Whether you rock a head-turning beard style, you like your face slick, shaven, and clean—or you’re somewhere in between—you need a solid grooming regime. Getting your grooming right will ensure your skin glows from morning until night.

Now, of all the tools, tricks, and products, finding the best aftershave for men is one of the most essential parts of any men’s grooming kit. 

The best aftershave for men will not only refresh your skin and protect it from bacteria, but it can also help any shaving cuts heal quicker—not to mention the fact that it will make you smell irresistible.

While this may be the case, aftershave for men has so many options. How do you separate the sweet-smelling wheat from the sour, skin-blotching chaff? Choosing the best men’s aftershave for your specific needs can prove challenging, but don’t worry.  We’re here to save the day.

Without further ado, here’s our essential rundown of the best aftershave for men out there right now.

Before we dig deeper into our best aftershave list, allow us to point you in the direction of our ultimate men’s grooming guide.

Armed with the right grooming regime, you can maximize the results of your aftershave day after day—speaking of which, let’s take a look at our list.

 

Sporting a fresh sandalwood scent and skin-burning eliminating qualities, this fresh aftershave balm from Lather & Wood is perfect for waking you up in the morning or keeping your skin energized on special occasions or big nights.

Active Ingredients: Aloe Leaf | Size: 2oz | Skin Type: Sensitive | Type: Balm | Scent: Sandalwood

A liquid tonic that looks a little like tequila (don’t drink it even though it looks tempting), Clubman Pinaud suits all skin types, but it’s particularly powerful for sensitive gentlemen. Cooling and soothing with a classic citrus aroma, this generous serving of aftershave offers brilliant value for the money, especially if you shave or groom on a daily basis.

Active Ingredients: Oakmoss | Size: 12.5oz | Skin Type: Sensitive | Type: Tonic | Scent: Citrus

Smooth as a cherub’s butt and free from animal cruelty, Marlowe’s is a luscious lotion with a moreish passionfruit punch. Its active willow bark and green tea extract ingredients are perfect for moisturizing dry skin, and the best thing is that a little goes a long way.

Active Ingredients: Green Tea Extract | Size: 6oz | Skin Type: Dry | Type: Lotion | Scent: Subtle Passionfruit

Davidoff Cool Water is as fresh as a sea breeze with a vibrant scent to match. Not only does this refreshing balm suit sensitive skin, but it also helps protect your face for hours after application. Oh, and as long as you like peppermint and lavender, you’ll never get sick of the smell.

Active Ingredients: Oakmoss & Peppermint | Size: 3.5oz | Skin Type: Dry & Sensitive | Type: Lotion | Scent: Peppermint & Lavender

A decidedly manly (read: husky cowboy galloping on a horse) cologne-style, this best aftershave for men is a fresh, no-nonsense facial splasher that will add an extra spring to your step. It’s a classic aftershave elixir for the modern man with traditional values.

Active Ingredients: Leather & Oakmoss | Size: 8oz | Skin Type: All | Type: Cologne-style Aftershave | Scent: Bergamot

Fresh as a rolling ocean breeze and concocted with a little caffeine, this soothing spearmint best aftershave for men is a dream for fellas with particularly dry or blotchy skin. A little of this stuff post-groom or shave will work wonders, reducing the appearance of redness while keeping your skin moisturized for hours on end. Lovely.

Active Ingredients: Leather & Oakmoss | Size: 3.4oz | Skin Type: Sensitive & Blotchy | Type: Cream/Lotion | Scent: Spearmint

This neat little aftershave from Prosaro is ultra-soothing to the skin as it contains a healthy dose of vitamin E—it also packs a colossal aromatic punch. With a unique amber wood musk and hints of licorice in the mix, this fine addition to our best aftershave for men list will make a big impression on your face.

Active Ingredients: Vitamin E & Aloe Vera | Size: 3.4oz | Skin Type: Dry to Normal | Type: Balm | Scent: Musky Amberwood with Hints of Liquorice

If you have skin that gets easily irritated from shaving or facial grooming, this cool and creamy balm is ideal for daily use. The active ingredients fight irritation and protect the skin post-shave. The scent is inviting too.

Active Ingredients: Vitamin E & Witch Hazel | Size: 3.3oz | Skin Type: Irritable | Type: Balm | Scent: Fresh Chamomile

We know that smell is subjective and to say that one aftershave smells better than them all is a bold claim, but on balance, this lively offering from Clubman is irresistible. With a smoky whiskey scent that’s striking yet not overbearing, this is the kind of aftershave that will protect the skin while giving you that sweet, sour, smoked, and mildly musky scent that drives people wild. A masculine concoction with secret sensitivity.

Active Ingredients: Natural Earthy Substances | Size: 6oz | Skin Type: All | Type: Lotion | Scent: Smoky Whiskey

A triple-threat aftershave, moisturizer, and body lotion, this refreshing aloe vera-based concoction covers all bases. It’s light, it’s easy to apply, and it’s a reliable post-shave soother that will leave you feeling good throughout the day.

Active Ingredients: Aloe Vera | Size: 16oz | Skin Type: Irritable | Type: Balm | Scent: Subtle Floral Notes

This zingy little aftershave lotion boasts an indulgent scent, and it’s excellent for balancing greasy skin or faces prone to oiliness. With an awakening tea tree hit and a creamy shea butter finish, this lotion is a welcome addition to our best aftershave for men list.

Active Ingredients: Tea Tree | Size: 4oz | Skin Type: Oily | Type: Lotion | Scent: Shea Butter

This LA-born aftershave for men packs a heck of a skin-taming punch with restoring oatmeal extracts and collagen to fight inflammation and smooth over any nicks, cuts, or bumps. A pore-minimizing elixir for the sensitive yet strong modern man.

Active Ingredients: Oatmeal Extracts & Collagen | Size: 8.5oz | Skin Type: Sensitive | Type: Balm | Scent: Oatmeal & Organic

This spicy little number is a great aftershave for everyday use. It’s easy to apply and sports a scent that is striking yet far from overbearing. It suits pretty much every type of skin, and a little goes a long way. The best way to add some pizazz to the working week.

Active Ingredients: Cardamom | Size: 4.2oz | Skin Type: All | Type: Splash | Scent: Cardamom & Sandalwood

If you’re a budding bodybuilder or someone who loves to work out, this is the aftershave for you. An all-natural blend made from pressed plants and aloe vera, this balm acts as a soothing face mask. When you’re pushing for the burn, it will look after your skin—it also feels wonderful after a workout.

Active Ingredients: Aloe Vera | Size: 8.oz | Skin Type: All| Type: Balm/Spray | Scent: Unscented

This affluent aftershave for men is the ideal elixir for a luxury splurge. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or you like things in smaller packages, this lavish aftershave is made with an organic blend of skin-boosting ingredients that will have your nostrils screaming with pleasure. Woody, earthy, and organic.

Active Ingredients: Geranium | Size: 4 x 0.35oz | Skin Type: All | Type: Tonic | Scent: Floral & Citrus

What To Look For In An Aftershave For Men

You know all about the best men’s aftershave on the market—now, let’s look at a few particulars that will guide you towards your perfect post-shave potion. There are five key elements to consider when choosing the right aftershave, starting with skin type.

Skin type

Some aftershaves suit all skin types, while others are better for dry, blotchy, oily, or particularly sensitive necks or faces. So if you have a specific skin type, check that your potential aftershave matches to avoid irritation while giving you plenty of bang for your buck.

Aftershave consistency

Another thing to consider when picking an aftershave for men is the consistency of the product. Some are thick and creamy, while others are like lotions or fairly watery like colognes (just think about Macaulay Culkin in that famous Home Alone scene).

Keep in mind the consistency you would prefer to apply to your skin every day and choose accordingly.

Size or quantity

Like most men’s grooming products, aftershave comes in an endless variety of container shapes and sizes.

For the best return on the best aftershave for men investment (ROAI!), mull over how often you groom or shave and choose your quantity accordingly. If you have a Zeus-like man mane and shave around your neck once a week, for instance, a little 4oz bottle of quality stuff will do the trick.

Ingredients

Different active ingredients have different skin-treating properties. When you’re choosing an aftershave, researching the active ingredients will help you make an informed choice on which product will work best for you and your skin.

Generally, avoiding a bunch of synthetic ingredients and steering towards more natural, organic substances will prove far kinder to the skin.

Cooling or warming?

When you’re choosing the best aftershave for men, you should think about whether you’d like it to cool or heat your face. 

Your choice will depend on preference: some men like it spicy while others like it breezy. So, check the label and the active ingredients and make your decision on the way it will make your skin feel.

Scent

Certain ingredients will produce different scents. So, when you’re choosing the best aftershave for men, following your nose is a good idea.

These days, the best aftershave for men comes in delicious scents, from citrus and sandalwood to vanilla, mint, and beyond. Take the time to find out which aromas different ingredients produce, do a little sniff test, and you can’t go wrong.