Last Updated on May 9, 2023 by The Filtery
It’s obvious that the “beauty” industry has been heavily targeted toward women, but at the end of the day: skin is skin! No matter your gender, you deserve to take good care of their skin. So below are the brands that make the best natural skincare for men, from cleansers to masks to aftershave and more.
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Featured Image Credit: Disco
These Are the Best Non-Toxic & Natural Skincare Brands for Men
Let’s get right to it. We’ve researched the best brands that make plant-based, vegan, non-toxic, and natural skincare products for men. (Well, many of these brands are gender-neutral, so they’re great for anyone and everyone!)
The brands below carry a wide variety of products, whether you’re looking specifically for a face care routine, or you also need stuff for your whole body, like body wash, hair care, deodorant, etc.
Many of the brands also offer options for a variety of skin types: dry, acne-prone, aging, combination, and more. Shop around until you find out what’s best for you and your skin!
P.S. To learn more about what kinds of ingredients to avoid in ‘conventional’ skincare and why it’s worth it to use natural skin and body care products, scroll down to the bottom of this article.
1. Ursa Major
Carries: Comprehensive skincare, shaving cream, deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner
Price range: $14-$140 (for a bundle)
The team at Ursa Major strives to formulate hard-working products that do more in less time so you can get out the door without any complex, mandated multi-step routines. They have cleansers and moisturizers for a variety of skin concerns, plus body wash, shampoo, and deodorant. Their Golden Hour Recovery Cream is great for dry skin—it’s incredibly nourishing, yet fast-absorbing. Their Essential Face Wipes are great for post-workout or on the go.
As you can see from the photos, they offer genderless products, which work for literally any kind of person of any age. Ursa Major is also a B Corp certified company with various sustainability initiatives in place, including wind-powered production, give-back initiatives, and more.
2. Disco
Carries: Anti-aging skincare, including cleansers, scrubs, masks, and more
Price Range: $18-$140 (for a bundle)
Disco is meant to be simple, but powerful, with a focus on anti-aging. Formulated by Dr. Eva Simmons-O’Brien, a Yale-trained dermatologist and Professor of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins, Disco carries a unique cleanser stick along with other face and body products and deodorant. Shop from their curated sets, and/or sign up for a subscription so you get natural skincare for men delivered to your door right when you need it.
I especially love their Disco Eye stick; it really helps give my eyes a “pick-me-up,” especially on those really tired days. You can check out my full review here.
3. Jackfir
Carries: Facial care (cleanser, moisturizer, shave cream)
Price Range: $36-$120 (for a bundle)
Jackfir offers a very simple clean skincare routine for men. Their 3-product “Facekit” includes a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a shaving cream. It all comes with the EWG Verified label, which means it’s been third-party verified to be free from toxic ingredients like phthalates, carcinogens, and more. It’s also certified vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and made with 70% organic ingredients.
Jackfir was actually started when its founder, Charlie, became informed of environmental toxins while undergoing 3.5 years of leukemia treatment. He wanted to provide a healthier and more simple regimen for himself and those around him.
4. Dr. Squatch
Carries: Bar soap, haircare (shampoo & conditioner), deodorant, toothpaste, beard oil
Price Range: $7-$30 (for a bundle)
Dr. Squatch has more of a “rustic, outdoor, manly” vibe to it. It also comes in at a more affordable price point compared to some of the other clean mens’ grooming brands featured here.
Starting with natural bar soap, Dr. Squatch carries 11 scents that “produce an intoxicatingly thick, foamy lather.” But they don’t stop there—they also have a line of hair care, deodorant, beard oil, and more. They make it super easy to make sure you have everything you need with their quiz (to match your scent preferences and lifestyle), starter bundles, and soap subscriptions. AND, they have fun limited edition collections like Star Wars and Batman, which make great gift ideas.
And of course, they prioritize transparency and natural ingredients, making sure there are no phthalates, parabens, or other harmful ingredients. When it comes to natural skincare for men, the team at Dr. Squatch knows what they’re doing.
5. Grown Alchemist
Carries: Luxury clean skincare for the whole body — face, hands, body, and hair
Price Range: $24-$138
Grown Alchemist is a luxury clean skincare brand that’s a great choice for all genders. While many of their products focus on preventing signs of aging, they have solutions for all ages and skin types.
They have a lot of products to choose from, including cleansers and balms, shampoo and conditioner, shaving gel, and more. They also have refillable options to help cut back on waste.
It’s all PETA-approved vegan and cruelty-free, gluten-free, reef-friendly, and biodegradable. Some of the ingredients are certified organic, while they’re all free from things like parabens, artificial fragrance, synthetic dyes, and more.
6. Weleda
Carries: Pretty much any kind of skincare and body product you could need
Price Range: $10-$50 (for a bundle)
Weleda has been around for 100 years now! Building ethical partnerships with biodynamic farms around the world, the Weleda team has very strict standards when it comes to sourcing the best minerals, essential oils, and flower, fruit, and root extracts.
They carry a wide range of products for your face and body, whether you’re looking for something for dry skin, sensitive, aging skin, or something else. They have cleansers, shave cream, aftershave, and a variety of different moisturizers (including their ultra-popular “Skin Food”). While most of their products are perfectly unisex, they do have a man-specific collection.
Also, note that Weleda does include “Fragrance” in the ingredient lists for some of their products, but they only use natural essential oils. If you have sensitivities to any specific essential oils, you’ll want to either skip this brand or stick to their fragrance-free options.
7. Everyone
Carries: Body wash, shampoo, lotion, hand soap, hand sanitizer
Price Range: $12-$84 (for a big refill bottle)
Everyone bears that brand name for a reason — their products are truly meant for everyone! Men, women, kids, and everyone in between can feel good about using these body care products. They don’t have as many options for facial care, but their 3-in-1 soap functions as a body wash, shampoo, and bubble bath. They carry several different scents, as well as a fragrance-free option.
They’re affordable, EWG-verified, Leaping Bunny cruelty-free, and B Corp certified. Plus, they’re available in a lot of big box stores like Walmart. If you’re looking for natural skincare for men that’s super simple, Everyone is a great choice.
8. Alder New York
Carries: Facial skincare, lip balm accessories (gua sha, facial brush)
Price Range: $8-$172 (for a bundle)
Alder New York’s cleanser, moisturizer, serum, and masks are meant for all faces (regardless of gender). It’s more of a luxury skincare brand, but still comes in at a reasonable price point.
They use natural ingredients like collagen-boosting sea botanicals, hyaluronic acid (which is naturally found in our bodies), and organic herbs. Their products are EWG Verified for safe ingredients as well as Vegan Action verified to be cruelty-free.
Their cleansing facial brush is great for shaving!
9. Schaf
Carries: Facial cleanser and moisturizer, shave cream, body lotion, serum, mask
Price Range: $28-$89
Another great option for natural men’s skincare, Schaf’s all-natural, vegan-friendly facial care products blend the healing powers of plant-based botanicals together with high-performance hydration technology. They’re designed to calm, heal, rejuvenate, replenish, and protect skin from age stressors and pollution. Many of the ingredients they use are certified organic as well.
10. Graydon Skincare
Carries: Face care (like cleanser, serum, and cream) and body care (like all-over soap and lotion)
Price Range: $25-$87
Graydon Skincare relies on clinically-proven superfood ingredients (like broccoli, berries, chia, and avocados!) to provide you with results-driven natural skincare for men. You can shop according to your routine or skin type, whether you need something for dry skin, acne-prone, anti-aging, or something else.
Their products are Leaping Bunny certified vegan and cruelty-free, and they are Good Face Project approved for safe ingredients. They also have several other sustainability initiatives in place as well, including tree planting and give-back programs.
11. OSEA
Carries: Skincare (cleansers, creams, serums, etc.), body care (soaps, scrubs, lotions), tools (gua sha, body brush)
Price Range: $18-$158 (for a bundle)
This is the brand for surfers and sea lovers! OSEA is another great option for plant-based, unisex skin and body care. Their products feel luxurious but are in the middle range in terms of price.
They have a variety of different products, most of which use nourishing ingredients from the sea—like seaweed! One of my favorite products is their daily Protection Cream, which is meant to provide a layer of protection against the environmental pollutants around you. They have a lot of great options for anti-aging as well.
All of OSEA’s products are Leaping Bunny certified vegan and cruelty-free. They have various sustainability initiatives in place as well, including environmental non-profit support.
12. John Masters Organics
Carries: Skincare (cleanser, moisturizer, serum, lip balm), hair care (shampoo, conditioner, mask, styling gel, hairspray, follicle treatment), body care (bar soap, liquid body wash, lotion)
Price Range: $8-$47 (for a bundle)
John Masters was a leading stylist in New York City back in the 90s when he wanted to provide a clean beauty solution for his clients (and beyond).
Today, the John Masters Organics brand has stores throughout the U.S. and Japan, offering a variety of natural skincare products that use organic ingredients (many of them certified by USDA and/or Ecocert).
13. Clary Collection
Carries: Bar soaps, all-over balms, face serums, hair oil
Price Range: $15-$126 (for a bundle)
Clary Collection is one of the few gender-neutral skincare brands that is MADE SAFE certified, which is one of the most stringent third-party certifications for safe ingredients!
Their bar soaps can be used on the whole body, but they’re gentle enough to be used on your face as well. Their balms are truly multi-use: they’re not only great for deep moisturizing, but also for scars, tattoos, acne, and more. They’re safe for all ages, so dads can use them on the little ones as well. You also may want to check out their hair oil, which is great for beards!
Their Starter Set is a great place to begin if you want to try out their products for the first time.
What Are the Harmful Ingredients in Skincare Products?
Despite what many people believe, there isn’t very much regulation in the skincare industry. There are loopholes that allow companies to not fully disclose their ingredients, and chemicals are not always fully tested for safety before they hit the shelves.
Because of this, there are various harsh chemicals found in skincare products—from skin irritants that can lead to eczema flair ups, to endocrine disruptors that can contribute to the growing male fertility crisis.
So, here are some of the ingredients you’ll want to avoid in skincare:
Parabens: Often found in many cleansers, soaps, and moisturizers, parabens are preservatives that are also endocrine disruptors, which means they can interfere with essential hormonal functions in the body and potentially cause chronic conditions over time.
Sulfates: A petrochemical byproduct, sulfates can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions and are commonly found in things like body wash. They are not carcinogenic or endocrine-disrupting, but if you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to watch out for them.
Synthetic Fragrance: Under federal law to protect “trade secrets,” companies are not required to disclose what is actually in their fragrance—it could potentially contain a whole host of toxic chemicals that can cause allergic reactions and more.
Phthalates: Used to make fragrances stick to skin, many scented cleaners and moisturizers contain phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors. Phthalates will almost never be listed on ingredient labels, since they can be included under the fragrance loophole.
Butylatedhydroxy Anisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene: These are synthetic antioxidants that are likely carcinogenic and may cause liver damage.
Oxybenzone: This ingredient is found in sunscreen as well as moisturizers that have sunscreen in it. It’s been linked to things like skin sensitization, allergic reactions, and hormone disruption.
Formaldehyde Releasers: Ingredients like DMDM hydantoin are found in many body washes and shampoos and can release formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
What To Look for In Non-Toxic & Natural Skin Care for Men
So, what are non-toxic products, and why are they any different? In short: natural, organic, and non-toxic skincare products don’t contain questionable ingredients (like the ones above) that are either known or suspected to be linked to acute or chronic health concerns.
One thing to keep in mind when shopping for natural skincare and grooming products for men is to beware of greenwashing. Greenwashing is when something is targeted as “non-toxic,” “eco-friendly,” or “healthy,” but its really not. Look for third-party certifications like EWG Verified, MADE SAFE, USDA Organic, and Ecocert. These labels provide a certain level of accountability for brands and ensure consumers they have been vetted by a third party organization.
Even better if they’re vegan/cruelty-free and have other ethical and sustainable initiatives in place as well.
What is a good basic skincare routine for men?
Taking care of your skin doesn’t have to be complicated. One’s routine might differ depending on things like activity level; whether you have dry, oily, or sensitive skin; whether you struggle with acne; and whether you have facial hair. But in general, good practice involves two basic steps:
- Cleanse and/or exfoliate: Use a gentle, non-toxic facial cleanser for sensitive skin or a face soap with gentle exfoliation to help with acne or extra dirt.
- Moisturize and/or protect: After cleansing, use a natural face lotion to keep your face hydrated and prevent signs of aging. (Keep reading for our recommendations.)
Can women use products marketed towards men? (and vice versa)
Of course. Although some brands may be targeted toward one gender with regard to their scents or branding, natural ingredients don’t discriminate. Skin is skin, so use whatever non-toxic skincare brand you want!
Bottom line: Natural, non-toxic skincare products are better overall for grooming and your general health!
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A lot of Weleda products have “coco glucoside”, “disodium cocoyl glutamte”, etc… and say they are plant-derived. Is this something we can trust? It could technically be plant-derived, but have chemical components.
Hi Phil – it’s a great question! A lot of cleaning & personal care brands do use these sort of “plant-based” chemicals. While it’s possible that they could have contaminated chemicals left over from processing, I haven’t seen anything that indicates that is the case.