Best Face Cream for Men: 8 Honest Picks After 13 Years of Testing
My Commitment to You: This guide contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I have personally tested every face cream on this list — some for several weeks, some still part of my daily morning routine today. I only recommend products that have genuinely earned their place on my bathroom shelf.
I am 52. Four kids still at home. Mornings are — let's be honest — a bit of a disaster most of the time.
I get it. For a lot of dads and busy men, skincare needs to be quick and efficient. Something you can do in under sixty seconds, on autopilot, before the day takes over. I understand that completely. And most of the face creams on this list are built exactly for that kind of morning.
I have been testing face creams since 2013. Thirteen years. Dozens of products. Some of them just OK. Others genuinely good. A few I have kept coming back to long after the review was written — which, in my experience, is the only real test that matters.
When I launched Dapper and Groomed, I wanted to answer the questions men were actually asking. And one topic kept coming up above everything else: skincare. Specifically, where to start. What actually works. And how to build a routine that does not take over your morning.
The foundation of any decent skincare routine is a good face cream. That is where most men should begin. I am a full-time blogger and before that I worked as a Healthcare Assistant in a pharmacy — so I have tested a lot. Moisturisers, serums, balms, gels. The choice is genuinely overwhelming if you do not know what you are looking for.
So here are eight that worked for me. I have used all of them. Several are still part of my routine today.
1. Particle Face Cream — A great 6-in-1 for Men Who Want One Product
Particle Face Cream — a genuine 6-in-1 solution for men who want one product that does it all
Six things in one product. That sounds like a marketing claim. With Particle, it actually holds up.
This face cream moisturises, tightens, treats fine lines, brightens, soothes post-shave skin, and covers the eye area — all in one application. I tested it for a full month. The texture is smooth, it absorbs cleanly, and within the first week my skin looked noticeably more even and felt better hydrated throughout the day.
I will be honest about one thing. I still use a separate under eye cream alongside any face moisturiser — including this one. The skin under your eyes is thinner than the rest of your face and responds better to something built specifically for it. Particle handles the eye area better than most face creams do. But that is my personal preference after years of testing both approaches.
As an all-in-one solution, this is solid. If targeting deep wrinkles and fine lines is your main concern, I would point you towards something more specifically formulated for that — like the Brickell Resurfacing further down this list. But as a daily face cream that covers everything in one step without drama? Particle does the job well.
2. Brickell Resurfacing Anti-Aging Cream — The One I Reach For Most Mornings
Brickell Resurfacing Anti-Aging Cream — the one I reach for most mornings.
This is my most-used face cream (review here). Most mornings, this is what goes on my face.
It is thicker than everything else on this list. You notice that immediately. But it absorbs well and what it leaves behind is really good — properly hydrated skin that holds moisture all day. Retinol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide. A serious formula that does not mess around.
If you are over 40 and serious about tackling wrinkles and fine lines, this is the one. Not a gentle introduction to anti-aging skincare — a proper daily treatment that does the work consistently, morning after morning. As an everyday face cream it is excellent. One of the best you can get.
3. Clarins Men Super Moisture Balm — Surprisingly good.
Clarins Men Super Moisture Balm — a small amount is genuinely all you need
My wife bought me a Clarins for Men advent calendar last Christmas. One of the products inside was this balm. I used it without much ceremony — just reached for it one morning when I had run out of my usual cream.
That was a good morning.
Clarins has been around for years and the men's range is really solid. There is a scent to their products that is instantly recognisable — you apply it and you just know it is Clarins. Hard to explain but it is there every time, and I love it.
This balm is genuinely great. What still gets me is how something this lightweight can hydrate your face as well as it does. Comfortable, fresh skin without any heaviness.
If you do not like thick creams and want something effective, go for this one. Simple as that.
4. Brickell 6-in-1 Gel Moisturiser — Great Tightening Effect.
Brickell 6-in-1 Gel — lighter than the Resurfacing Cream, that tightening effect hits straight away
Same brand, completely different feel.
Where the Resurfacing Cream is rich and substantial, this gel is light and fast. Absorbs in about ninety seconds, leaves a clean finish, and handles hydration, anti-aging, and skin tone all in one step. Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, peptides, aloe.
As soon as I apply it, I notice the tightening effect (read full review here). My skin feels firmer almost immediately — it is one of those things you feel on the first application and keep noticing every time after that.
If I compare it to the Particle 6-in-1, I think Particle has the edge on hydration. But for anti-aging performance, the Brickell gel is the stronger product. Different priorities, different winner. Worth knowing before you choose between them.
5. Blu Atlas Face Moisturiser — Clean Ingredients, No Nonsense
Blu Atlas Face Moisturiser — made in NYC, seaweed extract and mango seed butter, and one of the thicker creams on this list
I am genuinely a big fan of Blu Atlas. They were one of the first US skincare brands I worked with when I started this blog, and to this day I still think their straightforward approach to skincare is exactly right.
The face moisturiser is probably one of the thickest on this list — I personally like that, it feels like your skin is getting something substantial — but it absorbs quickly, which is the important part. Seaweed extract, vitamin C, and mango seed butter. It nourishes and brightens without overcomplicating anything.
It is also cheaper than the Brickell Resurfacing Cream, which matters. If you already know Blu Atlas as a brand, try this. If you do not know them yet, this is a good place to start. I love this stuff.
6. Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser SPF 30 — Made Me Stop Hating SPF Creams
Horace SPF 30 — the face cream that finally made me stop avoiding SPF every morning
I will be honest. I am not a big fan of SPF moisturizers. I find them too sticky, and there is that peculiar sun tan lotion scent that I just do not get on with. Never have.
But we should all be using SPF on our faces. That is just the reality. Sun damage is one of the biggest drivers of premature aging and wrinkles, and a daily SPF cream is the simplest way to fight it.
Horace (read my full review) have managed to do something genuinely impressive here. This cream does not smell like SPF. It absorbs quickly. It leaves my skin smooth with no white residue — which is the thing I dread most with mineral sunscreens — and I get no spots or irritation, which for my skin is not always a given with SPF products.
The aloe vera does real work on the hydration side too. Your face feels comfortable all day, not just protected.
If you are like me and have always found SPF face cream a bit much, try this one. It changed my mind.
7. Supply Multi-Purpose Moisturiser — From the People Who Make Your Razor
Supply Multi-Purpose Moisturiser — the texture surprises you at first.
If you are serious about shaving, you have probably heard of Supply. Their razors are excellent — I tested one for a week as part of a review, though personally I prefer keeping my beard — but their skincare range deserves just as much attention.
The oil-free multi-purpose moisturizer (read my review here) is one of the more unique face creams on this list. Multi-purpose in the genuine sense: it works on your face, and on other parts of your body too. I use it on dry skin around my elbows in winter and it works brilliantly there as well.
On my face, when you first apply it, it feels a little funny — I will be honest about that. Something about the texture takes a day or two to get used to. But it absorbs quickly and the results are clear: skin that looks smoother, more refreshed, and properly moisturised throughout the day.
This is more of an anti-aging moisturiser than a basic hydrator, so if you are 40 or over it is definitely one to consider. I love this product. Give it a try.
8. Jackfir Daily Facial Moisturizer — Natural Skincare Done Properly
The Jackfir range — small, focused, and built on a genuine obsession with natural skincare
I love the personal story behind Jackfir. The founder had a clear mission from the start: deliver the most natural skincare products you can buy, without compromise. I totally understand that vision and I respect it.
If you are the type of guy who swears by natural skincare only, check Jackfir out. They have a small, focused range — no bloated product catalogue — and the daily moisturizer (read my full review) is the one to start with.
If you have sensitive skin and get irritation quickly, this is the face cream you should be using. It is gentle but genuinely efficient — your face feels smooth and properly hydrated without any of the heaviness or reaction that some creams cause. The scent is mild but lovely. One of those products that just feels good to use every morning.
The formula combines squalane, snow mushroom, and moringa seed oil to hydrate deeply and help maintain your skin's moisture barrier against environmental stress. It also helps with fine lines and wrinkles, though I would describe this more as an excellent everyday face cream than a dedicated anti-aging treatment.
It is more expensive than some on this list, but there is a reason for that. Jackfir is EWG Verified — meaning it meets the strictest standards for health and contains none of EWG's chemicals of concern. It is also vegan, cruelty free, made with organic ingredients, and GMO free, certified by Biorius. If what goes on your skin matters to you as much as how it performs, that is worth paying for.
The Honest Conclusion
Eight face creams. All tested. All on this face.
If I had to pick just two to keep — and I have thought about this more than I probably should — it would be the Brickell Resurfacing Cream and the Jackfir Daily Moisturizer. Two completely different products. One serious anti-aging workhorse, one clean and gentle daily cream all natural. Between the two of them, they cover most of what a man over 40 actually needs from a skincare routine.
But the honest answer is simpler than any of this. The best face cream for men is the one you will open every morning without thinking about it. The one that sits on your shelf and gets used rather than admired.
Pick one. Use it every day. Give it a few weeks. That is the whole routine right there.
Jerome
About the author: I'm Jerome, founder of Dapper & Groomed. I've spent the past 13 years testing and reviewing fragrances, grooming products, and men's lifestyle gear on this blog and on my YouTube channel. My reviews are never approved or previewed by brands — just honest, real-world testing from a dad who's been at this since 2013.
