‘Your skin impacts your psychology’

His story is one that echoes for many men – especially those who grew up in an era where skin issues were either ignored or dismissed and conversations around self-care were rare.

Brunson’s own struggles with his skin began in adolescence. “When I was in my early to mid-teens, you know, going through puberty, I started to suffer from acne, and it went from mild to severe,” he recalls.

Lacking the right guidance, Brunson, 50, did what many do and tried to manage it himself, at the cost of making things worse. “There wasn’t a lot of research,” he says, “also, quite frankly, there was even less for black skin, so I think all of that played a role.”

Brunson sought out strong and stringent skincare. He was prescribed a product that contained retinol – an ingredient no one under the age of 20 should use on their face – and with no guidance from the doctor, this led to further issues.

“Then what I didn’t do was stay out of the sun,” he says, “here I am putting on this product with retinol, and then going out and being in the sun all day, no sunblock, so no SPF […] it then triggered hyperpigmentation.”

By his early 20s, he was dealing with scarring and long-term skin damage – not just from the medication, but from years of neglect. “I had black spots, large black spots all over my skin – and it got to the point where I didn’t want to go outside.”

There was a turning point, however, but this didn’t happen overnight. “I went from, I’m using soap, you know, I’m going to use a bar of hand soap and water,” to eventually finding good products and a structured routine. “Thank goodness, as for so many men, I was seeing the light through my wife, and beginning to experiment with the products that she had.”

From there, he started building a proper skincare routine. “It really led me to understand the importance of vitamin E and SPF and having some type of schedule.”

Today, he’s passionate about sharing what he’s learned – particularly the power of specific ingredients like Thiamidol found in Nivea Men products for treating hyperpigmentation. “If I had had access to this 20 years ago, it would have been a game-changer for me,” he says, “it would have been a miracle.”

Brunson is clear about the impact skin can have on one’s mental health. “Most of us who are suffering from challenges of the skin are self-esteem blowers,” he says. “We’re more reliant on external validation. So the moment that someone walks up and says, ‘Your skin looks great’ […] it’s those moments where you begin to perk up a little bit and realise that the routine is working.”

He sees skincare as a form of self-care – and that mindset shift, he believes, is key to breaking gendered stereotypes surrounding beauty and skincare.

“Self-care has now fallen nicely under self-love. Self-love now is considered to be a key component to strengthening wellbeing – and everyone can get behind strengthening wellbeing.”

When it comes to men talking openly about skin and self-care, Brunson sees hope. “I think [the stigma] is slowly going away,” he says, “it’s more of a generational challenge.” He points out that Gen Z men are already normalising facials during haircuts at the barbershop – something older generations wouldn’t even consider.

He believes the solution is visibility. “More men need to see other men who have gone through the struggle. That’s incredibly important. So conversation and content, I think, is great.”

And Brunson practices what he preaches. Behind the scenes of one of his shows, Celebs Go Dating, he recalls, “I distinctly remember having a conversation probably five years ago with [reality TV star] Pete Wicks about skincare. Now you think about a conversation like that – to some people that’s foreign – but we’re just openly talking about it, easing the stigma.”

After years of trial and error, Brunson’s approach to skincare is now simple and focused. “I’ve actually stripped back, you know, and I use less now,” he says, “and quite honestly, it’s because the products are better [nowadays] and with skincare, sometimes less is more.”

His current regime includes the essentials: “It’s always a facial wash. There’s always a moisturiser […] I always, always, always, always use an SPF.

“Sometimes I’ll do a mask before I go to sleep and hydration, being conscious of how much time I’m in the sun and how much water I drink – these are all components.”

For those feeling overwhelmed by their skin issues, Brunson offers hope. “I’ve been there – to the point where […] I felt like it was for life. I thought I had just kind of signed up to something that was going to be this self-inflicting wound every time I looked in the mirror.”

But nothing’s permanent. “Change starts with you,” he says. “It requires having a routine. It requires having good products.”