More than face value
Words by Liam Stretch. Images provided.
"You only get one face, and it is the most visible part of your body – best look after it," says Michael McRae, co-founder of Two Dudes, an accessible men's skincare brand. Liam Stretch talked to Michael about how it came to be, why skincare for men is so important, their products, and what else they're doing to support Aotearoa's men.
Tell me the Two Dudes’ story – who is behind it?
The Two Dudes story is about a mate of mine, Tomas Tappin, and I (the “two dudes”) who were living and working together in Singapore a couple of years back. He got me on to using skincare products one morning, and I found that they genuinely made my skin feel good and more confident. We thought that every dude should have the right to feel like that, so we began looking into it, and 18 months later, Two Dudes launched in Aotearoa.
Why skincare, and more specifically, why skincare for men?
We found through our research that men generally wanted to take better care of themselves and knew skincare was an important part of this. However, skincare for men was often a confusing category to navigate when it came to both buying and using products. Because of this, they either didn’t bother with it or had a few products lying around that they would use randomly.
How has the last year been for you? What’s been your biggest learning(s)?
It has been wild! What started as a side hustle and passion to better the life of every dude has now turned into a full-time gig selling skincare and creating conversations around men’s health. The biggest learning for us has been how open guys are to adopting a new routine once they understand a few new simple steps and products.
Tell me about your products, what’s in the line? What has been your biggest seller?
After a lot of research with a focus group of 50+ dudes, we launched with three products that we sell as a kit (the “essentials kit”) and individually: Day Cream, Night Cream, Daily Face Wash. We have also just launched a new Weekly Face Scrub which now gives dudes a complete premium and simple routine. Our biggest seller has been the essentials kit. We have found guys have loved having a simple and premium routine curated for them that is easy to follow.
What’s a misconception many men have about skincare?
There are often two misconceptions we reckon we have helped blow the lid off. Firstly, dudes often think skincare is complicated – it’s not. A few solid products two minutes twice a day. Secondly, a lot of dudes think skincare is a feminine category as this is how it has been marketed and sold to them for years. This is also not true, and we are doing our best to overcome this.
What’s your favourite product?
It is the Night Cream for me. Keeping in mind, I had never really tried skincare products until living with Tomas in Singapore, but using the Night Cream is a ritual for me before bed every night! It’s my girlfriend’s favourite too.
Would you be able to share some memorable feedback that you have received?
The reviews section on our website makes for some entertaining reading! You should definitely check it out. The most memorable ones, though, are the ones where the guy has never tried skincare before using Two Dudes or has been using some other products and is genuinely stoked. Like these ones from people called James and Nat
“Was sceptical, to begin with (naturally) but after a few weeks, [my] family started to notice a healthier change in my appearance which was a great confidence boost.” – James
“I’ve tried a few different products over the years that my wife brought for me, but it wasn’t until I started using Two Dudes that I realised what a real face wash and moisturiser should do!” – Nat
Your latest release, the scrub, tell me about it and why is this so special?
This is our first new product since we launched. In skincare, exfoliation is a game-changer. It helps unclog pores, draws out impurities, and helps moisturiser work more effectively. Our new scrub is super simple to use – just two to three times per week after the cleanser.
To launch it, we have made a Spotify playlist called “Two Dudes Scrub & Dub” and are donating $1 to the New Zealand Men’s Health Trust for every like (capped at $4,000). We think this is a world-first in terms of a launch campaign, so we are pretty excited! Definitely go give it a little love tap – it’s a freeway for people to donate to men’s health.
You’ve also been involved in Movember; why is men’s health and mental health so important to you?
We found through our research when launching Two Dudes that beyond skincare, men in Aotearoa have a poor track record of looking after themselves overall, and the statistics are shocking. We knew we were going to be making a difference to our consumers, but we realised we had the opportunity and ability to make a difference beyond just the dude you are looking at in the mirror. Because of this, we decided to donate 10 per cent of all profits to men’s health organisations. These currently include the New Zealand Men’s Health Trust and Fix Up, Look Sharp. Our favourite initiative so far has been our “Ball Butter” campaign in June for Men’s Health Month. We made a limited run of moisturiser for your nuts to encourage dudes to check for testicular cancer. It became quite popular and sold out twice - but more importantly, it was a tongue in cheek way for us to shine a light on a serious issue.
What can we expect in the future?
More men’s health initiatives, more products, and doing our best to better the life of every dude.
What’s one thing you want to impart to men as to why skincare is important?
You only get one face, and it is the most visible part of your body – best look after it.
With Movember at its end, it’s so important that we continue our action and discussion around men’s health – well beyond one month a year. Two Dudes is continuing the work with their dedicated profit donation and making men feel good along the way. Honestly, I agree with Mike; you won’t go back after you start using night cream because, guys, nobody has time for dry skin. Looking good can go a long way to making you feel better too. Check them out at twodudesproject.com or @twodudesproject.