What’s the difference between the best beauty products for men and your everyday grooming gear? It may seem like a question of semantics, but I’d like to pose a meaningful distinction. If you want to look classically handsome, like, say, George Clooney or Michael B. Jordan, then call it a grooming product. But if you aren’t afraid to look or feel beautiful (your Harry Styleses and Cole Escolas), then don’t be afraid to call it a beauty product.
Because for as long as men have been buying skin care products, beauty brands have been taking women’s products, slapping a black label on them, marking down the price, and selling them to men. More recently, there’s been a boom in skin care brands just for men—the men’s “beauty” market has gotten so crowded that we’ve even seen brands rise and fall. (R.I.P. Disco!) But no matter what you call the category, these products are about more than vanity: They help you show the world the best, most confident version of yourself.
Personally, I aspire to be handsome, but I’ve tested hundreds (thousands?) of skin, hair, and grooming products in my career, including men’s cosmetic products. So, to get the lowdown on the top men’s beauty brands, I consulted a beautiful man (at least, according to People magazine) and my favorite dermatologist. Based on their input, my own first-hand testing, and GQ’s formidable archive of grooming reviews, I’ve put together a guide to beauty products for men. From the top luxury men’s skin care brands to drugstore finds, I’ve gathered everything a fella needs to look and feel beautiful. You’ll find hair care must-haves, skin care and anti-aging champs, essential shaving gear, and a few of our fragrance favorites.
The Best Men’s Beauty Products, According to GQ
In This Guide
Hair
A few months ago, I had a nightmare that my hairline started to recede. It was the scariest dream I’ve had in years. Whether your hair is your best feature (guilty) or you’re clinging to every last strand, a good ‘do goes a long way toward making a good first impression. To help you revitalize your hair care routine, we’ve gathered the best shampoo, conditioner, and styling products for men. Don’t be afraid to go a step further and explore the best hair loss treatments, too.
Skin Care & Anti-Aging
I believe both of these statements are true: A good skin care routine can take years off of your face; most skin care products are overpriced and unnecessary. So, how do you tell the difference between a must-have and a pointless splurge? My advice: Focus on ingredients over designer labels and big promises. For acne or dark spots, you want salicylic acid and other exfoliators. For moisturization, try hyaluronic acid or squalane. For collagen support, peptides and niacinamide. And when you need to call in backup, add a retinol to your skin care routine.
I spoke to Dr. Muneeb Shah, aka the “DermDoctor,” a board-certified dermatologist and founder of the new skin care brand Remedy. Dr. Shah said that a good skin care routine (a face wash, moisturizer, and SPF, at the minimum) is the foundation for lasting good looks as you age. But it’s also important to be realistic. We’ve all seen celebrities who seem impervious to aging, but the truth is, the Hollywood glitterati are regular visitors to plastic surgeons. Modern male celebs are using everything from steroids and veneers to laser treatments, Botox, and fillers, fillers, fillers.
“It all starts with good habits, right?” Shah says. “And then, we describe it as a plateau. Like, eventually, you’re going to max out the benefits from your peptides and your retinol, right? Once you do that, then it’s time to move on to some procedures…So, there are a lot of male celebrities who look great, look natural, that are getting these beauty treatments done. But it really all starts with a really good skin care routine, and then, you know, getting some laser treatments and maybe even a little bit of filler in the jaw, maybe a little bit of Botox in the forehead, around the eyes. Those are probably the most common things I’m seeing my male patients do.”
