If you’re like most guys, myself included, you likely only dabble with skincare products as the need arises. Or maybe someone stuffed a thing of beard butter in your stocking one year. Or your friend’s skin always looks so smooth, and you finally bought a tube of his secret skincare weapon.
Regardless of your routine, or lack thereof, the best men’s skincare kit is going to be the one that meets a broad spectrum of your needs. Plus, they present a perfect opportunity to try out multiple face products without committing to a full-sized bottle. The products in some kits focus on targeting oily skin. Others are specifically designed to fight acne. And, if you’re lucky, you might even stumble across a line of skincare that Pharrell Williams created.
Spoiler.
Key Takeaways
When searching for the best men’s skincare kit, look for a line of products that targets the areas of your skin that you view as problematic. In other words, don’t buy a kit filled with beard balms and beard oils if you shave every day.
The Ultimate Kiehl’s Skincare Kit is a crowd-pleasing set with plenty of options for almost every skin type. Another top option, especially if you’re on a budget, is the Skin Saviors Kit from Jack Black.
Household-name skincare brand Kiehl’s has been making the world a smoother, sexier place since its humble New York City beginnings in 1851. So it should come as no surprise that it earns the title of best men’s skincare kit in this list.
If you’re just getting started with a skincare routine, you’ll find everything you need here. If you’re a veteran self-care enthusiast, you’ll still find everything you need here. You’ve got a facial cleanser, moisturizing face oil that you’ll want to put on just before bed, an all-day moisturizer, eye treatment, toner, and a pore-cleansing mask. It’s less targeted and more catch-all in terms of focus areas—another reason why it’s the men’s skincare routine kit to beat.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Face Cleanser, Recovery Serum, Eye Cream, Facial Cream, Toner, Pore Cleanser
I’m just going to come out and say it: Gravity can be a bitch. Whether the skin under your eyes is erring on the droopy side or you just feel like your face could use a good firming, consider The Firm Skin Kit from Horace is a trusted ally in your fight against the aging effects of gravity.
This set is intended to become part of your morning or nighttime routine and includes a face cleanser, anti-dark-circle serum, face-firming gel, and scrub. As with anything, persistence pays, so try to stick with the routine for maximum results.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Cleanser, Scrub, Firming Gel, Anti-dark-circle Serum
Jack Black is a fairly ubiquitous name in men’s skincare, especially if you’ve spent any time searching for the best men’s skincare kit on Amazon (it’s Amazon’s Choice in the category). And if you’re looking for a suite of products at a reasonable price point, the Skin Saviors Kit is the way to go.
Everything you need for a full skincare routine is included: a daily face wash, SPF 20 moisturizer, SPF 25 lip balm, and exfoliating facial scrub. Reach for the kit every day at home or hop on a flight with it—all products are smaller than the TSA’s liquid limit of 3.4 ounces.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Cleanser, Moisturizer, Lip Balm, Scrub
We’ve all been there. You’re beginning your initial descent after a long flight. You’ve had a glass or two of wine, some underseasoned salmon, and a forced conversation with Kevin from Tulsa. You need a refresh, and you need it now.
Aesop’s aptly named Arrival Travel Kit has your back with travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser to freshen your skin, and a fast-absorbing body balm to leave you smelling like you just got out of the shower instead of seat 32B. If you’re fortunate enough to be a member of a lounge with a shower, that shampoo and conditioner could come in handy. Otherwise, hit the plane’s restroom before touchdown and let the cleanser and body balm work their magic.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Body Wash, Body Balm, Shampoo, Conditioner
Acne. Even if our skin is clear 90% of the time, it still happens to the best of us. And when it does, it behooves you to have the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Dermatological Acne Treatment System on standby. It’s a mouthful, but a worth-it mouthful if you’ve got some blemishes in need of annihilation.
The French brand has been a favorite among dermatologists for its ability to effectively fight acne. In the kit, you’ve got a medicated acne face wash, clarifying solution, and a spot treatment. The system is designed to eliminate the majority of your acne in 10 days, which is a relatively quick turnaround.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Cleanser, Toner, Spot Treatment
Korean skincare products have long been considered superior to American products. This is, in part, due to the fact that K-Beauty products only use natural ingredients which help give the skin a smooth, natural glow.
The cleanser, moisturizer with SPF, and gel moisturizer included in Cardon’s kit are “rooted in Korean skincare science” to help you achieve smoother, tighter skin. I’m not saying you’re going to end up looking like the eighth baby-faced member of BTS, but… actually, that might be a good thing.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Cleanser, SPF + Moisturizer, Gel Moisturizer
If you’re just dipping a toe into the skincare waters for the first time, the Essential Starter Kit from NYC brand Malin+Goetz is a fantastic place to start. The one-ounce tubes are the perfect trial size to see if one of the six included products is for you, and the kit also comes with a stick of eucalyptus deodorant.
This is the choose-your-own-adventure of skincare kits. In addition to the deodorant, it includes a grapefruit face cleanser, face moisturizer, a hand and body wash, body moisturizer, refreshing peppermint shampoo, and cilantro conditioner.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Face Cleanser, Face Moisturizer, Body Wash, Body Moisturizer, Shampoo, Conditioner
This unisex kit from Ancient Greek Remedy targets dry skin with a suite of all-natural products. The buttercream moisturizer and two bars of soap are nice additions to your daily routine. And the foot balm can be applied as needed or as a preventative measure for dry, cracked feet—especially in the winter.
But what may end up doing the most for your dry skin is the body oil. If you’re like me, you don’t love, nor are you used to, having oil all over your body. If that’s you, target a few problem areas and apply the oil before bed, then work your way to more areas as you get used to the feeling. The results will likely be worth the minor inconvenience.
Skin Type: Dry, All | Products Included: Body Oil, Butter Cream, Foot Balm, Soap Bars
Not ready to commit to a full men’s grooming routine without seeing which products are right for you? Good call. Conduct your due diligence with the help of Geologie’s Complete Skincare Routine Trial-Size Kit.
It comes with two bottles of daily face wash (keeping the sizes small makes this kit a worthy travel companion), a moisturizer that’s meant to be applied in the morning, a night cream with ingredients that fight breakouts and visible signs of aging, and an eye cream aimed at tightening tired-looking eyes. If you end up loving a product or multiple products, Geologie will customize a kit for you based on your answers to a skincare quiz.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Face Wash, Moisturizer, Night Cream, Eye Cream
Combination skin is typically characterized by having two or more different skin types on your face. A dry patch here and an oily area there. Sometimes it’s seasonal, and other times it’s year-round, but it’s always annoying. Thankfully, several companies make products for combination skin, but the best men’s skincare kit in the category comes from Verso.
The Retinol 8 Bestsellers Kit, the brand’s most popular, is ideal for multiple skin types and includes three products to keep your face tight and your confidence high. The eye serum helps firm things up under your eyes when and where you need it, while the facial serum and night cream work their magic in the background.
Skin Type: Combination, All | Products Included: Night Cream, Facial Serum, Eye Serum
Nivea. You either know it and love it, or you don’t know it yet but are definitely about to. Those are your only choices. There are no other options. Fine, there are endless options.
But today, it’s all about the household-name brand’s Complete Collection Skin Care Set, which is specifically designed for sensitive skin. The products are dye- and drying alcohol-free and are only lightly scented to help reduce irritation. You’re working with a body wash, face wash, shave gel, aftershave balm, and protective lotion. Should work wonders if you regularly shave. If not, Nivea and plenty of other brands make quality beard products that’ll work better for you.
Skin Type: Sensitive, All | Products Included: Body Wash, Face Wash, Shave Gel, Post-shave Balm, Lotion
Youth to the People is a California-based manufacturer of vegan skincare products. If a vegan lifestyle is important to you, The Youth System is the best men’s skincare kit you’re likely to find.
The all-star lineup includes six superfood products, and their only mission is to turn your face into the face you always thought your face could be (sorry, just went for it there). That lineup: a superfood cleanser, yerba mate facial oil, vitamin C energy serum, superfood moisturizer, eye cream, and a superberry dream oil.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Face Wash, Facial Serum, Moisturizer, Facial Oil, Eye Cream, Exfoliating Facial Treatment
Some of the grooming kits and products on this list are for beginners. Others are for the dabbler with just enough experience to know his way around an exfoliator designed for men. And finally, others still are for the guy who already has it all… except for the Augustinus Bader Skin Renewal System.
This is a luxury product with a luxury price tag to prove it. Made up of Augustinus Bader’s most popular products, the kit features The Cream Cleansing Gel that cleans your face and locks in moisture, The Essence for toning and exfoliation, and The Rich Cream to hydrate your face and help eliminate lines.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Cleansing Gel, Toner/Exfoliator, Lotion
Everyone needs a massage every now and then. Oh? You don’t?
First off, yes you do. Secondly, at the very least you need the Luxury Spa Gift Set from SpaLusive. The products have top notes of sandalwood for a calming vibe, and the set has some nice bonus gear like a pouf and dopp kit.
Elsewhere around this men’s facial care kit, you’ve got a body wash, batch soap, body lotion, exfoliating scrub, and bath salts. But if this still doesn’t sound like something you’d be into, it’ll still make a great birthday gift for someone in your life.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Wash, Bath Soap, Lotion, Body Scrub, Bath Salts, Pouf, Dopp Kit
Did you know that Pharrell Williams has a skincare product company? Because Pharrell Williams has a skincare product company. It’s called Humanrace, and it’s home to the best men’s facial care kit I’ve seen—the ever-portable Routine Pack.
When combined as a quick routine, the three products are meant to be used as a men’s facial that you apply once in the morning and once at night. In your corner are a rice powder cleanser, lotus enzyme exfoliator, and humidifying cream. Following Pharrell’s lead when it comes to smooth skin and generally defying age is never a bad idea.
Skin Type: All | Products Included: Cleanser, Exfoliator, Cream
If you have an oily complexion that you’d like to do something about, Swedish brand Om-Se and its Balancing 3-Step Routine would like a word. The cleansing oil and hydrating face mist are nice to have in your arsenal, but look to the balancing face oil to do most of the heavy lifting here.
It’s designed to give you a more even skin tone, leaving you with a smooth glow. The kit also comes with a linen face cloth for wiping off any excess oil from the treatment. The products work for non-oily skin as well, but there are other products on this list that may be better options if you’re looking for a less targeted approach.
Skin Type: Oily, All | Products Included: Cleansing Oil, Face Mist, Face Oil, Face Cloth
What To Look For In The Best Men’s Skincare Kit
Skin type
Different skincare kits consist of products that target different areas and types of skin. Some are made to address combination skin, some are for oily skin, and others still are dedicated entirely to grooming your beard. Either go with a catchall kit or look for one that plays nicely with your skin type.
Products Included
A general rule of thumb is to look for skincare kits that don’t include products you think will collect dust on your countertop. Kits with multiple products—especially if they’re smaller sizes—can be good for deciding which products you like and which you don’t. But if you already know what you like, seek out kits that cater to your target areas.
Price
Like most grooming products, skincare kits for men vary wildly in price. There are plenty of luxury options out there, but in my experience, you can get excellent quality products without dramatically overpaying for them. Weigh the pros and cons of the products included and compare them to the price tag to see if it’s worth it for you.
Final Verdict
With so many options flooding the market, especially around the holidays, the men’s skincare kit you go with should include the products you need and nothing more. That said, kits are also great for trying out multiple products to find out what works best for you. The Ultimate Kiehl’s Skincare Kit and its variety of quality products is my top pick and a fantastic example of the latter.
FAQ
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A lot of this depends on the type of skin you have, as you’ll want to get products that correspond with and cater to your skin type. That said, a good cleanser and moisturizer should be considered musts, with an exfoliator not far behind.
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If you have it in the budget, the men’s skincare bench runs deep, and it’s easy to get in the weeds with niche products. But if you only buy three products, they should be a cleanser, exfoliator, and moisturizer. A bonus fourth: sunscreen.
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If you only use one skincare product and nothing else, make it a cleanser. A clean, fresh face should be considered the jumping-off point for the rest of your grooming routine.
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