The vast world of skincare is divided into two camps: the behemoth library of brands that cater to women’s sensibilities, and a modest number of male skincare brands with neutral-toned bottles and scents like “oak moss.” This discrepancy may lead some men accompanying their partners to Ulta on Sundays to question whether or not they can use these bright, bubbly brands themselves.
The answer is yes, they certainly can, and perhaps they should.
The beauty and personal care industry is worth over $500 billion globally, and women’s products make up a much larger piece of that pie. The demand for niche skincare products isn’t as high amongst men, but marketing is partially to blame.
“Men can definitely use skincare from brands marketed toward women,” said Dr. Dendy Engelman, a New York-based dermatologist. “Although the packaging and marketing may be geared towards women, skincare formulations target skin concerns that are universal. The ingredients and benefits are not exclusive to men or women.”
Curious men who are interested in expanding their skincare routines beyond basic products with lumber-adjacent scents shouldn’t miss out on top-tier products just because they’re sold in bright pink packaging. The active ingredients are the same, and with high-quality products, the potencies are tantamount as well.
“There are only small differences between the two skin types in a very general sense. Men tend to have oilier skin and thicker skin but that’s not to say that some men don’t have dry skin or have thinner skin, and all of our skin thins out and dries up as we age,” said Adam Hurly, an expert grooming writer who has tested thousands of products over a decade plus of work in the field
“Men will fall within that spectrum at different times in their lives and there’s a good chance that the women’s product is just marketed with a font or a color scheme that suits women or with a scent that might skew feminine.”
Female-focused brands tend to have a wide swath of products, from the basics to niche active ingredient serums designed to target puffy under eyes, even skin tone, provide extra moisture, and chemically exfoliate.
“Women have embraced cosmetics in a very different way from men, historically,” said Hurly. “Men are much less curious about [skincare] and are function-forward. They want something that works and if they can’t tell how it’s working they get impatient. A cleanser makes sense because their skin doesn’t feel as gross. They’re not as stinky if they use a soap. Things just have to function and have this immediate benefit.”
It’s because of this that many skincare brands marketed toward men cover the basics and little else, leaving men with few options for expanding their routines into the elaborate, complex regimens their girlfriends, partners, friends, or influencers in their feed have.
But masculine sensibilities around skincare are shifting, and it’s time for men to roam the aisles at Sephora, too. “There’s no shortage of male customers! There are as many of them as there are women, statistically, but I think a big part of it too is a lot of women are buying the products for the men. It’s probably the women driving the purchases in at least half of relationships, if I had to guess,” said Hurly.
While female skincare brands aren’t necessarily superior or more potent, there are too many expertly-formulated, effective female-oriented skincare brands available for men to miss out because they lack knowledge or guidance.
Each of the brands below comes recommended by an expert and sells products all men should consider when looking to build up or enhance their skincare routines.
“Most skincare brands I love are gender-neutral and have high-quality, potent formulations that benefit all skin types. Some of my favorite go-to brands are ISDIN, Skinceuticals, and SkinBetter Science,” said Dr. Engelman.
Hurly shared a plethora of his favorite brands, as well as go-to products based on his years of testing.
Herbivore
Herbivore is a very feminine-looking brand, but their formulas would be powerful on any skin type.
“I love Herbivore, they’re one of my favorites,” said Hurly. “The active ingredients they’re using are very clear. Some of the core SKUs I love from Herbivore include their exfoliating serums and their bakuchiol night cream.”
“I get good results from them and I love the packaging and I love the branding. It’s stuff I’m genuinely excited to have on my vanity in my bathroom.”
Herbivore Moon Fruit Retinol Alternative Sleep Mask
Bakuchiol is an alternative to retinol, and this cream is designed to be worn at night when the skin can best absorb it and experience the benefits. It’s hydrating and formulated to lighten the appearance of wrinkles.
Herbivore Prism AHA + BHA Exfoliating Glow Serum
This exfoliating serum is made with both alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids for double the power and smooths and hydrates skin at the same time. It’s designed to be used at night, up to every other night, and paired with retinol on off nights for skin cell removal and renewal.
Biossance
“They feel a little more feminine to me, and I really like them. I’ve probably used a few of their products in the last few years, and their squalane is one of my favorites,” said Hurly.
Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum
Squalane is super hydrating, and this serum is perfect for men with dry skin who want even more moisture than the average cream can provide. It can be used in the morning and evening, and stacked on top of other active ingredients to lock them in.
The Ordinary
Hurly is mixed on some of The Ordinary’s products but noted that their exfoliating serums are great additives to existing products.
“They have a lactic acid 10% serum that I love. I love their little serums because their formulas are direct and precise enough that you can almost use them as boosters in your moisturizer,” said Hurly.
“They’re so potent that they’ll roll off your hand so I’ll take a moisturizer and drop something in. The hyaluronic acid that they have is good. We’re using their foaming cleanser right now that I really really love. Sometimes the viscosity of the product or how it wears on my product feels sub-par so I need to add it to another product.”
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + Ha 2% 30ml
The Ordinary is known for concentrated, potent formulas that don’t contain any unnecessary, filler ingredients. Their price tags are also much lower than other brands for that reason. Their lactic acid is a great gentle exfoliator and can help prevent ingrown hairs between shaves. This formula is powerful, so you only need a few drops for it to work properly, and it can be mixed in with a moisturizer or cream.
The Ordinary Facial Treatment: 2% Hyaluronic Acid & Niacinamide Bundle
This serum bundle contains both a hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, two beneficial ingredients for moisturizing and improving skin tone. Niacinamide, when used consistently, can improve skin’s protective barrier, hyaluronic acid delivers multi-depth hydration more efficiently than the standard moisturizer.
La Roche Posay
“La Roche Posay is a big thumbs up for me. Here in Germany, they’re in all the pharmacies. I often go off of cues from dermatologists and this is a top brand for so many of the ones I interview. My affinity for them has really grown out of what the experts say,” said Hurly.
“If I need a product in a pinch and I’m away from home and I don’t have my normal pile of things to choose from, that’s for sure one of the brands that I’d go for.”
La Roche Posay Anthelios Melt-In Sunscreen, SPF 60
Hurly recommends this as a “one formula fits all” sunscreen that’s great for both the face and body as well as sensitive and fair skin. It’s water-resistant, so it’s great for workouts and will satisfy most people who aren’t looking for mineral sunscreen.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Retinoid Acne Treatment
This Adapalene Gel is “one of the best OTC retinoids you can get, specifically for targeting acne,” said Hurly. It’s oil and fragrance-free, so it’s formulated for minimal irritation, and the vitamin A derivatives promote skin cell turnover.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleansers
An effective cleanser doesn’t have to be expensive, and both the gentle and foaming cleanser from La Roche Posay proves that. “Any brand that gets prescriptive with its formulas is doing something right. This pair has been recommended to me by so many dermatologists, that I now just associate them as ‘the doctors’ favorites,’” said Hurly.
Paula’s Choice
“Big thumbs up. Ugh, I love them. The ingredient focus that they have. The depth. Their roster is stacked. If you can’t find what you need from Paula’s Choice, don’t use anything at all,” said Hurly. He touted the CLEAR assortment as a “paint-by-number” remedy for getting rid of acne. It makes it that easy.
“The brand feels more skewed towards women, but they’re really focused on function, which is what appeals to most male consumers. So it satisfies so many people. Also, they have so many products and cover all the bases for different skin types, needs, goals, etc.”
Paula’s Choice Niacinamide Booster
Both the peptide and niacinamide boosters from Paula’s Choice are among Hurly’s top picks from the brand for a balanced complexion and firm skin. They can be mixed in with other products, like a moisturizer and eye cream, for an extra bit of nutrients.
Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster
Paula’s Choice’s multi-peptide booster contains six pro-collagen peptides that deliver nutrients to multiple layers of the skin. It’s formulated to visibly smooth lines within 15 minutes and absorb into the skin easily with a lightweight texture.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting BHA Liquid Exfoliant
This is their most popular product worldwide because it’s one of the best liquid exfoliants you can get. The BHA (beta hydroxy acid) removes layers of dead skin so retinol can encourage cell turnover more easily.
“Like all of Paula’s Choices’ products, it does the assigned task efficiently and thoroughly,” said Hurly. “They’re the best one-stop-shop in skincare.”
Drunk Elephant
Drunk Elephant is notorious for their brightly-colored, large, and somewhat bulky packaging. Rather than extraneous marketing, Hurly shared insight into how their product design alludes to the quality of the product inside.
“Their product design is really smart, and it’s a brand you can really trust for having a fresh product,” said Hurly.
“They do a really good job of making sure what you’re using is at its full potency as long as possible. For me, if a brand is going through that much trouble to invest in its vessels, that is saying a lot about what they want you to experience from the product.”
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
Drunk Elephant’s vitamin C is one of the most potent, effective formulas available. It’s expensive, but it evens both skin tone and texture, and the bottle is opaque and doesn’t expose the formula to oxygen which spoils it very quickly.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
Multiple SPY editors, including Hurly, recommend this Protini Moisturizer from Drunk Elephant because of its lightweight feel and nutrient-packed formula. It’s hydrating without feeling too heavy and comes in a pumping canister designed for less wasted product.
The Superiority of Female Haircare Brands
Hurly also mentioned that while skincare is a great area for men to explore, female hair care is where the real substantive differences are. The breadth of female hair care products is designed to address a variety of different issues, something the selection of men’s products doesn’t do as well.
“To that tune, a lot of hair care brands are the ones that men really need to consider switching over to. Men’s haircare brands are so one-size-fits-all and it’s so frustrating to me,” said Hurly.
“What if you have super curly hair or super thin hair and the conditioner weighs you down? So I think men should switch over to women’s hair brands.”
He had a few brands in particular that he recommended, and encouraged all men to consider visiting a salon, or at least adopting salon-grade products at home.
“Pattern Beauty or Living Proof, Kerastase is for everyone,” said Hurly.
A lot of those salon brands are good. It’s salon vs. barbershop. Like a lot of men don’t want to go into a salon because they don’t realize what a hairstyle is versus a haircut,” said Hurly. And so it’s that same dichotomy between the brands. I wish everyone would use Kevin Murphy and all these incredible salon brands but they don’t.”