Recommendations: Men's Grooming Products

November 25, 2022 7:38 PM

I love using good-quality (but not $uper-high-end) men's grooming products. Shaving, skin care, cologne, etc. Consumables (e.g. razorblades, aftershaves) and durables (e.g. hairbrushes) all welcome. Things that make you or others in your life feel or smell nice.

I know that's really broad. Examples of mainstream products I've enjoyed having in my medicine cabinet include Proraso Shaving Cream, Caswell-Massey soaps, Pinaud Clubman aftershave, Pre de Provence hand lotion. I am aware of Cremo, have tried their products, and have not found them compelling. I'm irritated C. O. Bigelow seems to have discontinued their "green" line.

Note the bias toward classic, barbershop scents. But! Products that break free of that are also welcome.

posted by Caxton1476 to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Best answer: I'm an infrequent cologne wearer, but I enjoy getting sample sets. For the cost of one average bottle of cologne, you could sample many more.

I normally source through LuckyScent and am happy with them. Their Essential 13 starting pack, and custom pack are two good places to start. I end up disliking most of the scents I try, but it feels like a fun and sophisticated way to spend $4.
posted by matrixclown at 7:53 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]

Best answer: My spouse is a big fan of Rituals products.
posted by neushoorn at 7:56 PM on November 25, 2022

Best answer: I love this fragrance by Replica. Not terribly expensive and smells really fresh.
posted by sharks don't eat potatoes at 8:06 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Have you tried Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream? I used it a few years ago and it was really luscious.
You may also enjoy Mason and Pearson hairbrushes.
posted by Lycaste at 9:01 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I've been very pleased with Speick products from Germany
posted by blob at 9:58 PM on November 25, 2022

Best answer: this is mundane, but gillette fusion razors are excellent. i never ever get nicked or cut, and i've used them since they came out in 2006. it's sorta freaky to me how foolproof these razors are. i don't even use cream - i just wet my bare face and go to it.

there is a new "labs" version that is a slight change from the fusion, but i'm not sure it's better. they both work great.

my go to soaps and shampoos are peppermint anything from malin+goetz.
posted by bruceo at 10:25 PM on November 25, 2022

Best answer: I must must must recommend the “Uashmama” brand bar soaps in “Tomato Leaves” (or “Foglie di Pomodoro”) scent.
I think it smells classic and pleasant and clean and I would like it to be the only soap I ever have to use ever again.
posted by TangoCharlie at 10:42 PM on November 25, 2022

Best answer: I see your bias toward classic, barbershop scents and recommend the classic Geo. F. Trumper, Truefitt & Hill, and (as mentioned above) Taylor of Old Bond St. I quit buying Truefitt & Hill after getting multiple tubs of shaving cream that weren't the fragrance on the box, but maybe they've fixed that quality control issue. Taylor is the lowest price of the three for shaving cream, but the tubs are smaller. The price by weight is consistent with the other two.
posted by fedward at 1:23 AM on November 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I don't use a lot of scented stuff, but I do enjoy fancy grooming products.

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen mostly smells like nothing, and it's not specifically for men, but it's one of my favorite grooming products. It just disappears into skin, has a slight mattifying effect on shiny areas, and it's easy everyday SPF protection.

For a strictly facial sunscreen, Missha All Around Safe Block and Shiseido Urban Environment are both excellent.

If the skin on your face is oily, both Kiehl's Oil Eliminator and LaRoche Posay's Effaclar lines are excellent. I'm also a big fan of Ursa Major's line.
posted by box at 5:54 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I know modern razors are foolproof, but a classic safety razor would be my recommendation.
posted by booooooze at 6:34 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: No recommendations for consumables, but Royal Metal makes the best nail clipper (Hon) and hair trimmer (Bon) that I've been able to find. Muji's large nail clipper is a close second.
posted by dobbs at 6:42 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Feather Hi-Stainless Blades (in the yellow box) are unbelievably sharp, which means you get super smooth shaves without much effort or irritation. And if you change them frequently -- because they are so much cheaper than cartridges -- you'll always have the Baby Butt Smooth cheeks!
posted by wenestvedt at 6:44 AM on November 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: In the past I loved Crabtree & Evelyn shaving creams, but one by one they cancelled the scents I liked.

Not sure what they offer now, but worth a try because the lather was always nice with a pleasing scent that left my face nice and soft.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:45 AM on November 26, 2022

Best answer: I once felt unreasonably attracted to a middle-aged taxi driver because he smelled so good. He told me he was really into cologne and was wearing Terre d'Hermes. It's expensive but you can get a free sample at Sephora that will last for quite a long time to see if it's worthwhile for you.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 10:01 AM on November 26, 2022

Best answer: Reuzel makes the best men's products I've ever used.
posted by King Bee at 3:01 PM on November 26, 2022

Best answer: Okay, I've been checking out a lot of these, and so far they're *fantastic*. Thank you so much! And, my 15 year old son likes a lot of them, too, so his 10-grade fragrance game has left Axe-level stuff in the dust.
posted by Caxton1476 at 12:48 PM on December 12, 2022