It’s fragrance-free and loaded with hydrating ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol (B5), and glycerin to help support your skin barrier and fight off dryness. Honestly, this is one of those buy two situations: one for your bathroom cabinet and one for your beach tote—because forgetting it is no longer an option. (Your future self will thank you.)
Vermont-based label Ursa Major remains one of my favorite skin care brands, and their shaving cream is something I’ll never stop raving about. But let’s talk about this mineral finish face exfoliant: It’s a game-changer. Whether you’ve got a smooth baby face, some scruff, or a full-on beard, this stuff revives your mug like a splash of mountain spring water.
It uses finely ground volcanic rock and bamboo powder to exfoliate—sounds intense, but it’s surprisingly gentle. It sloughs off dead skin cells and grime without scratching you up. The smell? A fresh, no-fake-stuff blend of cedar, spearmint, and rosemary that smells like an alpine spa but won’t punch you in the nose. It’s especially great for sensitive skin (I speak from experience), thanks to soothing sunflower seed oil that hydrates and calms. Just don’t overdo it—this is a two to three times a week kind of ritual. Bonus tip: Let it sit for a few as a mask while watching the NBA playoffs or right before a shave. Your face will thank you.
I remember reading Garance Doré’s fashion blog back in high school and thinking, Wow, so this is what effortless French chic looks like. It made perfect sense when she co-founded a tasteful French skin care label—fittingly called Doré—in 2022 with Emily Yeston. The brand embraces a “less is more” philosophy, offering fewer products but crafted with a focus on higher quality.
Their Le Sérum is lightweight, super hydrating, and glides on like a charm. Its star ingredients include Kakadu plum fruit (nature’s most extra source of vitamin C), linseed for elasticity, and meadowfoam to help strengthen and plump your skin. It’s made for every face and skin type—so basically, you’re good to go.
In your skin care arsenal, a hydrating spray should be as essential—and as close by—as your trusty water tumbler. Just like you sip throughout the day to keep your body happy, your skin craves the same kind of refreshment. Enter: Tower28’s SOS Spray. I can’t recommend this stuff enough, especially if you’re the type who needs a mid-day pick-me-up (or spritz-me-up?).
Powered by hypochlorous acid, this daily toner treatment is like an Avenger in a spray bottle. It’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and works overtime to calm your skin, support your barrier, and prevent flare-ups like a champ. Use it morning and night as the final flourish after cleansing and moisturizing. Or, go wild—mist it onto a bare face, over moisturizer, under sunscreen, or whenever your skin starts sending out a dehydrated SOS of its own. This one’s a lifesaver in mist form.
Minimalist French skin care label Typology is only six years old, and yet they’ve already become one of our go-to beauty brands. Besides the fact that their products actually work, they’re also refreshingly easy to understand, thanks to short, readable ingredient lists. The brand’s newly reformulated face moisturizer keeps skin hydrated for up to eight hours without leaving your face greasy or sticky. The key ingredients? Hyaluronic acid is beloved for its ability to attract and hold water. Shea olein, a lighter fraction of shea butter that absorbs faster but still delivers those rich, nourishing, skin-repairing benefits. Plum oil, which is rich in fatty acids naturally found in your skin’s hydrolipidic film, helps reinforce your skin barrier and reduce water loss—which sounds technical, but basically means no more dry, flaky situations. A little goes a long way, and it’s especially great for folks with super-dry skin (hi, it’s me). Also, it’s non-comedogenic, a fancy skin care word worth learning because it means it won’t clog your pores and will be your new best friend if you’re acne-prone or sensitive.
To really get the dirt and grime off your face (and yes, there’s more than you think), sometimes you need a scrub with a little more muscle. Aesop’s facial scrub fits the bill. It’s gentle but effective, made with finely milled quartz—it’s got just enough grit to exfoliate without feeling like sandpaper. There’s also lactic acid, a mild alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that loosens dead skin cells and smooths out your texture.
The fragrance? Earthy and herbaceous, with notes of rosemary and chamomile. Ideal for once-a-week use—or more often if you’re shaving regularly. And if you’re using it pre-shave (smart move), follow up with Aesop’s post-shave cream for the total, clean-slate experience.
Given that Le Labo makes some of the best colognes and candles out there, it’s no shocker that it’s also whipped up one of the best facial scrubs. Like other top-tier scrubs, it’s built on a blend of volcanic ash, seaweed, and ginger extracts—exfoliating without stripping your face down. The citrusy, vegetal aroma (basil meets verbena) makes you want to use it daily, but easy there, overachiever—this is a once or twice-a-week kind of rendezvous. Your pores need time to miss it.
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