Even if your skincare routine starts and ends with face wash, you've probably been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options there are — and that's just a single category. A complete skincare routine encompasses washing, moisturizing, applying sunscreen, adding a retinoid and applying an antioxidant serum, meaning the total routine — referring to both skincare and grooming — is a whopping 12-step ordeal if you include body washing and moisturizing, shampooing and conditioning and shaving and applying after-shave.
I don't recommend picking a shampoo from one brand, a moisturizer from another and so on and so forth. It's not that products from different brands can't coexist, but you never know, and it's easier to be certain they can work together and effectively, too. Buy everything from one source and seek out specialized items from other labels only when necessary.
Unsurprisingly, though, there aren't that many brands with that kind of catalog. Sure, Dove definitely makes hair and body products, but the soap giant doesn't sell serums. On the contrary, artisanal, all-natural label Caldera+Lab makes excellent creams, but they don't sell shampoo, deodorants or deep-cleaning body washes, for example. Do you get what I'm saying? There's a shortlist of brands you can truly count on for the entirety of your everyday skin, hair and body routine — deodorants, moisturizers, pomades and more. But, fret not; we've found them.
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Maapilim
Courtesy
Maapilim's products evoke the scents and pleasures of the Mediterranean, where the brand is based and where most of the ingredients are sourced.
Marlowe's products are a favorite of many — myself and Associate Editor Johnny Brayson included. He likes the bar soaps, while I've enjoy the hair products.
Lumin's aesthetic is minimal, but the brand's products are incredibly effective. Think: deep cleaning keratin shampoos, charcoal face scrubs and face moisturizers made from fruit extracts.
Bravo Sierra field tests its products with current and former military members, ensuring these products not only work but in extreme conditions, too. (That means they'll definitely work in your dull shower.) Plus, part of the profits are shared with military member-benefitting orgs.
Patricks harks high-end sports cars and luxury estates, dirty martinis and calm moments in a 1,000 sq ft bathroom. Sure, Patricks' products are expensive, but they're worth it. They feel like a significant departure from big box store options and even mid-level ones most people consider luxury.
Oars and Alps emphasizes all-natural ingredients in all of its products. They are all sold individually, of course, but the brand lets you customize your own bundle, thus helping you save money on a kit that only has things you'll actually use.
No, this isn't a project of the famous actor by the same name. It's instead one of the longest-standing and best-selling modern men's grooming brands around. The brand's products range from gentle and nice-smelling to industrial strength.
Black-owned brand Scotch Porter focuses on all types of skin and hair: curly and coarse, dry, oily and every kind in-between. You'll find specialized options for folks with natural hair, and universal face washes and handy body wipes.
Jack Henry's nailed the minimal, California-inspired look and feel, and the products embody its fuss-free mission. They're simple, easy to order and get shipped and oftentimes conscious of their footprint, meaning when you buy a second time, for example, you don't buy another bottle, just a refill.
Owned by L'Oreal as of 2013, Baxter of California has a history dating back to 1965 — in California, of course. There's a relaxed, it-all-comes-easy-to-me energy about their products, but they're potent and effective.
Hawthorne specializes in customer-centric products. What does that mean? Well, you can order a lot of their options custom. There's a quiz that fields information about your face, hair and body and creates suggestions from your answers.
Grown Alchemist is what I'd call ingredient-driven. They cover the basics — exfoliants, moisturizers, washes, etc — but do so with a drive to showcase the powers particular elements have.
Everyone knows Aesop. Like Le Labo, they've established quite the reputation, and a polarizing one at that. I, for one, really like the things they make. They're aromatic, courtesy of lots of botanicals, and usually plenty effective and noticeable. Be warned, though, these are not for those with fragrance allergies.
If you're worried about the total cost of overhauling both your skincare and grooming routines, go with Harry's. The brand's products are easy to find in bigger stores, and super cheap to buy in bulk and ship.
Add Necessaire to the list of brands that embrace minimalism and basic, all-natural ingredients. But it's not all for show: The brand actively works to lessen its footprint and transparently updates shoppers on which certifications they've earned, and which evade them still.
Kiehl's has 73 stores across the US, but they also sell their products in big department stores, pharmacies and small boutiques. That makes the brand's inventory easy to find, making restock easy and oftentimes for less than retail.
