Cultivating a skincare routine that works for you can take years and include a lot of trial and error. To avoid this often frustrating process, reach for products that are high quality and easy to use.
Below, we’ve curated a handful of skincare brands that are extremely hard working and will also look good sitting on your bathroom shelf.
Grown Alchemist
Melbourne-based brand Grown Alchemist is a lesson in good quality unisex skincare. From the packaging to the products, the focus of this brand is on “scientifically-innovative formulas” that are “capable of influencing the way the body repairs and regenerates the skin.”
The products, which are natural and non-toxic, fit the minimalist brief perfectly and rather than producing products for men and women separately, the brand offers multiple cleansers, moisturisers and serums that correlate with your skin type or concern.
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for with skincare, the gel cleanser from Grown Alchemist could be a good place to start. The cleanser aims to remove impurities and leave skin feeling soothed. “This multi-function formula targets environmental aggressors while increasing the skin’s resistance to sensitivity, minimizing signs of skin irritation and aging,” the website reads.
Grown Alchemist Hydra+ Oil-Gel Facial Cleanser, $60
Black Chicken Remedies
Sydney brand Black Chicken Remedies create natural and organic products across the lines of skincare, body and hair. The lines are unisex and were created to “promote and support wellbeing, keeping your skin hydrated, toned and soft to minimise the visible signs of ageing.”
One standout product created for men is the beard oil. According to Black Chicken Remedies, this oil is “good for all those itchy skin, dry jawline and frizzy facial hair symptoms most men don’t like talking about.”
And, it’s even good for those who don’t have facial hair, as it works to calm, moisturise and heal dry skin — beard or no beard.
Black Chicken Remedies Beard Oil — Men’s Hydrating Face Oil, $44
Baxter of California
Created specifically for men, the California-born brand is a curation of grooming must-haves. According to their website, the “thoughtfully curated collection of superior hair, skin, and shave essentials are designed to unleash what makes you, you.”
The product range covers all manner of skin concerns, including anti-ageing, congestion and oiliness. The Baxter of California toner is a stand out product that helps to tone skin and reduce oiliness, while also being super hydrating. Toner is often missing from many skincare routines, so this is a great way to dip your toes into the toner game.
Baxter of California Herbal Mint Toner, $37
L’Officine Universelle Buly 1803
There is really nothing as chic as the packaging of Buly 1803 products. The French modern day apothecary brand creates “products that draw on the most innovative cosmetic techniques and on the virtues of natural ingredients.”
Inspired by Jean-Pierre Bully, a perfumer and cosmetician from the 1800s, the line includes soaps, oils, toothpastes, perfumes and grooming products.
The shaving cream by Buly 1803 is a hero product and it aims to leave skin feeling soft and soothed after each use. The cream is made with sweet almond for sensitive skin and is infused with smoky hinoki scent, which gives your skin a woody aroma.
Malin + Goetz
New York-based company Malin + Goetz focus on the individual, rather than basing its products off men or women. The brand “combines trusted natural ingredients with advanced technology to create uncomplicated luxury skincare and fragrance for the modern, design-conscious individual.”
If you’re after a lightweight moisturiser, then the vitamin E one by Malin + Goetz is a winner. It’s perfect for all skin types, especially those who suffer from sensitivity. According to the website, this product “synthesizes vitamins E and B5 with soothing chamomile fatty acids to effectively but gently hydrate and balance skin.”
Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturiser, $80
