In the age of the pandemic, self-care has become even more important than ever, especially since we aren’t able to visit our salons, barbers, or beauty service professionals as often as we used to. Even before the days of social distancing, men’s care products were a growing category, and according to Allied Market Research, the men’s personal care industry is predicted to hit $166 billion by 2022. 

Whether you’re looking for the right products for beard maintenance or want to up your skincare game, here are 9 cool men’s grooming brands that should be on your radar.

18.21 Man Made 

18.21 Man Made is inspired by prohibition with the purpose to bring originality and creativity to the men’s grooming industry. The brand’s products feel uniquely American in nature and create a nostalgic yet modern grooming experience.

18.21 aims to elevate the value of men's grooming services by supporting professionals and establishing a movement centered upon the finest masculine grooming experience. The products and ingredients are carefully curated while the packaging screams masculine cocktails.

Most Popular Product: The hero 3-1 Wash, Shampoo and Conditioner ($26) is an effective, multifunctional liquid soap that provides a delicious-smelling and easy solution for the man on the go who wants to spend less time cleansing and more time going about his day. The rich, sulfate-free formula binds weightless moisture to skin and hair, which won’t leave skin greasy or hair feeling heavy. The fortified shower gel provides strength, gentle washing, and is perfect for all hair and skin types. The packaging is inspired by the look and feel of fine whiskey with a nod to the roaring spirit of swanky Prohibition era speakeasy lounges.

Signature Scent: Sweet Tobacco

Unique Product to Try: The latest products include Absolute Mahogany Wash ($26), Detox Bar ($24), and Grit Bar ($24). 

Bevel 

Founder and CEO Tristan Walker launched Bevel, a Walker & Company Brand, to create the products and tools that he and his community deserved. For him, that meant products specifically designed and tailored for textured hair and melanin-enriched skin. Founded in 2013, the company began with a focus on shaving: precise cuts, trims, and lineups without the skin irritation. The brand has since expanded into hair, skin, and body care lines with the same careful consideration of its core consumer’s needs.

To increase access to their products and offer men a simpler way to shop, Bevel expanded its partnership with Walmart, bringing their new stylers, hair, body, beard, and skin lines to Walmart stores across the country.

Most Popular Personal Care Product: The Bevel Body Lotion ($17.95) improves skin’s ability to hold moisture and increases softness with each use. Formulated with argan oil, shea butter, vitamin B3, and vitamin E, this lightweight formula quickly absorbs into skin without leaving behind a sticky finish.

Most Popular Tool: The Bevel Trimmer ($199.95) provides fresher and sharper lines while repelling dirt, oil, and buildup that cause irritation to skin. This beard trimmer is created with a soft-grip and custom-faceted body to provide superior control and 360° non-slip handling. The trimmer comes with a blade, blade oil, microfiber bag, brush, and charger.

Signature Tool: The Bevel Safety Razor ($49.95) shaves at skin level, helping prevent nicks, tugs, and bumps by carefully removing the hair from skin’s surface. Crafted with a sleek look, this brass weighted razor is also easy to clean and comes with five complementary blades.

Signature Scent: While they don’t have a signature scent, customers rave about the smell of the Bevel Sulfate-Free Shampoo.

Unique/New Products to try: This spring, Bevel launched three new products: the Bevel 2-in-1 Exfoliating Pads ($13.95), the Bevel Curl Creme ($11.95) and the Bevel 2-in-1 Pomade ($11.95) to its skin and hair lines. 

Blumaan

BluMaan takes pride in providing high-quality men's hair products without the traditional "masculine" marketing approach. The brand’s saying, "Stay true to what makes you different," is at the heart of every decision they make. Blumaan recognizes that looking good and feeling your best doesn't fit into any single category.

“I'm a big believer in finding inspiration from role models,” says founder and YouTube star Joseph Andrews.  “However, there's a difference between wishing you were someone else and trying to copy their style exactly versus incorporating elements while remaining confident in who you are as a person. By using BluMaan, we want every guy to be the best version of themselves.”

Andrews adds, “From decisions behind which products we should focus on creating to the testing and feedback phase and how we can make our product stand out, (such as specific hair healthy ingredients to act as a nourishing product on top of a styling product), we run every decision by the guys that made our company a success in the first place: the BluMaan community.”

Most Popular Product: Blumaan’s most popular product is also the first product they released: Original Styling Meraki by BluMaan ($21.50). This is the product that kicked everything off. 

“Original is a unique product because it's designed to be used as a pre-styler and a post styler,” shares Andrews. “This means it can be used on damp hair before you blow-dry to create a firm foundation with light-weight control and as a product to add the hold needed to finish the hairstyle off after blowdrying.  With built-in heat protection and the perfect amount of hold depending on the amount used, Original really provides the versatility and convenience guys appreciate.”

He also shares, “One of our newer products is quickly on the rise as well: Cloud Control Hair Oil ($24.50).  We love providing products that can make hair as healthy as possible and knew we needed a hair oil in our own line. But when we went down the research rabbit hole, we quickly learned of a pattern. Most hair oils on the market were either natural but with just one single ingredient (such as argan oil) or a mix of natural and synthetic ingredients. It was a personal mission of ours to come out with a 100% natural product that consisted of a blend of natural oils and botanical extracts to make a more complete package providing multiple health benefits. It was a challenge to take on, but the payoff was worth it and our customers love our hair oil!”

Signature Scent: Each product has a unique scent, but the brand plans to roll out a signature scent in the near future.

Unique Product to Try: Andrews recommends checking out Ascend Volume Cream ($23) and Cavalier Clay ($21.50). The volume cream came as a response to people with finer/normal hair types wanting a pre-styling product that can elevate naturally "limp" hair to a more full, voluminous finish. The clay still remains one of the best products on the market for guys with thick, unruly hair types. 

“The biggest issue guys with thick hair face is ‘taming the poof,’ says Andrews. “Our clay allows guys with thick hair to control their hairstyle in any way they like thanks to the heavy hold and density of the product. This is a personal favorite of mine as I deal with naturally poofy hair,.”

Tastemakers and Trendsetters: Joseph Andrews, Founder of Blumaan

Bulk Homme

Bulk Homme is a Japanese skincare brand made for men. Ingredients are carefully selected to provide nutrients essential to sustaining healthy, beautiful skin. The brand’s unique transparent packaging allows users to clearly see the contents and even feel the texture of the products. 

Most Popular Product: The Face Wash ($23) is their best-selling, signature product. This raw soap forms a rich whipped foam face wash lather that coats skin to lessen friction while washing your face. It gently cleanses and nourishes skin with natural humectants that lock in moisture to help you avoid over-drying and irritation. The brand recommends using it with The Bubble Net ($7.50), which is a foam-enhancing net.

Signature Scent: A refreshing and clean scent, floral fruity.

Unique Product to Try: The brand recommends using The Face Wash with The Bubble Net ($7.50), a foam-enhancing net.

Byrd

Byrd is a collection of men’s grooming products inspired by the “gentleman surfer.” The brand is a nod to classic ‘60s surf culture and was founded by Chase Wilson, a professional surfer from Newport Beach, California.

"I tried out numerous hair products that would keep my hair styled all day with my active lifestyle,” shares Wilson. “I found that there wasn’t one that existed, so I set out to create my own. Fun fact: the first few batches of our original pomade were made in my family’s kitchen. Sorry Mom, for all those ruined Crock-Pots.”

In addition to the Byrd product collection, there are also several Byrd barbershops located in Southern California.

Most Popular Product: BYRD’s Texturizing Surfspray is a styling spray that adds the perfect amount of volume, grit, and beachy texture for an effortless surfer look. This sea salt spray can be worn by itself or cocktailed with the brand’s best-selling Matte Pomade for a more polished look.

Signature Scent: Sea salt and coconut

Behind the Brand: Byrd Hairdo Products Pay Homage to Classic ‘60s Surf Culture

MAST Hair

MAST was started with the vision of offering modern grooming care for those with an active, on-the-go lifestyle. Along with professionally formulated products, their signature package is functionally designed for easy travel. Just toss MAST in your backpack or even your back pocket, and take what you need with you wherever you have to go. 

Most Popular Product: Their award-winning shampoo and styling duo is the foundation of their hair grooming routine. Step 1: Peppermint Texturizing Shampoo ($15.97) cleanses and invigorates, and Step 2: Black Pepper Styling Paste ($23.81) offers matte, medium hold for all hair lengths. 

Signature Scent: MAST's signature scent, Black Pepper, is a warm and spicy fragrance. Peppermint Texturizing Shampoo features an icy, reinvigorating peppermint scent that wakes you right up in the morning.

New Product to Try: The recently launched body cleanser, Everything Wash, is made to cleanse, well, everything! It’s hydrating and moisturizing for skin and  hair, paired with the brand’s signature Black Pepper scent. It will be available in a 500ml pump bottle to free up shower caddy real estate, in addition to the brand’s 100ml slim pack design for easy travel. In Summer 2021, Mast will be dropping FIRM hold hair clay for those who want extra firm hold that lasts all day.

Oars + Alps

Oars + Alps was founded by two women with outdoorsy husbands, (Mia Duchnowski and Laura Cox) so they know what sun, sweat, wind, and pollution—not to mention the dirt and grime of daily life—can do to skin.

“But every option out there was too expensive, full of chemicals or just plain inconvenient,” share Duchnowski and Cox. “So, we took matters into our own hands. The result? Simple, natural, TSA-approved, feel-good skin care at a price point that suits. We believe what you believe: that a skincare regimen should work for you, not the other way around. We believe in powerful, natural ingredients that deliver powerful, natural results. And we believe in leaving the nasty stuff where it belongs—in the dust.”

Most Popular Product: Face + Body Wash ($18) is crafted with premium, plant-based ingredients like jojoba oil, antioxidants, and vitamin E to provide long-lasting moisture to skin. Oars + Alps leaves out ingredients that strip skin of its natural oils, which can leave skin dry and itchy. Made to use on both the body and face, its rich, sulfate-free lather, bursts of moisturizing jojoba spheres, and a clean, fresh scent make showering something to look forward to.  

Signature Scent: The California Coast Scent is the brand’s most popular fragrance.

Unique Product to Try: The Face + Eye Cream ($22) is an ultra-hydrating daily moisturizer that boosts and locks in skin’s moisture with premium ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil. Meanwhile, aloe and vitamin E fight free radicals, a main culprit of aging. Alpine Caribou moss promotes skin elasticity and guards against environmental stressors like pollution. It's light, absorbs quickly, and won't leave skin feeling greasy. The balanced formula is unscented, great for all skin types, and made to use on both the face and under eye area.

Behind the Brand: Oars + Alps Offers All-Natural and Affordable Skin Care Products for Men

Outlaw

Outlaw makes high-quality products in unique scents—their scents smell like real adventure: leather, campfire, whiskey, and the great outdoors, to name a few. The founders started Outlaw in 2013 because they love those scents: Inspiration includes the smell of a tack shop, clothes after a weekend camping with friends, or a fine bourbon. 

This adventurous brand takes care to make sure their ingredients are ethically sourced and responsibly produced. It’s also cruelty-free and mostly vegan (with the exception of beeswax in their deodorant and solid colognes). Outlaw is also emphatically dedicated to the environment, using recycled and recyclable packaging whenever possible

Most Popular Product: Blazing Saddles has been the brand’s most popular scent for two years, and whether it’s solid cologne or handmade soap, it’s always people’s favorite.

Their second most popular is the campfire scented soap, Fire in the Hole. “I think it captures people’s attention because it’s so unique—nothing else out there smells like campfire, gunpowder, whiskey, and sagebrush,” say the founders.

Unique Product to Try: For years, Outlaw’s seasonal soap was so popular that it sold out in a few hours whenever the brand put a new batch out. Recently, because of popular customer requests, they made it a permanent part of the Outlaw collection. The Cursed Cowboy ($10) smells like clove and campfire. In the coming weeks, the brand will also be releasing that in a natural deodorant, spray cologne, and lotion.

Wild Willies

Wild Willies is an accessible, high-quality brand for everyday use by real men. The brand prides itself on innovative products that meet the needs of guys with active lifestyles.

Most Popular Products: Beard Boost ($9.99) and Beard Growth Supplement ($24.94) are two of the brand’s most popular staples, not to be outdone by their infamous ProGro Beard Shampoo and ProGro Beard Conditioner products. Their fastest-growing tool that has taken off during its recent launch is the Ionic Beard Shaping Straightener. And last but not least, the brand’s Hemp Beard Oil in the scent Fresh Squeezed has been a hot seller. All of these products can be found at major retailers such as Walmart, CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, as well as at Wild-Willies.com.

Signature Scents: The most popular scents are Cool Mint and Citrus Spice blends.

New Products to Try: Some of the new products from the Wild Willies line up to keep on your radar are Ionic Beard Straightener ($34.99) and Beard Growth Gummies ($29.94). They also recently launched a Derma Roller product to help guys looking to solve patchy beard problems. 

Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy