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Whether you’re a grooming novice or the type of guy who spends hours in front of the mirror, the key to a modern routine is working smarter, not harder. Each year, hundreds of new products promise to up your game with innovative solutions to old problems, multitasking ingredients, and better delivery systems. We fact-checked these claims by putting the items through extensive tests and came out the other side with the definitive list of everything that actually lives up to the hype. No matter your particular needs, the stuff featured here works to make you look and feel your very best.


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JOE LINGEMAN

Chantecaille Bio Lifting eye cream.

Best Face Cleanser

Boom Cica Wow Cleanser
Jaxon Lane Boom Cica Wow Cleanser

This cleanser foams up to remove dirt and oil like the classics you’re used to, but it’s so easy on your skin that you won’t ever get that tight, squeaky-clean feeling that signals a compromised skin barrier.

Best Moisturizer

Nad+ Cell Energizing Lotion
Aramore Nad+ Cell Energizing Lotion

Now 38% Off

Ultra-hydrating yet lightweight, this antiaging moisturizer really does wake up your skin in the a.m. (complete with tingling sensations). “I received compliments on my skin anytime I used this in the morning,” said one tester.

Best Face Mask

Silica Mud Mask
Blue Lagoon Silica Mud Mask

A clay mask that purifies your skin and leaves it smooth and hydrated? No longer a myth. “It’s so gentle I felt like I could have used this every day,” according to a particularly impressed tester.

Best Eye Cream

Bio Lifting Eye Cream
Chantecaille Bio Lifting Eye Cream

Now 53% Off

It contains a depuffing peptide and plumping hyaluronic acid alongside a fast-acting “tensing agent” that helps tighten the skin around your eyes. A quick swipe makes tired, puffy eyes immediately look fresh and alert.

Best Hydrating Serum

Ultra Pure High-Potency 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Kiehl’s Ultra Pure High-Potency 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Use this super-simple serum—it has only seven ingredients, including 1.5 percent hyaluronic acid (the concentration found to be most effective for most people)—before your moisturizer for hydrated, smooth skin.

Best Face Tool

At-Home Laser

The low-level infrared light of this FDA-cleared home device deeply penetrates skin to help stimulate collagen production, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. Think of it as your old LED mask but way, way better.

Best Eye Tool

LED Eye Perfector
CurrentBody Skin LED Eye Perfector

The professional-grade lights in this wearable eye mask treat dark circles, puffiness, uneven skin tone, and fine lines and wrinkles—basically anything that can make your eyes look tired—in just a few minutes a day.

Best Travel Serum

Peptides-CU 0.6% Tablet-to-Gel Serum
Onéology Peptides-CU 0.6% Tablet-to-Gel Serum

Add a few drops of water to one of these dry pellets and it instantly transforms into a gel serum loaded with peptides that help hydrate skin and fortify its protective barrier. It’s a postflight lifesaver—and won’t be seized by the TSA.

Best Night Cream

A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced
SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced

This technologically advanced cream works while you sleep to address the aging effects of glycation and collagen degradation in your skin. One tester said “the formula is thick but easy to blend in and I woke up with glowing skin the next morning.”

Best Face Scrub

Skin Armor Face Scrub
Atwater Skin Armor Face Scrub

This surprisingly gentle scrub uses jojoba beads to clear away dead skin cells that can stick around on the surface of your face. It also contains salicylic acid to deep clean pores and prevent breakouts.

Best Exfoliator

Sol Tone Resurface & Glow Tonic
Relevant Skin Sol Tone Resurface & Glow Tonic

There are five different acids in this exfoliating tonic that helps to remove buildup but also brighten your complexion. Even with all those acids, it’s gentle and soothing thanks to a dash of witch hazel in the formula.

Best Facial Sunscreen

Clear Solar Gel
Image Skincare Prevention Clear Solar Gel

This completely clear sunscreen sinks into your skin instantaneously with no greasy or white residue at all. In fact, after a few minutes, testers completely forgot they were even wearing it.

Best Acne Product

MightyPatch Micro Point for Blemishes
Hero MightyPatch Micro Point for Blemishes

The minute you feel a pimple forming, pop one of these bad boys on top. The micropoints dissolve to attack the blemish with salicylic acid and niacinamide before it even breaks skin.

Best Eye Serum

Multi-Peptide Eye Serum
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum

This clear serum slides under and around your eyes easily and sinks in immediately, and the peptide-rich formula addresses everything from dark circles to puffiness to wrinkles.

Best Lip Balm

DermInfusions Plump + Repair Lip
Dr. Dennis Gross DermInfusions Plump + Repair Lip

Yes, there is a plumping effect to this lip balm, which our testers loved because it brings out the natural color of your lips (in a good way). The balm itself also sticks around longer than most for extra hydration.

Best Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C + Super Greens
Current State Vitamin C + Super Greens

Not only is this formula packed with antioxidant powerhouse Vitamin C to help brighten and protect your skin throughout the day, but there is also a cornucopia of botanical extracts to soothe it and address signs of skin damage.

Best Toner

High Potency Face Finishing & Firming Toner
Perricone MD High Potency Face Finishing & Firming Toner

Swipe a bit of this toner over your face after cleansing to gently remove dead skin cells and buildup, plus smooth out texture and firm up lax skin.

Best Retinol

Triple Active Total Repair Serum
Paula’s Choice Triple Active Total Repair Serum

This antiaging retinoid serum is gentle enough that even a retinol virgin can use it without a reaction. What really takes it over the top is the complexion-bolstering and dark spot-lightening power of niacinamide.

Best Redness Reducer

Quick Relief Colloidal Oatmeal Treatment
Murad Quick Relief Colloidal Oatmeal Treatment

A dab of this ultra-rich soothing cream with colloidal oatmeal and ground cherry instantly soothes red, inflamed skin and protects it from further irritation. It’s the ultimate antidote to chapped winter noses and hands.

Best Eye Patches

Eye Patches
Augustinus Bader Eye Patches

Pop a pair of these patches under your peepers whenever you wake up looking extra haggard. They instantly soothe, depuff, and wake up tired-looking eyes with an added dose of Bader’s proprietary anti-aging formula.


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JOE LINGEMAN

Horace Lemon & Mint beard oil, Homme Eisenberg Duo Essentiel shaving cream, and Harry’s Craft Edition razor.

Best Shaving Cream

Homme Duo Essentiel
Eisenberg Homme Duo Essentiel

“It changed my idea of what a shaving cream could be,” said one tester of this shaving/cleanser combo. It goes on clear, so you can see every detail of your shave, and rinses off quickly, for soothed and protected skin.

Best Razor

The Craft Handle

Harry’s newest razor is its most technologically sophisticated yet. It’s easy to use, just like the others, but is perfectly weighted for an extra-smooth shave and is so well designed you won’t mind leaving it out on your bathroom counter.

Best Beard Oil

Lemon & Mint Beard Oil
Horace Lemon & Mint Beard Oil

Since there’s no greasy mineral oil in this formula, your beard won’t feel overly slick. What really stood out for our testers, though, was the “bright, refreshing, and slightly barbershop-y” scent that made them reach for it over and over.

Best Beard Balm

Beard & Scruff Cream
Bath & Body Works Beard & Scruff Cream

We opened the jar expecting something thick and heavy, but once we rubbed it into our whiskers the finish was more like a lightweight oil, just with more control.

Best Beard Trimmer

Multigroom 9000

There’s a lot to love about this does-it-all trimmer, but the weighty, ergonomic design and the ease with which you can swap attachments makes it a must-have for your beard (and everything else).

Best Aftershave

Sensitive Skin Post Shave Balm
Cremo Sensitive Skin Post Shave Balm

This silky cream instantly soothes any post-shave irritation and redness and doesn’t contain any added fragrance that may irritate sensitive skin.

Best Electric Razor

On Sale

ARC5 Electric Razor

Panasonic ARC5 Electric Razor

Now 24% Off

The large head and five blades of this shaver power through a couple days of stubble with lightning speed, giving an incredibly close shave with minimal effort.

Best Pre-Shave Product

Beard Master Shave Oil
Grooming Lounge Beard Master Shave Oil

This combination of peppermint, meadowfoam, avocado, and clove leaf oils is thin enough to lubricate your skin pre-shave without feeling greasy, but substantial enough that it can replace your shaving cream for perfect detailing.

Best Anti-Bump Product

Anti-Bump Treatment
Baxter of California Anti-Bump Treatment

Dab a bit of this quick-absorbing gel on a razor bump or ingrown hair and the mandelic acid and allantoin in the formula help to soothe skin and release trapped hair.

Best Beard Wash

Beard & Face Wash
Beard Club Beard & Face Wash

There’s not a lot of lather to this cleanser and that’s by design. It effectively cleanses facial hair without a lot of mess.


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JOE LINGEMAN

Patricks Shampoo Plus Ultra Thickening treatment.

Best Shampoo

Shampoo Plus Ultra Thickening Treatment
Patricks Shampoo Plus Ultra Thickening Treatment

Even if you don’t suffer from hair loss, this richly lathering, deep-cleansing shampoo removes dirt and oil from both your hair and your scalp without causing frizz. In fact, it pumps your hair with volume and shine.

Best Hair Clay

Glacial Clay Pomade
Highland Glacial Clay Pomade

This clay-pomade hybrid won high marks thanks to its ability to hold a style all day long for a clean, natural look. It also washes out easily with no hint of residue. The pine-and-sandalwood fragrance sent it over the top.

Best Hair Pomade

Thickening Pomade with Biotin
Old Spice Thickening Pomade with Biotin

It’s your classic multiuse hair pomade, with an injection of hair-health-supporting biotin to strengthen your strands. And your style stays in place the entire day.

Best Thinning-Hair Serum

RD1 Anti Hairloss Spray
Patricks RD1 Anti Hairloss Spray

A few sprays of this on your scalp after a shower help block DHT (the culprit behind male- pattern hair loss) and reduce shedding, as well as volumize and style your hair instead of making it greasy like other serums do.

Best Clipper

Limited-Edition Black Trimmer
Bevel Limited-Edition Black Trimmer

Ideal for keeping the lines of your haircut or beard tight between barber visits, this powerful professional-grade trimmer boasts a whopping 100 minutes of cordless use and toolless blade adjustment.

Best Conditioner

Destined for Density Caffeine and Biotin Peptide Density Conditioner
Briogeo Destined for Density Caffeine and Biotin Peptide Density Conditioner

Testers were blown away by this conditioner’s ability to provide volume, thickness, and hydration without the feeling of being over moisturized or oily, especially on thin or fine hair.

Best Scalp Product

Buildup Blocker

Apply this mask to your scalp before shampooing a few times a week and while you massage it in the fruit enzymes and jojoba esters work together to exfoliate away dead skin cells and buildup for a more balanced, fresher scalp (and happier hair).

Best Multi-Use Product

Two-in-One Shampoo + Conditioner
California Naturals Two-in-One Shampoo + Conditioner

Unlike other two-in-ones that are heavy on the cleanser, this is more like a cleansing conditioner. It’s thick and creamy but lathers up when you add water for a fresh feeling that won’t strip your hair or make it dry.

Best Curly Hair Cleanser

Killer Curls Wash
Kevin.Murphy Killer Curls Wash

Now 74% Off

This ultra-nourishing, creamy cleanser helps to remove dirt and grime but hydrates your hair in the process, ensuring your curls are frizz-free and smooth right out of the shower.

Best Styling Cream

Botanical Repair Bond Building Styling Cream
Aveda Botanical Repair Bond Building Styling Cream

This lightweight cream was a hit with testers because it not only helped style their hair without weighing it down, but also helped protect it from damage while keep it in place and bringing out their natural texture.

Best Dry Shampoo

No. 4D Dry Shampoo
Olaplex No. 4D Dry Shampoo

Unlike other dry shampoos, this one sprays on clear and doesn’t leave behind any white, chalky residue. It also instantly soaks up dirt and oil to revive and plump up limp hair almost as well as actually getting in a shower.

Best Hair Gel

Gel

Instead of leaving your hair crispy or crunchy, this lightweight gel gives you control that you can’t see (except for a little shine). Smooth a little bit through to finish your style.

Best Texturizer

Curl Enhancer
Living Proof Curl Enhancer

It might be called a curl enhancer, but we found that it works on most hair types to bring out natural texture like waves and curls. Apply, then let it air dry to catch the waves.

Best Curly Hair Styler

Cold Processed Soft Curl
Act+Acre Cold Processed Soft Curl

Apply this to damp hair to help protect and smooth curls, allowing them to stay in place frizz-free “for days,” as one tester put it.

Best Hair Oil

3-in-1 Hair Oil

The trio of tea tree, jojoba, and Jamaican black castor oils in this formula helps to instantly smooth away frizz and deliver just a little bit of natural shine, making hair look and feel softer and healthier.

Best Hair Spray

Backbend Workable Hold + Non-Aerosol Hairspray
R+Co Backbend Workable Hold + Non-Aerosol Hairspray

Our testers loved that this non-aerosol mist finished their styles with absolutely no crunch and a subtle hint of shine. The light hold helps keep your hair in place just as well as traditional sprays, no matter whether it’s short or long.


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JOE LINGEMAN

EltaMD AOX Mist broad-spectrum SPF 40 sunscreen.

Best Body Wash

Comfort Cleanse Ultra Soothing Shower Gel
Soft Services Comfort Cleanse Ultra Soothing Shower Gel

Not only is this sudsing gel-cream cleanser so gentle you could use it on a baby (or your extra-sensitive skin), but it’s also jam-packed with glycerin that draws in moisture from the air even after you towel off.

Best Body Was for Dry Skin

Advanced Care Dry Repair Body Wash
Dove Men+Care Advanced Care Dry Repair Body Wash

When you have dry skin, the best place to start treating it is in the shower. This ultra-rich, shea- butter-infused body wash is specifically formulated for dry skin and clinically tested to help keep it moisturized all day.

Best Sunscreen

On Sale

UV AOX Mist SPF 40

EltaMD UV AOX Mist SPF 40

Most mineral sunscreens leave your skin looking chalky, but somehow this superfine moisturizing spray disappears almost immediately, residue-free. Plus, it’s full of vitamins C and E to help prevent signs of aging.

Best Daily Sunscreen

Unseen Sunscreen Body SPF 40
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Body SPF 40

Wearing sunscreen every day can be a drag if you prefer not to show up to a meeting or date smelling like a piña colada. This clear natural-finish screen feels, and looks, like you’re wearing nothing at all—and there’s no telltale scent, either.

Best Body Serum

The Body Retinol
Nécessaire The Body Retinol

Slather some of this serum-balm on any part of your body that could use a little refresh—crusty elbows, pimply back, sun-spotted chest—and the combination of retinol and exfoliating alpha- hydroxy acids makes it smooth and clear.

Best Antiperspirant

Clean Antiperspirant Deodorant Spray
Unlimited by Degree Clean Antiperspirant Deodorant Spray

The technologically advanced formula here creates a microscopic barrier on your skin that blocks sweat caused by factors such as heat, stress, and exercise.

Best Body Acne Spray

Stubborn Body Acne Spray
Neutrogena Stubborn Body Acne Spray

Now 15% Off

Dealing with body acne is a pain, but when it’s on hard-to-reach areas like your back, it’s even worse. This spray makes treating those spots a breeze due to an easy-to-apply formula packed with 2 percent salicylic acid.

Best Bath Product

Magnesium Bath Enhancer
Esker Magnesium Bath Enhancer

Take your recovery bath to the next level with this potent elixir. It’s stuffed with Epsom salts and magnesium to help soothe muscle soreness and relax your body—all without the mess of a bunch of chemicals dumped in your tub.

Best After-Sun Product

After-Sun Gel

This is the elevated spiritual successor to the neon-green tub of “aloe” goo you used to rub on your burns as a kid. It is alcohol-free, contains real aloe vera as well as niacinamide and vitamin E, and smells really, really good.

Best Tattoo Product

Tattoo Aid

Replace your oily healing ointment with this vegan balm crammed with shea and cocoa butters and sweet-almond and calendula oils. It’ll heal fresh ink or bring old, faded pieces back to life.

Best Bar Soap

Epsom Salt Bar Soap
Oars + Alps Epsom Salt Bar Soap

What made this a winner is the fresh, clean eucalyptus-and-spearmint scent that was way better than any other we tried. Not to mention, it cleansed and rinsed away with no filmy residue left behind.

Best Hand Cream

The Hand Serum

Testers loved everything about this super lightweight, ultra hydrating hand serum, from the fact that they could reapply multiple times a day without any greasiness to the very pleasant scent.

Best Body Lotion

Forest Awakening Body Milk
Tatcha Forest Awakening Body Milk

The woody-fresh scent of this milky lotion won top marks but so did the fact that it instantly sinks into your skin and is so lightweight you can even use it during a heatwave.

Best Body Oil

Vitamin C & Neroli Dry Body Oil
Naturopathica Vitamin C & Neroli Dry Body Oil

“This could make me a body oil person,” said one tester after they tried this moisturizing yet lightweight oil that actually does feel dry on skin contact.

Best Deodorant

Clean & Fresh Roll-On Deodorant
Hello Clean & Fresh Roll-On Deodorant

This natural deodorant worked “instantly” and “I didn’t smell whatsoever even through tough workouts and sweaty nights,” raved one tester who also appreciated the fresh, simple scent.

Best Body Scrub

Microdermabrasion Body Polishing Exfoliator
Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Body Polishing Exfoliator

The superfine crystals of this body scrub instantly smooth away roughness, dry patches, and leftover cells from your skin, but also rinse clean and don’t get caught in your body hair.

Best Body Groomer

All-in-One Series 9 Trimmer
Braun All-in-One Series 9 Trimmer

Now 36% Off

This trimmer may be designed for pretty much every part of your body, but we found it shines below the neck, where the sheer number of length options allow you to trim, shave, and ‘scape with complete control.

Best Hand Wash

The Hand Wash in Mandarin Basil
Homecourt The Hand Wash in Mandarin Basil

We gave this hand soap a Grooming Award last year because of its gentle cleansing power. This new, citrusy-herbaly scent is so good, we had to award it again.

Best Anti-Chafe Product

Intimate Anti-Chafe Stick
Gillette Intimate Anti-Chafe Stick

Swipe this deodorant-like stick wherever your skin is rubbing together and it forms an instant barrier to reduce friction and prevent uncomfortable rashes.


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JOE LINGEMAN

Philips Sonicare 4100 electric toothbrush

Best Electric Toothbrush

Sonicare 4100

All of the features you want in an electric toothbrush—like dentist-recommended sonic technology, a pressure sensor, a brush- replacement reminder, and 14-day battery life on a single charge—in a small, portable, affordable package.

Best Breath Spray

Eah D'extrait Blue Forever Oral Spray
Selahatin Eah D’extrait Blue Forever Oral Spray

Remember those chemical-like, alcohol-filled breath sprays of the past? This is the same idea but much better tasting (and smelling). Formulated with botanical essences, the citrus, lime, licorice, and peppermint combo is like cologne for your mouth.

Best Toothpaste

Total Plaque Pro Release Whitening Toothpaste
Colgate Total Plaque Pro Release Whitening Toothpaste

Not only did this toothpaste taste the best out of all the options we tried, but it also felt the gentlest on our gums while still removing plaque and stains immediately.

Best Mouthwash

On Sale

Scope Squeez Mouthwash Concentrate

Crest Scope Squeez Mouthwash Concentrate

This innovative concentrated mouthwash (just add water) is ideal for your Dopp kit or desk drawer. It also had the best flavor and left our mouths feeling fresh the longest.

Best Whitening Kit

3D Whitestrips Professional White
Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional White

The combination of LED light with peroxide white strips means you don’t have to leave them on for as long to see immediate whitening results (which we did).


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JOE LINGEMAN

From top: Santa Maria Novella Bizzarria, Ralph’s Club Elixir, and Brunello Cucinelli Man.

Pour Homme Eau de Parfum
Brunello Cucinelli Pour Homme Eau de Parfum

Echoing the understated clothes Cucinelli is known for, this cologne (due for release in October) reminds you of pulling on the softest cashmere sweater. The notes of juniper berries, cypress, and Ambrox are warm, cozy, and the definition of quiet luxury.

Drakkar Intense Eau de Parfum
Guy Laroche Drakkar Intense Eau de Parfum

The Drakkar Noir your dad wore has been updated for a new generation with notes of lavender, rosemary, and clary sage, plus a dose of citrus to lighten the mood. It’s still intense but in a very good way.

Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense
Jo Malone London Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense

Can a vanilla fragrance be manly? Absolutely. The vanilla in this potent cologne isn’t sweet; instead, it’s mixed with smoky vetiver, giving it a deep, sexy warmth that invites people to get closer.

Pacific Chill Eau de Parfum
Louis Vuitton Pacific Chill Eau de Parfum

If the bright-green bottle doesn’t tip you off, this fresh, summery scent evokes your favorite green juice—albeit a very expensive one full of lemon, orange, basil, and mint.

Oaire Eau de Parfum
Caswell-Massey Oaire Eau de Parfum

This patchouli, pepper, cedar, and sage concoction from the heritage apothecary is anything but old-fashioned. It’s traditionally masculine yet subtle, with a hint of freshness.

Sacred Wood Perfume
Kilian Sacred Wood Perfume

Woods have always been a staple in cologne, and this rich fragrance takes it up a notch with a healthy amount of sandalwood mixed with cedarwood and balsam oil. A dash of myrrh lends a mysterious vibe.

Ralph's Club Elixir
Ralph Lauren Ralph’s Club Elixir

Think of this as an after-party in a bottle. Fresh notes of green mandarin, grapefruit, and lavender commingle with deeper scents of leather, patchouli, and olibanum for a lush, late-night feeling.

Cosmic Cowboy Extrait de Parfum
Perfumehead Cosmic Cowboy Extrait de Parfum

Inspired by the smoky, sweaty bars of the ’70s-era Sunset Strip, this scent is all about a certain carnal activity. Black musk, suede, tobacco leaf, and cinnamon bark work together to create a heady “hey there, cowboy” of a fragrance.

Gloam Eau de Parfum
Aesop Gloam Eau de Parfum

The notes may be floral (jasmine, mimosa, and orange flower), but the smell is anything but a bouquet. It’s more like walking through a forest right after it rains—deep, calming, and otherworldly.

Bizzarria Eau de Parfum
Santa Maria Novella Bizzarria Eau de Parfum

Named for a very rare fruit from the 1700s (and rediscovered in the 1980s), this is like no other citrus fragrance you’ve ever smelled. With notes of orange blossom, neroli, musk, and, of course, bizzarria accord, it’s both familiar and completely unexpected.

Best Body Spray

Blue Lavender Body Spray
Axe Blue Lavender Body Spray

If there’s one reason to consider body spray again, it’s this: It deodorizes your skin to help keep BO at bay, and the surprising lavender, mint, and amber scent is more akin to a fancy cologne than your high school spray.

Best Candle

Be Still Candle
D.S. & Durga Be Still Candle

There are plenty of reasons to light a candle, but take a flame to this incense-forward option and you get immediate ashram vibes. It’s the easiest and best-smelling way to relax after a long day.

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