I鈥檓 39 years old and have avoided face moisturizers for most of my life. I thought they were unnecessary, expensive, oily, and one more thing I had to worry about each morning. But then a few things changed. First my six-year-old daughter looked up at me one day and said, 鈥淲ow, dad, your wrinkles make you look old.鈥 And she was right. I鈥檝e spent a lot of time听on skis and bikes and already have my fair share of lines. Then, I had a couple precancerous pieces of skin removed and my dermatologist gave me a stern talking to about wearing a moisturizer with sunscreen while I鈥檓听outside. So, in the interest of keeping my skin healthy and not dying, I started using moisturizers听every morning and some evenings (when I remembered). I searched far and wide to find the best ones; these are my four favorites.
Brickell Daily Essential Face Moisturizer ($35)
was my gateway moisturizer because it immediately made my skin feel听softer and healthier. It isn鈥檛 greasy, it doesn鈥檛 cost a ton, and it鈥檚听made with clean ingredients. The non-greasy part is particularly important to me听because like many men, I hate the feeling of oil anywhere on my body. Brickell doesn鈥檛 cause breakouts听and doesn鈥檛 leave my hands feeling slimy and gross. It鈥檚 made from 100 percent natural ingredients鈥83 percent of which are organic鈥攁nd it鈥檚 nice knowing that I鈥檓 not rubbing a bunch of chemicals on my face. One four-ounce bottle lasts about two months, so it鈥檚 not a giant investment, either. This version doesn鈥檛 have sunscreen, so I wear it on days when I鈥檓 heading to work. The brand also听makes .
Ursa Major Force Field Daily Defense Lotion SPF 18 ($54)
If you spend time outside each day, should be your go-to moisturizer because it includes sunscreen. I wear it on days I bike听commute to work or听might take a ride for lunch, or when I鈥檓听heading out for a morning hike. (I use stronger sunscreen if I鈥檓 going to be out all day.) Like the Brickell option, you get a non-oily, easy-to-wear moisturizer that doesn鈥檛 include any nasty chemicals or silly scent. The sunscreen is mineral (zinc oxide) and skips unnecessary, not-good-for-you ingredients. I was initially turned off by the price, because $54听seems like a lot for 1.7 ounces of lotion. But dermatologists recommend using only听听for the face and neck, which means the bottle lasts me more than a month.
Ghost Democracy Clean Lightweight Daily Face Moisturizer ($28)
One other reason I avoided moisturizers for so long is that many of them have made听me break out. I had acne all through high school and college and still get occasional flare-ups. Thankfully, my skin plays well with . That鈥檚 likely because the brand鈥檚 mix includes probiotics that help my skin maintain a healthy microbe balance. The price is more affordable鈥攅ven though it鈥檚 chock full of high-quality ingredients鈥攂ecause Ghost Democracy is a direct-to-consumer brand. Bonus: my partner loves this brand, too, so it鈥檚 easy to share the moisturizer when we鈥檙e traveling.
Davines Authentic Nourishing Oil ($44)
It鈥檚 a pain to rub facial moisturizer into a beard, so I use instead. It鈥檚 designed as a gentle all-purpose hair and skin oil that not only keeps my beard healthy and under control but also gets into my skin to keep it from getting dry and irritated. Unsurprisingly, it鈥檚听oily to the touch, but once rubbed in听it doesn鈥檛 bother me at all. It鈥檚 made from 98 percent natural ingredients, and I鈥檝e found that it doesn鈥檛 make me break out like other beard oils. I love traveling with a bottle because it also works as a leave-in conditioner for my hair, meaning I can pack one less thing in my dopp kit.