10 Best Skincare Brands for Men: Smooth & Affordable in 2024

There has never been a better time in history for skincare. Boasting explosive growth, the industry offers a brand and product for everything, making options abundant and choice sometimes difficult. If you’re new to the skincare game and don’t know where to start or want to cut to the chase to make building your skincare routine a breeze, then you need a quick overview of the best skincare brands for men.

Understanding which brands are the best and why will make selecting your best products so much easier. First, you’ll want to understand your specific skin care needs before delving in.

All of the brands on this list work for pretty much every skincare type, but what makes them so great and worth mentioning is the wide range of products offered, including specific lines for dry skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and more.

Because of your skin’s unique makeup, there is almost always trial and error in skincare, but sticking to the best brands for men will make the process that much easier (and shorter).

Let’s take a look at the top 10 best skincare brands for men below.

Key Takeaways 

For this quest, I began by poring over hundreds of photos, customer reviews, and even my own closet (and my partner’s) until I whittled it down to the 10 finalists you see on this list. Overall, the best skincare brand for men is La Roche-Posay because it’s affordable, widely accessible, and its mild formulations are derm-recommended for all skin types. If you’re looking to treat irritated, acne-prone skin with gentle yet effective skin-healthy ingredients, then check out Kate Somerville.

Why this brand is great: Offering a wide product range and several different lines for your unique skin type, La Roche-Posay covers all of your daily skincare needs—and then some. The beloved French brand presents derm-recommended products with clean ingredients and mild formulations that are more elegant than the other drugstore brands it sits beside.

What sets them apart from the rest is water sourced from the thermal spring in La Roche Posay, France, the town where the brand got its name and still manufactures products today.

Why I highlighted this product: From the beloved Toleriane line, which is formulated for sensitive, allergy-prone skin, this clean, effective, and hydrating moisturizer contains SPF 30, making it perfect for daily wear. My husband uses it every day, and I love that it doesn’t have a strong sunscreen scent. For such a good price point, you get a lot of product.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: If you have oily skin, then this may feel a little greasy.

Why this brand is great: Another stellar French brand that takes advantage of the thermal spring in its town of origin, Avene is backed by 270 years of skincare experience as the number one pharmacy brand in Europe. Specifically formulated for sensitive, intolerant skin, products are physician-grade, fragrance-free, and recommended by derms worldwide.

But back to that thermal water, which touts incredible benefits, including helping skin cells to become less sensitive by strengthening their membranes, reinforcing the efficacy of their defense systems, and improving their surface properties.

Why I highlighted this product: From their Tolerance line, which is specifically designed for ultra-sensitive skin, this lightweight skin recovery cream is a dream. Both fragrance and preservative-free, it restores the skin barrier, soothes irritation, and calms red, tight, and overheated skin. Plus, it’s eczema association certified.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: Some products may contain scant ingredients that may not be tolerated by adult acne.

Why this brand is great: Utilizing cutting-edge treatments, Kate Somerville offers a wide range of beautiful, effective, clinical-grade products. They use natural, gentle alternatives like lactic acid and sulfur when treating acne with the Eradikate line, even offering a less harsh version of the ‘pink stuff’ from Mario Badescu that doesn’t contain alcohol.

Instead, skin-healthy zinc and sulfur tackle pimples and cysts. Plus, they offer several restorative, creamy, and highly gentle cleansers that restore the skin’s barrier and instantly reduce sensitivity and redness on irritated skin.

Why I highlighted this product: Treat cystic breakouts and keep them at bay with this star cleanser. It contains sulfur, a basic natural element that is somewhat underrated in its gentle treatment of acne. I love that it calms and restores the skin while keeping it balanced. There’s never that tight, overly cleansed feeling, either.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: I’ll admit that some of their products can set you back a couple of bucks, but if you’re looking for products that are gentle and truly work, then you might find that they’re worth every penny.

Why this brand is great: If you’re new to the skincare game and looking to experiment, then The Ordinary is the best place to start. Their offerings are available at irresistibly low price points, and they’ve got a serum for everything, each with potent, stripped-down formulations for targeting specific skin issues (this will also help you quickly find out which ones might not be for you). What’s made them so popular is transparent ingredients and pricing and the use of familiar, effective technologies. Plus, they’re always cruelty-free.

Why I highlighted this product: Instead of drying the skin out, which is a common approach for treating acne and congested skin, these serums utilize skin-barrier-approved ingredients like niacinamide, zinc, and hyaluronic acid to support the skin’s defense system while directly treating the issue. Amazon offers some amazing bundles, but Sephora is a great alternative if you need to purchase just one.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: They boast serums aplenty, but I do wish that they offered more variety in terms of cleansers and moisturizers.

Why this brand is great: There’s a reason that both you and your mom love it. This affordable, trusted drugstore brand isn’t just clinically proven to cleanse the skin of dirt and sunscreen. It also protects the skin’s barrier, whether you’re using sunscreen, a serum, or a moisturizer from their number one selling line, Hydro Boost. It’s been a trusted brand for so long because it’s gentle enough for all skin types, making it one of the top no-brainer skincare brands for men.

Why I highlighted this product: Back to the Hydro Boost, one of their best-sellers, this happens to be the moisturizer that I use every morning. It’s insanely lightweight yet miraculously hydrating, probably thanks to its hero ingredient, hyaluronic acid, which attracts water and binds moisture to the skin, leaving it soft, supple, and anything but greasy.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: That same Hydro Boost moisturizer that I love gets its blue hue from synthetic dyes, unfortunately. Neutrogena may not be a natural brand, but it’s highly effective.

Why this brand is great: I’m a huge fan of Paula’s Choice, and not just because it’s a viral beauty brand known for cosmetic elegance. Their high-quality, effective, and powerful ingredients are backed by science, something the brand prioritizes alongside skin health and safety. And they’re totally transparent about the studies that guide their formulations. Like the best of them, they offer different lines for different skin care needs, which makes it easy to tailor.

Why I highlighted this product: Easily the internet’s favorite product, this toner takes gentle, effective exfoliation to the next level. It shrinks pores, exfoliates, smoothes, and brightens the skin, making it soft and blemish-free. I find that all of their toners have this beautiful satin finish to it that helps your moisturizer really skin in.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: This is no drugstore offering. It might not be cheap, but it’s definitely more affordable than a lot of high-end brands while delivering similar results.

Why this brand is great: Cocokind was originally created as a clean beauty alternative for healing troubled skin without medical prescriptions. And the proof is in the pudding. With a short ingredient list focused on superfoods, each product is affordable (like under $30 affordable) and certified organic.

And though it’s certainly trendy, the brand is backed by a sound chemist approach, meaning they’re proven to protect the skin barrier as they treat. Standouts include a polypeptide cream, rosewater toner, and an oat milk cleanser that’s a big hit for calming cystic acne.

Why I highlighted this product: Another stellar product includes the ceramide barrier serum, which is lightweight, milky, and soaks beautifully into the skin. Both fragrance and cruelty-free, it repairs the skin barrier, reduces dryness, and plumps up skin to a moisturized, nourished state. Sensitive-skin approved, too.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: Folks with major skincare issues may find that the ingredients aren’t potent enough.

Why this brand is great: It’s no secret that K-beauty has swept the Western world, with COSRX leading the charge. The Korean skincare brand is well-loved because of its budget-friendly and highly effective formulations that are backed by meticulous research and clinical study.

Winner of 119 beauty awards globally, the relatively new brand is tolerated by most people and plays well with other skincare products, which makes it an easy recommendation for all.

Why I highlighted this product: This TikTok trendy product is the holy grail for a reason— it does A LOT for the skin at an amazing price point. Yes, it comes from the secretion of snails, but this cruelty-free brand doesn’t need to harm the snail to extract its incredible skin-benefiting properties.

It naturally contains glycolic acid, which exfoliates the skin, evens out skin tone, and soothes and heals every complaint from acne and redness to splotchy skin and sunburns. And, unlike retinol (which it plays well with, by the way), it delivers results fast.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: Some users experience breakouts after some of their products, but this can happen with any product and any brand. Ease into the use of any new product.

Why this brand is great: If a drugstore rec for best skincare brands for men has you raising an eyebrow, just let me explain. There’s a reason that everyone seems to have something from CeraVe in their bathroom cabinet.

Widely accessible, affordable, and developed by derms, the fragrance-free brand formulates its products to be easy on pretty much everyone’s skin, even if it’s sensitive or eczema-prone. They offer pretty much every type of product that you can think of, with stars like their vitamin C serum and daily SPF moisturizer. Their hero ingredient is ceramides, which protect the skin against irritation and pollution.

Why I highlighted this product: Giddily affordable, this gigantic tub of moisturizing cream will last you a full year while setting you back only $17. Packed with hyaluronic acid and ceramides, the brand’s star ingredients, it protects, restores, and moisturizes skin to soft, supple plumpness without ever clogging your pores.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: The salicylic acid line can be harsh on the skin when used in excess.

Why this brand is great: Started by a scientist, Skinceuticals stands out from other luxury brands as a true ‘medical skincare brand.’ Originally sold exclusively in doctor’s offices and aesthetic clinics, the brand is now widely available, and thank goodness.

Everyone should be able to splurge a little for their award-winning formulas that utilize only the best ingredients backed by clinical research. Unlike other luxury brands, this makes their high price point feel justified.

Why I highlighted this product: C E Ferulic is the product that encapsulates Dr. Sheldon Pinnell’s breakthrough topical antioxidant research that discovered the power of vitamin C. Good for all skin types, it uses the purest, most potent form of vitamin C, vitamin E, and Ferulic acid to protect from free radicals, firm the skin, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. All are clinically proven, of course.

Flaws but not deal-breakers: This, being the luxury pick, is pretty expensive. Some are also turned off by the smell.

Buying Considerations for The Best Skincare Brands For Men

Product range

For the best skincare brands for men, it’s important that they offer a wide variety of products to suit your every need. To be considered a top-notch brand, they should offer cleansers, moisturizers, serums, eye creams, and preferably sunscreens and toners. That way, you don’t need to hop around a lot to find products that might work for you.

Every brand on this list offers excellent options in each category, and most of them have several different lines available for targeting specific skin needs, making selection even easier.

Clinical Results

Skincare brands for men don’t need to be backed by clinical research and solid science, but why not gain that extra stamp of approval? I personally prefer proven results when it comes to investing in skincare, so I wanted to focus on that before recommending brands to you.

Every single one listed here is either backed by hard research and science or they’re derm-recommended. I was also careful to focus on brands that use ingredients and formulations that have been proven to gently yet efficiently treat a slew of skin conditions and concerns.

Price

Truth be told, you don’t have to shell out to see excellent results from the best skincare brands for men. In fact, I was careful to focus on brands that don’t charge an arm and a leg to deliver great products. Yes, there are a few splurges on the list, but they’re all worthy and don’t present price tags that are egregious.

How We Chose 

Lots of skincare brands claim to heal the skin of problem conditions for a decent price, but oftentimes, these claims aren’t backed by solid results. So, wherever possible, I chose skincare brands with clinically proven results, transparent ingredient lists, and plenty of consumers who can attest to their powers.

I also sifted through hundreds of customer reviews, landing on my top 10 by choosing brands that people rate highly and are likely to buy over and over.

Price: Is a skincare brand asking you to shell out hundreds to see results? This is never necessary, and because of that, I’m careful to balance claims and results against price points to find you the best value.

Ingredients: Is a skincare brand claiming to heal your skin while using harsh salts, stripping chemicals, and even alcohol to dry the skin out? I focused on only skincare brands for men that use skin-healthy ingredients to gently treat skin conditions while maintaining the integrity of the skin’s vital barrier.

Customer Reviews: Brands can make claims all day, but it’s how the people feel actually purchasing and using a product that offers the final seal of approval. Only when plenty of people love the results do I feel comfortable recommending skincare brands for men to you.

Why Trust Us? 

For years now, in-house writer Rachel Cascella has turned an obsession with skincare into a skill that can benefit readers. After nearly two decades in the fashion and beauty industry working with the best make-up artists (who happen to know plenty about skincare, too), she finally decided to combine her love of research with her passion for knowledge in skincare.

Trendy products aside, she understands that it’s about maintaining the skin’s essential barrier when focusing on any skincare product, whether it be the best night creams for men or the best retinols a man can buy.

Final Verdict 

The best skincare brands for men should be accessible, should offer a wide variety of products for various skin types and conditions, and should preferably use science and/or clinical results to back claims. My top pick is La Roche-Posay because it’s a gentle European brand that you can find in every drugstore, and it’s derm-approved for all skin types.