Men's skincare guide
Shave with less irritation, look after the skin under a beard and build a short daily routine, with label facts for every product we mention.
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- Start here: a simple routine
- Best picks by need
- Shaving, razor burn and bumps
- Oily skin, sunscreen and moisturizer
Start here: a simple routine
Men's Skincare Routine: The Simple Basics
A men's skincare routine needs three steps: a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer for your skin type and morning sunscreen. How to choose each one, plus fragrance-free options.
Men's Shave Routine: Reducing Razor Burn
Razor burn comes mostly from friction. A simple shave routine to prevent it, plus which men's shave and skincare labels list added fragrance.
Best picks by need
Best Face Wash for Men, by Skin Type
Choose by how your face feels after washing. For dry or normal skin, CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a cream wash free of added fragrance. For oily skin, CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser or Jack Black Pure Clean Daily Facial Cleanser. For breakouts, Lab Series Clear LS Deep Pore Purifying Gel Face Wash adds salicylic acid; for rough texture and ingrown hairs, Jack Black Deep Dive adds glycolic acid.
Best Moisturizer for Men with Oily Skin
Oily skin still needs moisturizer, just a light one. Jack Black Clean Break Oil Control Moisturizer is a shine-free lotion with niacinamide and no fragrance on its recorded list. If you want a gel sold as fragrance free, choose Brickell 6 in 1 Gel Face Moisturizer or CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel. If you also get breakouts, Lab Series Clear LS Mattifying Lightweight Face Moisturizer adds salicylic acid.
Best Shave Cream for Sensitive Skin
None of the men's shave creams we've recorded is sold as fragrance free. For sensitive skin, Cremo Sensitive Skin Shave Cream has the shortest list of scent-related warnings: no synthetic fragrance, but five essential oils. If any scent bothers you, buy the unscented version of Brickell Smooth Brushless Shave Butter.
Best Beard Oils and Balms for Itch and Frizz
For itch and flakes under a beard, Baxter of California Exfoliating Beard Oil is the pick built around salicylic acid to exfoliate the skin underneath. For softening and taming, a plain conditioning oil such as Baxter of California Beard Grooming Oil or Cremo Casked Vanilla Beard Oil does the job, and Jack Black Leave It In Hair & Beard Balm adds a light hold. Every one of them is scented.
Best Toner for Men: Alcohol-Free Picks
Most men don't need a toner, but if you like the step, pick one by its job. For a fragrance-free, alcohol-free hydrating toner, choose CeraVe Hydrating Toner. For oily skin, Brickell Balancing Facial Toner for Men is alcohol free with witch hazel, but scented with peppermint oil. For clogged pores, CeraVe BHA Exfoliating Toner has 2% salicylic acid; don't use it right after shaving.
Best Eye Cream for Men: Puffiness and Lines
For morning puffiness, a light gel with a cooling applicator such as Jack Black Eye Balm De-Puffing & Cooling Gel is the simplest pick. For fine lines, Lab Series Anti-Age Max LS Eye Treatment Gel-Cream has peptides and no fragrance on its recorded list. CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream covers both with caffeine, peptides and niacinamide.
Best Anti-Aging Cream for Men
Start with daily sunscreen, then pick a moisturizer you'll actually use twice a day. Lab Series Anti-Age Max LS Ultra-Light Lotion Moisturizer is the lighter option with a 5% niacinamide and resveratrol complex and peptides; its Cream Moisturizer is richer. If you avoid fragrance, Baxter of California Super Shape Anti-Aging Cream is sold as fragrance free. None of these contains retinol.
Shaving, razor burn and bumps
Razor Bumps vs Razor Burn: What Helps
Razor bumps are ingrown hairs; razor burn is surface irritation. How to tell them apart, the shaving changes dermatologists suggest, and gentle products for before and after.
Aftershave or Moisturizer After Shaving?
Most men need a moisturizer after shaving, not a stinging aftershave. Why classic splashes burn, what to use instead, and post-shave options with and without fragrance.
Shave Gel vs Cream vs Oil: Which to Use?
Shave gel, cream, foam and oil all reduce razor friction. How the formats differ, who each suits, and what the labels of our checked shaving products actually list.
Oily skin, sunscreen and moisturizer
Best Daily Sunscreen for Men: What to Look For
Men should wear broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen daily. What the label should say, how much to use, and lightweight, water-resistant and mineral options from labels we've checked.
Best men's shave and moisturizer picks, from the labels
Shave
Foaming shave gel
Elemis Ice-Cool Foaming Shave Gel
Aloe vera, witch hazel, and English oak bark · scent ingredients flagged
Clear shave gel
Elemis Skin Soothe Shave Gel
Aloe vera, witch hazel, jojoba esters, arnica, chamomile, and menthol · sensitive skin · scent ingredients flagged
Pre-shave and beard oil
Elemis Smooth Result Shave & Beard Oil
Jojoba, hazelnut and grapeseed oils
Moisturize after
Post-shave moisturizer
Elemis Daily Moisture Boost
Polynesian Green Tamanu Oil, chestnut extract, cactus flower extract · combination, dry, normal, oily skin · scent ingredients flagged
Moisturizer sold for men
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream for Men
Padina pavonica, ginkgo biloba, and wheat germ oil · combination, dry, normal, oily skin · scent ingredients flagged
Emulsion sold for men
Sulwhasoo Skin Strengthening Emulsion for Men
oily, dry, combination, sensitive, normal skin · scent ingredients flagged
Men's skincare: common questions
Do men need different skincare from women?
Not usually. The same ingredients and steps work regardless of gender. The real differences are practical: daily shaving adds friction, and a beard changes how you cleanse and moisturize the skin underneath. Products marketed to men are often the same kinds of formulas, frequently with added fragrance.
What is the simplest routine that covers the basics?
Cleanse, moisturize and use broad-spectrum sunscreen in the morning. If you shave, add a shaving product you tolerate and shave with light pressure. More steps are optional.
When should I see a dermatologist?
Seek advice for razor bumps that keep coming back, painful or pus-filled bumps, signs of infection, a rash that will not settle, or any spot or mole that changes.