to apply face cream with a damn Q-tip, you may need a new hobby. Or, you know, you're crazy rich and don't work a nine-to-five like the rest of us. (Note: Being rich seems like it might be fun and also cool.)
Lock It In
No moisturizer routine is truly finished until, as Mayer explains, all those good creams are locked in via a mist spray. His, as you might expect by now, is made by Natura Bissé and goes for a lot of money (we're talkin' 92 bucks for mist.)
The Non-Rich-Guy Version: Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Mist, $16At the end of the day, John Mayer may play a mean guitar—but he's also got one hell of a nighttime moisturizing routine that is downright enviable. Whether you spend this much money or time on keeping your face fresh, it's a crucial step to staying young. No high-top sneakers or graphic tee can turn back the hands of time like some face cream.
Up Next: Grooming Tips for Dudes with Facial HairJake Woolf is a writer who has covered men’s style for over ten years and has contributed to GQ since 2014. A graduate of Parsons The New School for Design (good school, long name), he also has bylines at Robb Report, HighSnobiety, Pitchfork, and the defunct #menswear website Four Pins... Read moreWriterXRelated Stories for GQJohn MayerMoisturizerGroomingCelebrities