Best skincare sets for men to suit all budgets and skin types
Whether it’s for yourself, or the man in your life, we’ve handpicked the best skincare sets for men to suit all budgets and skin types
A skincare routine is slowly, but surely, becoming more common among men, with exfoliating, moisturising, and cleansing now common words in the vocabulary of many.
For those who are still finding their way with it all, it can be difficult to known which products are most suitable. This is where the best skincare sets for men come in.
There are sets to suit all budgets and skin types, and a skincare set makes the perfect gift. With Christmas just around the corner, if you’re in need of a stocking filler there’s plenty of choices that will make a great present.
Below, we’ve handpicked the best skincare sets for men and we’ve explained what to look out for, and how to determine what skin type you are before you plough ahead.
FURTHER READING: Men’s skincare routine: Which men’s grooming products do you *actually* need?
Best skincare sets for men UK
1. ManCave The Survival Skincare Gift Set – £35
2. Bulldog Original Skincare Duo – £11.50
3. Kiehl’s Iconic Skincare Set – £144
4. Aesop Congruous Gift Set – £89
5. Dove Men + Care Wash Bag – £19.50
6. Harry’s Starter Shave Set – £20
7. ManCave Original Skin Care Set – £19
Editor’s Pick: ManCave The Survival Kit
£35 | Buy now
ManCave An alternative men’s gift set from ManCave is The Survival Kit. It’s more expensive than the Original Skincare Set but that’s because it contains more products, and these products include haircare and shampoo as well as the moisturiser, scrub and face wash seen in the original.
What’s more, if you were to buy all of the products separately they’d cost £41.50 so you’re making a small saving, too.
Inside the ManCave The Survival Kit you’ll find:
- Original Moisturiser 100ml (£7.50)
- Olivestone Face Scrub 100ml (£7.50)
- Willowbark Face Wash 125ml (£7)
- Lemon & Oak Shower Gel 200ml (£4)
- Caffeine Shampoo 200ml (£6.50)
- Texturising Hair Paste 75ml (£9)
Buy now from ManCave
Budget Buy: Bulldog Original Skincare Duo
£11.50 | Buy now
If you don’t want to fuss over skincare, or you’re not sure what works for your skin type, this Skincare Duo Set from Bulldog is a good place to start. Despite the fun packaging, Bulldog does skincare properly – it doesn’t contain any artificial colours, synthetic fragrances, or ingredients from animal sources.
This Original Skincare Duo contains aloe vera, camellia oil and green tea. The face wash is great for waking you up in the morning, and both are gentle enough to be used morning and night.
It will also work if you’re buying it for someone and you’re not sure what skin type they have.
FURTHER READING: Best moisturiser for men: The best men’s moisturiser for dry, oily, acne-prone and dull skin
Buy now from Boots
Luxury Buy: Kiehl’s Iconic Skincare Set
£144 | Buy now
The Iconic Skincare Set from Kiehl’s contains 12 best-selling Kiehl’s products including cleansers, moisturisers, shampoo, and more.
What’s more, the majority of the products in this kit are full-sized.
It’s not a cheap men’s skincare gift set but by buying this as a bundle, you’ll save 10% on the 12 products, if bought separately.
The Kiehl’s Iconic Skincare Gift Set contains:
- Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
- Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner
- Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque
- Midnight Recovery Concentrate
- Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
- Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado
- Ultra Facial Cream
- Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate
- Creme De Corps
- Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
- Amino Acid Shampoo
- Amino Acid Conditioner
Aesop Congruous Gift Set
£89 | Buy now
Aesop Aesop skincare combines botanical ingredients with advanced technology to address specific skin concerns. Its Congruous Skincare Gift Set promises “comprehensive care for hands and body” and it features formulations that cleanse, nourish, and lightly fragrance the skin. All housed in a recycled paper pulp case.
This men’s skincare gift set contains:
- Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash
- Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
- Geranium Leaf Body Scrub
- Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser
Buy now from Aesop
Dove Men + Care Wash Bag
£12 | Buy now
We love how this set comes in a handy wash bag, making it a great stocking filler. The Clean Comfort range is great for all skin types. There are three Dove products:
- Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Face and Body Wash
- Dove Men+Care Fresh Clean 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner
- Clean Comfort Antiperspirant Deodorant
Buy now from Amazon
Harry’s Starter Shave Set
£20 | Buy now
Harry's Harry’s is a men’s grooming brand that offers quality shaving and grooming products at affordable prices. The brand even features in our best razors list.
The razor blade is replaceable and the brand’s rubberised handles give optimal control even when wet. The shaver is even weighted to make it feel like you’re holding a fine fountain pen.
In the Harry’s Men’s Chrome Gift Set you get:
- 1 ergonomic men’s razor handle with a polished chrome finish
- 3 men’s razor cartridges with five blades and a precision trimmer
- 1 travel blade cover
- 1 foaming Shave Gel with aloe
FURTHER READING: The science of hair removal: How do lasers, lotions and hair removal creams actually work?
Buy now
Mancave Original Skin Care Set
£19.50 | Buy now
Mancave If you’re looking for a skincare set for men that covers all the bases, for an affordable price, and which uses natural ingredients for sensitive or combination skin, then look no further than the ManCave Original Skin Care Set.
As skincare routines for men have become commonplace, Mancave is setting the standard for recognisable, affordable, and hydrating products. ManCave products are free from sulphates (SLS), parabens, petrochemicals or synthetic Dye, as well as being products that are cruelty-free.
The Willowbark Face Wash, Olivestone Face Scrub, and Mancave original moisturiser provide the perfect starting skincare set for any man wanting to have a clean and hydrated face for an affordable price.
Buy now from Amazon
Skincare sets for men: What to look for
As you can read in our Men’s skin vs women’s skin guide, men tend to have 25% thicker skin than women. They also have a higher collagen density, while producing more oil. The latter can mean that men are more prone to breakouts and that these breakouts can last longer than they do for women.
With this in mind, it’s important to begin by identifying what the different skin types are – and which one you fall into – in order to purchase the best skincare set for you.
It’s quite straightforward to work out your skin type. Simply wash your face with cold water and wait an hour to see whether it looks and feels oily; whether it’s dry and tight; or if it perhaps feels sensitive, especially when using products. With this information in mind, you can then pick the best skincare set for you and you specific skin needs.
FURTHER READING: Best subscription boxes for men UK for all your skincare, shaving and grooming needs
The different skin types
You can read more about the different skin types in our What skin type do I have? guide but as a summary:
- Oily: Your skin’s natural oil can be overproduced by a number of factors and it’s a common skin type for men. If you suffer from oily skin choose a product or skincare set with a hydrating moisturiser. On top of this, using products with natural oils has been proven to be an effective way to address oily skin.
- Sensitive: Sensitive skin is noticeable if your skin reacts whenever you try any new products, or it becomes inflamed after shaving or when applying any products to it. It’s necessary to engage in a trial-and-error process with products to find the moisturisers, exfoliators and face washes marketed as gentle that won’t aggravate the skin.
- Dry: If you have dry skin, exfoliating regularly will suit your routine best, making sure to get rid of dead and flaky skin, and moisturising thoroughly afterwards to keep the skin hydrated. Using a ‘heavy’ moisturiser at night in order to lock in the hydration whilst you sleep can also be an effective way to combat it.
- Combination: The combination skin type is almost a misnomer, as technically we all have a certain level of combination type skin. However, if you feel your skin does particularly have elements of all skin types, look for products within a skincare set that provide ‘balance’ to your face.
Just something to be mindful of, however, is your skin type can change depending on the weather, diet, humidity and sun exposure, so it’s imperative to try out different products in order to fine-tune your skincare routine. This is also why the best skincare sets for men are a great option because you can experiment and work out which types of products you like – gels or creams, serums or oils etc – and which you don’t.
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