More men wear makeup than you might think, even if we’re just talking tinted sunscreen, and if not, they should still be using skin care at the very least. Most men look for subtlety when it comes to their look—so we asked the celebrity groomers who make your favorite stars look handsome yet still natural on red carpets and photo shoots.
“As a rule, less is more with my male clients. They generally want to look fresh but makeup-free,” says celebrity groomer Victoria Bond, whose clients include Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal. “So it’s lots of skin prep and artfully placed makeup.”
Celebrity groomer Erica Whelan says actors and celebrities doing press want to look like themselves and generally don’t want to wear makeup. “They will sit in a makeup chair for their character or will wear makeup for a photo shoot, but for press stuff, they want to look like themselves,” she explains. “As a men’s groomer, I have to be strategic with the makeup products I use for a no-makeup look.”
The experts shared which products their clients love, from subtle makeup products to skin-care must-haves. Peruse the list and see which products fill a gap in your routine and get the same look as the stars.
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Skin care and subtle makeup men love using, according to celebrity groomers
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Whelan and celebrity groomer Melissa Walsh, who works with Kevin Bacon, and Dave Franco, both use Lumify Eye Drops. They make eyes look whiter and brighter in just one minute.
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“It’s a go-to when a client doesn’t want any makeup. It just makes your under eyes look super hydrated,” says Whelan of this niacinamide-packed cream.
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This daily moisturizing sunscreen comes from Jaxon Lane, a brand tailored to men. Whelan notes that it’s a great product and has no sunscreen smell.
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Walsh loves this for her male clients because it keeps skin hydrated while mitigating shine and keeping things matte.
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Whelan says this concealer is a new favorite for camouflaging razor bumps or broken capillaries around the nose.
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Need to mop up some excess oil throughout the day? Walsh recommends turning to these handy blotting papers.
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To correct the under eyes as needed, Bond uses the NARS color corrector, so less makeup is needed overall, and the look has a cleaner, brighter finish. Whelan especially loves the shades Honey and Tiramisu, noting they’re great for under-eye concealing.
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Walsh loves using this unisex lip balm on her male clients because it’s not shiny. Whelan agrees, noting it’s “Pricey but worth it. It hydrates lips but is matte.”
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Whelan uses this powder in Universal Translucent on many of her male patients. “It’s a little heavier than other loose powders. Great for taking down shine for longer periods of time,” she says. “My clients don’t like to be super fussed over. This powder allows me to not have to go in for touch-ups all the time.”
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This brow powder helps to fill in sparse brows so they look fuller, says Whelan. To add a flexible hold without crunch, she’ll also add Anastasia Clear Brow Gel ($22).
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Whelan says this iconic cooling serum is especially great for calming freshly shaved skin.
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Bond uses Bobbi Brown sticks very lightly and only where needed on the face. “I apply it with a foundation brush for a seamless finish,” she notes.
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Whelan says this product, from Patrick Starr, is great for bald heads since light tends to reflect heavily off them when on camera.
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“Liquid bronzers are becoming my new favorite product,” says Whelan. She’s loving this one from Ciele as it’s “super sheer but makes the skin look healthy and fresh.”
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Bond says she usually kicks off her grooming sessions with this purifying cleanser to get clients’ skin ready for the rest of the routine.
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This bronzer is beloved by men and women. It “melts into the skin and looks really natural looking on men,” says Whelan.”
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Bond often finishes looks on her male clients with this silky powder, “which takes away shine and leaves a velvety finish with no build-up. Perfect for the red carpet.”
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Bond’s clients love resting in these luxe eye masks, that smooth and hydrate, as part of their skin prep.
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If Bond is going to tan a client, she usually does it right after skin prep and performing some lymphatic drainage. “I use Jones Road Gel Bronzer. It comes in three colors, so it gives options for deepness of tan,” she says.
