Yet another Men's Lotion Question

November 21, 2016 9:38 AM

What are good men's lotions for 1) after shave irritation, 2) general face and hand moisturizer, 3) general face lotion with some SPF. They must be fragrance-free!

I currently use Neutrogena Face Lotion, Triple Protect, SPF 20, but its way too fragrant. I was thinking of trying Aveeno Men's Fragrance Free After Shave Lotion, or Lubriderm Lubriderm Men's 3in1 Lotion, Body, Face and Postshave Lotion, Fragrance Free?

For hands and face I use CeraVe Moisturizers, Moisturizing Cream which seems good, but tends to stay around all day and can be felt when kissed. I think because I use way too much. Should I stick with that for hands, or try CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion? Cetaphil's lotion feels too slimy or greasy to me.

For face should I try CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM/PM Bundle?

posted by Mr. Papagiorgio to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (17 answers total)

Best answer: So, I have a lady face but steer clear of aggressively gendered products because they're generally really stupid.

I use that first CeraVe you linked for my face every day and I love it. If you're having stickiness problems with it you're probably using too much. I have an enormous head and all I do is tap my fingertip into it. That's enough for me. (I have no info for you on the shaving irritation front.)

I also dislike the Cetaphil lotion for the same reasons you do.

There are lots of moisturizers out there with added SPF, but all the ones I've used have caused me to break out really bad, and I don't really get the point of having to go and find another face moisturizer if I already like the one I use (the CeraVe, as mentioned above) if the only thing I'm looking to add is sun protectant. So I just get a sunscreen I love and layer it right over the top of my moisturizer. I can't say enough good things about Biore Perfect Milk. It's very lightly (non-lady but also non-sunblock) fragranced and has a really good non-greasy texture to it. Might not be up your alley but it's what I do.

I use regular old green label Aveeno on my hands/body.

tl;dr I bet you're using more CeraVe than you need.
posted by phunniemee at 9:53 AM on November 21, 2016 [2 favorites]

Clinique for Men have something for each of your requirements except perhaps hand moisturiser - i.e. After Shave Balm, M Lotion, M Lotion with SPF15. It's all fragrance free and I've never had any problems with any of it, although the SPF15 M Lotion is greasier than the normal stuff.
posted by jonnyploy at 9:55 AM on November 21, 2016

Best answer: My husband (who would NOT use it if it had a fragrance) and I (who would NOT use it if it felt weird/sticky all day) can both agree on Olay Complete Daily Defense All Day Moisturizer With Sunscreen SPF30 Sensitive Skin, and we both wear it every day. He puts it on post-shaving in the morning but I don't know its real aftershave-ish properties.
posted by brainmouse at 9:56 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

My routine:

Shave with warm shaving soap lather and hot razor
Unscented glycerin bar soap everywhere (goes on warm)
Cold water rinse with wash cloth
Ample witch hazel (with alcohol, generic poured into a spray bittle)
Let dry a little
Kiss My Face face lotion (Kiss My Face Face Factor Sun Screen for Face and Neck, SPF 30)

Usually no irritation but I don't shave super close and I shave every other day. If I miss the witch hazel or lotion I definitely notice it.
posted by friendofstone at 10:05 AM on November 21, 2016

I'd switch it up to the CeraVae facial lotions for your face. Both the day & night lotions of theirs are very good though the AM with sunscreen can cast a little bit of white cast to the skin but it soaks/rubs in so don't panic if you see it when you first put it on. The Olay recommended by brainmouse up above is also very good.
posted by wwax at 10:23 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

For after shave I really like Nivea for Men Sensitive After Shave The description says "fragrant neutral" and I'd say that it unscented and delightfully moisturizing.
posted by Phredward at 10:25 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

My cousin (the only male with whom I discuss moisturisers) uses Kiehl's products and is very happy with them, but they are pretty pricey.
posted by gaspode at 10:42 AM on November 21, 2016

2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream - nice thick unscented cream for face, hands and body. Sinks in fast and leaves a soft non-greasy finish. Available in different sizes and cruelty-free.

3. Paula's Choice Sun Protection - good range of SPF skin care, all unscented. Cruelty-free.

Along with her SPF products, I'd browse Paula's Choice for options for your other needs. All of her products are formulated to be non-irritating and she does not use any scent. There are sample pouches available for most of the products, so you can test it out before committing to a full size.
posted by exquisite_deluxe at 11:12 AM on November 21, 2016

For #3, I've been using Cremo all-in-one face lotion. It's SPF 20, cheap, and unscented.

For #1, after a razor odyssey involving DE, rotary electric and linear electric, I've just gone back to Mach 3 (with the Cremo shaving cream) and resigned myself to the fact that I just can't get a close against-the-grain shave without lots of irritation and ingrown hairs. I think your best bet is to prevent irritation rather than treat it.
posted by hammurderer at 11:29 AM on November 21, 2016

I have really liked just about every Ursa Major product I have tried. In particular I really like the face balm, face wash and shave cream. They have a daily moisturizer that has SPF, but I have not tried it.
posted by tracert at 1:25 PM on November 21, 2016

I like CeraVe and Kiehl's and have used both for years. But I'm also really liking this new Face Care line from C.O. Bigelow.
posted by spilon at 1:27 PM on November 21, 2016

I second Clinique for Men for facial moisturizer with SPF. I've been using it for years and it works well. For my hands, I usually just use standard Aveeno.
posted by primethyme at 1:43 PM on November 21, 2016

Seconding the Nivea for Men Sensitive aftershave; even though it contains no alcohol it dries relatively quickly, leaves no noticeable residue and feels really good afterwards, and you only need a small dollop of the stuff for it to do its job. I don't know if it contains "no fragrances" but I've never noticed any particular smell when using it; "neutral fragrance" seems accurate to me.
posted by Aleyn at 2:04 PM on November 21, 2016

Last time I looked into CereVe AM it did not provide broad spectrum sun protection, which is really important if you want to protect your skin from the sun.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 3:25 PM on November 21, 2016

I love the Jack Black face moisturizer. It is SPF 20, but goes on light with no sunscreen smell.
posted by sgo at 6:09 PM on November 21, 2016

I have very sensitive skin and have used a multitude of products from Kiehls, Nivea, and Jack Black both for shaving and aftershave. To answer #1 I use Kiss My Face shaving moisturizer and have not had to use any additional lotions or aftershaves. It leaves my skin oil free and refreshed.
posted by Benway at 6:11 AM on November 22, 2016

Have you looked at what the "Dollar Shave Club" has on offer? I use a few of their products and have been more than satisfied. I think they are all unscented, but can't be sure.
posted by james33 at 6:28 AM on November 22, 2016