Choosing the right men’s aftershave can be a tricky affair. Should you go for a lotion, a balm, or a splash? And what’s with all of the hype surrounding “all-natural ingredients” in men’s grooming products? There’s also the fact that many brands come and go, while some of the more established players routinely change their formulas.
Our guide to the best aftershaves for men in 2022 will answer these questions and more. Read on as we rank our favorite men’s aftershaves, all of which are game-changers for guys looking to upgrade their post-shave routine.
Kickstart your mornings with this soothing and refreshing aftershave by all-natural brand Blu Atlas. Developed in New York City, the cutting-edge formula features shea butter glycerides, aloe barbadensis leaf, and rose water—all of which work to hydrate and soothe even the most sensitive of skin types. The trio of ingredients soaks quickly into the skin, so you don’t spend your morning feeling like you’re plastered with heavy product.
The aftershave is 100% vegan, does not contain any parabens, phthalates, or chemical additives, and comes with a money-back guarantee. It’s quite clearly one of the best aftershaves for men out there.
The choice between an aftershave lotion and an aftershave balm represents a long-running skincare debate, and one we’ll investigate below. But for now, it’s enough to say that this luxurious Hermes balm is among the best-in-class. Like all premium balms, it rehydrates and moisturizes with a light formula that’s easily absorbed, providing instant relief to any razor nicks and burns.
The balm, which is based on the ultra-masculine Terre fragrance, is rooted in the earth and the elements. The scent is indeed understated but distinctive, pleasant without being overpowering, well-known for its woody-spicy heart notes of vetiver, cedar, patchouli, and benzoin. Try this award winner on your next trip to the department store.
Apart from its attractive blue bottle, this Ralph Lauren classic is recognized for its versatility. Its spray action means that it can be used all over the body; its attractive, musky scent can be applied at any time of day, summer or winter. Applied to the face, it soothes, hydrates, and protects.
The formula is a blend of fruit and herbs, including sage, basil, melon, and orange. It also contains the plant extract allantoin to relieve irritation and heal by stimulating the growth of new skin tissue. The overall effect is a refreshing, invigorating experience that leaves you feeling and smelling great.
You’ve no doubt seen Johnny Depp advertising Dior Sauvage, but does the product live up to the raw, untamed image projected by the Hollywood hype? There are certainly a few wild notes in its refreshing, vibrant scent, featuring a unique combination of Calabrian bergamot citrus fruit tempered by the woody tint of ambroxan.
This aftershave will hit your skin with a cool, refreshing splash, leaving it clean and hydrated while sporting a luxury Dior fragrance. The eco-friendly packaging, part of Dior’s sustainable development initiative, adds to the modern vibe of this product. For once, the Hollywood hype might be justified.
The Jean Paul Gaultier brand is built on a constant reinvention of the traditional, one which blurs the lines of convention to keep you guessing. This aftershave stays true to the brand with a lightness and freshness that is hard to categorize. It soothes and softens the skin, and stops razor burn from turning into a longer-lasting irritation.
The lotion invigorates where it touches, leaving your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed. But it is the scent that is most intriguing, with notable hints of lavender, peppermint, and orange, underscored by the stronger, muskier tones of sandalwood and cedar.
In contrast to our previous entry, Paco Rabanne’s Invictus is an unapologetically masculine experience. After all, “Invictus” means “undefeated” or “unconquered.” The packaging seems to have been designed to reinforce that message of strength and invincibility, as the product presents itself in a trophy-shaped container.
The aftershave soothes, refreshes, and hydrates your skin, leaving you battle-ready for the day ahead. Originally created by master perfumers Veronique Nyberg, Anne Flipo, Olivier Polge and Dominique Ropion, the scent introduces a blend of marine accord, bay leaf, and grapefruit for a long-lasting wave of unconquerable energy.
The Art of Shaving produces their highly-rated aftershave balm in lavender, lemon, and sandalwood scents. Perfumed aftershaves are not to everyone’s taste, however, which is why this brand’s unscented option remains a hit. The balm’s formula has recently undergone changes, so it’s legitimate to ask if the revamped formula still hits the spot.
Recent reviews suggest that it does—the balm is still botanically based and provides the same lightweight consistency for quick absorption. Suitable for sensitive skin, the formula’s hyaluronic acid content soothes, moisturizes, and hydrates to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Pair this balm with the brand’s famous hand-crafted razors for an unrivaled shaving experience.
This soothing aftershave balm by Gucci does a fantastic job of damping down that stinging razor-burn you might experience every now and then. The balm is designed with a lightweight texture to soak readily into the skin, meaning that its hydrating and moisturizing properties get to work instantly.
Guilty Pour Homme is a subtle but distinctively masculine fragrance; if you’re familiar with the parent cologne, you’ll instantly recognize the initial hit of base notes of lemon, lavender, and orange flower to invigorate the senses. These will be followed by strong heart notes of cedarwood and patchouli, which give the fragrance its musky, aromatic quality.
Another option for men who prefer their aftershave scentless, the Jack Black Cooling Gel is light on additives and heavy on soothing properties. The formula features aloe leaf and chamomile to nourish chaffed, irritated skin. These soothers are supported by botanicals that burst with vitamins and antioxidants, including balm mint, lavender, and rosemary.
After just a couple of applications, it’s easy to see why this gel gets rave reviews for the way it heals, hydrates, and nourishes the skin. It’s suitable for all skin types, and backed by leading dermatologists across the world. Pair with the Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub for sustained rejuvenation and hydration throughout the day.
Aramis’ classic splash product that has been sitting on bathroom shelves around the world since the 1960s. Apart from its longevity, this invigorating aftershave soothes the skin while filling in any shaving-related cuts and abrasions.
Charming the wearer with warm and unmistakably masculine notes of patchouli, amber and musk, the product is suitable for both the office and an evening date. The aromatic and woody scent is best suited for the more mature, refined gentleman, and is available at most major department stores across the nation.
This Shea Moisture product is a solid alternative to the brand’s better-known (and often sold-out) aftershave elixir. The restoring cream is aimed at men of color—thus designed for curly facial hair, but its healing qualities give it a wider appeal.
Dermatologist-tested, the post-shave cream has a lightweight consistency that’s quick-absorbing to hydrate, soften, and restore your skin, while soothing any nicks and razor bumps. The product’s tea tree oil-infused scent is pleasant without being overpowering. As one would expect from any Shea Moisture item, the formula is ethically sound and contains many of the organic and Fairtrade ingredients that are standard in the brand’s range.
Part of Claus Porto’s Musgo Real range, this aftershave balm comes in the distinctive green packaging for which the brand is famed. Formulated with calming shea butter, the balm is a smooth emulsion that will soothe and repair irritated, torn skin. Lightweight and creamy, it glides across your face and soaks rapidly into the skin, bringing instant relief from razor burn.
The scent is musky and warm, noticeable but not overpowering. Those with a keen sense of smell will pick out subtle notes of lavender, violet, vetiver, and patchouli. It’s aimed at dry to normal skin types. You only need a nickel-sized amount of balm per application, so a 100mL bottle goes a long way.
No “best of” list in the men’s grooming niche would be complete without a Kiehl’s product. This well-recognized brand has been putting out premium-quality, no-nonsense skincare and grooming supplies for well over a century. Part of the Kiehl’s “Close-Shavers Squadron” line, this nourishing aftershave cream features willow herb, lipo hydroxy acid, and aloe vera to deliver instant hydration while mitigating the occurrence of ingrown hairs.
Paraben-free and suitable for even the most sensitive of skin, the cream comes in an easy-to-dispense 75mL tube that’s suitable for travel. Pair with Kiehl’s brushless shave cream or their men’s shaving gel for an upgraded shaving experience.
For our last pick we’re including another timeless classic that has proved itself over the years. Davidoff’s iconic Cool Water aftershave is well-recognized around the world for its cool, fresh scent and feel. You’ll immediately note strong tones of musk and amber, but there are lavender and peppermint notes in there, too.
Cool Water soothes and calms the skin after shaving and leaves you feeling properly awake and ready to go. Note that this product is alcohol-based, so we would not recommend it for men with dry skin. For the majority of users, however, this incredibly fragrant aftershave is sure to leave a lasting impression.
While researching and comparing different brands of aftershave is important, it doesn’t answer some of our more fundamental questions about the business of using a product on our face immediately after shaving. Why do we use aftershave products? Can we get away without using them? And, how does they benefit us?
Let’s see if we can get to grips with some of those essential issues.
It’s never good manners to answer a question with another question, but here goes anyway: do you really need to use shaving cream, soap, deodorant, or toothpaste? The answer is probably no, but most of us have some pretty good reasons for doing so. By all means, feel free to finish your shave, dry your face, and walk out of the bathroom without applying anything at all to your skin. You’ll be fine for a few days, but before too long you’ll notice that the softer skin around your neck begins to look red and feel irritated.
The fact is you can’t draw a blade across your skin every day in life without causing a reaction. Aftershave isn’t simply a cosmetic. It soothes, heals, and rehydrates your skin after it has been attacked with a razor and dried out with shaving cream.
Aftershave is basically about restoring the moisture balance in your skin after shaving. The formulation of shaving creams has improved greatly over the years, but they still dry out your skin when combined with warm water. Most of us have experienced that tight feeling in our face and neck after shaving. That’s simply dehydrated skin.
Good aftershaves moisturize and rehydrate your skin to leave it feeling soft and supple again. Many also contain healing ingredients that soothe irritation and razor burn. These can save you a lot of trouble by stopping the development of skin problems like razor bumps and acne—right at the source.
There are advantages and disadvantages associated with both wet and dry shaving. Most people would agree, perhaps, that you get a closer shave with a razor, but a dry shave is sometimes quicker and more convenient. The jury is still out, however, on which method causes more skin irritation. For that reason, it is advisable to apply an aftershave, regardless of your shaving method.
More important than the method, perhaps, is the quality of your shaving instrument of choice. Poor quality or blunt blades will tear your skin. Similarly, an ineffective electric razor will pull at your hair and leave your skin feeling battered and bruised. Invest in a good razor, wet or dry, and soothe your skin with aftershave.
The answer to this question depends upon your skin type and what it is you’re looking for from your aftershave. If your skin regularly feels tight and stretched after shaving, you might want to prioritize rehydration and moisturizing properties in your aftershave product. That being the case, a balm might be your best option. Balms are usually a creamy texture and contain less alcohol than splashes or lotions. They also have less of a scent, in most cases. They’re quickly absorbed by your skin, so if you’re looking for fast results, a balm is your best pick.
Splashes and lotions are both liquids and both contain more alcohol than balms. As a rule, splashes contain the highest concentration of alcohol. This could be a problem if your skin is prone to irritation. Alcohol is a good antiseptic, so it cleans those little nicks and cuts that are an unavoidable part of shaving, but it can burn and irritate sensitive skin. Splashes and lotions have a much stronger scent than balms. Often, therefore, your choice will simply be determined by whether you like a particular scent or not.
Aftershave isn’t just about the nice smell. One of its functions is to keep your skin clean. When you shave, you open a lot of tiny nicks and cuts on your face and neck. If these aren’t sterilized immediately, you run the risk of allowing bacteria into the damaged skin. The alcohol in traditional aftershaves acts as the sterilizer. The sting you feel when you apply aftershave is the alcohol content getting to work.
While it does a good job of sterilizing, alcohol can also damage your skin barrier if used consistently over a long time. That makes it harder for your skin to retain moisture. Other ingredients in traditional aftershaves are not great for your skin, either.
Fragrances can be bad news. We all like our aftershave to smell great, but we don’t want the price of that to be skin problems such as contact dermatitis. Fragrances are one of the main causes of this unpleasant skin inflammation. Other damaging ingredients to watch out for include parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde. The good news: it’s not like you need to read carefully through every aftershave label to spot these things.
Skincare companies are very upfront about it when they exclude these ingredients from their product. They know it’s a great selling point. Likewise, if their product is full of good stuff, they hype that up too.
The good stuff in aftershaves works along the same lines as the good stuff in food. Put simply, natural and organic is good, whereas synthetic and chemical is bad. That’s why so many brands, like Blu Atlas, have started using only natural ingredients in their aftershave products. The brands know that people are so much more conscious about what they put in or on their bodies these days.
So, look out for descriptions like “all-natural ingredients” on product labels. If you don’t see them, see if you spot ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile, tea tree oil, and coconut oil. Anything with botanical ingredients is usually a safe bet.
There’s a reason why the reviews above didn’t look at the prices of the products. First, everyone’s budget is different. Some people have deep pockets while others need to keep an eye on what they spend, so price is a very individual thing.
Second, price comparisons don’t say anything about the quality of the product or the quality of user experience. If you want proof, read through some of the product reviews you’ll find on the internet. You’ll see that people talk about the scent of individual products, about how it makes their skin feel, about its consistency, and so on. Very few mention the price.
There’s a simple explanation for that. People assess what they wish to spend on skincare products and that’s what they spend. Thereafter, it’s all about the experience the product delivers. People may be pleased or disappointed with that experience, but that’s rarely expressed in financial terms.
There isn’t a hard and fast answer to this question for some of the reasons already outlined. When it comes to shaving, no two individuals have the same skin type, shaving habits, or personal preferences. An aftershave that works for one man might very well leave your face dried out or stinging.
Similarly, a scent that one guy might like may seem harsh and unappealing to you. Given these individual differences, therefore, there’s no guarantee that spending more money will get you a “better” product. Moreover, many brands pride themselves on providing affordable products on the grounds that good skincare shouldn’t just be the preserve of the wealthy.
The takeaway from all this, therefore, is to shop around and try out different products in different price ranges. When you find the one that suits you, stick to it, even if it costs a little more than the competition.
Hopefully, you’ve found this article useful, both in drawing your attention to great aftershaves you may have overlooked and in clearing up some of the questions surrounding them. Our advice? Pick one product from the list that you haven’t used before and give it a try. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained!