Male grooming has come a long way, and there are so many options for the face, teeth, body, hair and facial hair that can level up a groom’s wedding day look. Many men are following a skincare timeline in the months before they say ‘I do’ and opting for treatments like teeth whitening and straightening before the big day, as well as non-surgical options like skin resurfacing, laser for redness, and even injectables. What groom doesn’t want to look his best for his big day?
Best Face & Body Products for Grooms
1. De-Puffing Eye Cream
Late nights, stress and a too-busy schedule can leave you with puffiness around the eyes. An eye cream or gel with shrinking formulas is ideal for under-eye de-puffing for your wedding day. You want to look your best in those photographs.
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2. Zero-Shine Moisturiser
All skin needs hydration, but not all skin needs additional oil in a daily moisturiser. Stop excess oil in its tracks with a zero-shine moisturiser that controls oil and gives a matte finish for hours. Look to a male skincare ranges like those from L’Oréal, Clarins, Clinique or Kiehl’s, or check out a unisex skin line like Vichy, La Roche-Posay, Eucerin or The Ordinary for oil-control moisturiser.
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- La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Matt, €24.45, is hydrating but without oil. It feels comfortable on the skin and keeps it looking more matte for the day. It helps blur the look of enlarged pores for improved smoothness in photographs.
- Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Moisturiser, €45, is a cult buy for guys when it comes to face and body products. It revives tired skin with a formula based on caffeine and vitamins C and E, and it controls shine all day.
3. No Flashback Sunscreen
Unless your wedding is in the depths of winter, you need to wear sunscreen. At the average wedding there’s lots of time spent outdoors for photographs and socialising, so protect your skin. Apply it where needed – the face, ears, back of the neck, hands, and scalp if applicable. Some SPFs can cause a ‘flashback’ in pictures, making your face look pale, if they contain mineral particles, so stick with an invisible formula to prevent redness and a white cast on the skin.
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4. Invisible Deodorant
One of the best face and body products for both brides and grooms is an invisible deodorant for the big day. White, chalky and staining antiperspirants just don’t make the mark for suits and dresses. Choose something formulated to work with fine fabrics and black or white clothing is a must to avoid yellow stains.
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5. Easy Hair Styler
To control flyaways, frizz and humidity use a clay or pomade to suit your hair type and style. Choose the finish you like best – matte or glossy – and trial it a few times before your big day to know how much or little you need for the look your best.
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- For a matte finish, Sam McKnight Perfect Mess, €32, is a reworkable soft matte clay that helps mould the hair any way you want and it has a decent hold to last all day.
- Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade, €31, has a satiny finish and a built-in anti-humidity formula that blocks out moisture which causes frizz. This is better for boosting shine and keeping any waves or curls looking healthy.
6. Dark Circle Cover Up
If your under-eye area is bright and clear you mightn’t need to cover up dark circles, but if it needs help an undetectable concealer will work great. Depending on your choice, a dab of a highly pigmented concealer will banish darkness and give a lifted look to the eyes. Trial a few times before the wedding to find the right dose for your dark circles.
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- IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer, €31.05 is a hero buy for grooms and brides, it’s one of the best face and body products for anyone with dark circles, redness or breakouts. Available in 30+ shades, it covers up everything and lasts all day and night.
- Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Stick, €29.45, has vitamin C to help lighten dark circles and a pale yellow powder formula to neutralise the look of those circles instantly. It is also very moisturising on the skin which helps with fine lines.
7. Soften Pores & Lines
Skin-perfecting face powder is the secret to minimising the look of redness, pores and fine lines on your wedding day. One of the best-kept secrets in face and body products aimed at men, it’s a regular on the red carpet for some of the world’s biggest stars. It mattifies without looking obvious, and it blurs, softens and evens the skin tone. It’s like a magic wand and great for photographs.
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8. A Conditioning Beard Oil
Beards and moustaches, like head hair, should be cleaned and conditioned to keep the skin healthy underneath and the hairs soft and moisturised. If facial hair is part of your regular look, talk to your barber about getting a trim or shape up before your wedding to make sure the beard or moustache has time to settle in ahead of saying ‘I do’. And as early as possible, start using a good quality beard oil if you don’t already have one in your skincare regime.
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ESPA Triple Action Grooming Oil, €15.95 has a multi-purpose formula that works as a shave oil and a nourishing skin and beard oil. Enriched with vitamins A and E plus essential fatty acids, it is easy to use and deeply nourishing.
ClarinsMen Shave & Beard Oil, €33 has a lightweight texture and it’s perfect for getting a close shave. Castor oil in the formula plus plant extracts help nourish and strengthen the beard hairs, it was developed with the help of master barbers.
9. A Signature Scent
Finding your signature scent in life is great but for your wedding, you might want to match your fragrance with your partner’s or wear something that is a real people pleaser for all of those incoming hugs from your guests. Two of the biggest men’s scents in the world right now come from Chanel and Dior, and they are safe bets if you want to charm everyone. After it’s all over you can keep these for date night or anytime you want to relive your wedding day.
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Chanel Bleu De Chanel EDP, €144/100ml for its mix of masculine notes. Cedar, citrus and sandalwood lend a fresh woody vibe while spicier notes of vanilla and Tonka Bean add that cosy sexiness to the scent.
Dior Sauvage EDP, €142/100ml is inspired by the desert at sundown and has an amber base with notes of zesty bergamot, lavender, pepper, nutmeg and star anise. Vanilla at the base reels in the compliments and it’s hardly a surprise that men (and women) adore this sensual scent.
10. Repairing Hand Cream
Your hands will be in plenty of pictures, so get in the habit of wearing hand cream in the weeks up to the big day. Natural hand creams contain deeply nourishing ingredients like cocoa and shea butter and they work faster to restore skin, cuticle and nail health. It’s best to apply hand cream after your hands have been immersed in water, so keep a tube by the sink at home and throw another into your glove box or gym bag. This one often forgotten buy is one of the most important face and body products for grooms on our list.
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Aesop Eleos Aromatique Hand Balm, €30/75ml is intensively hydrating and repairing for the skin and nails. It contains glycerin plus a host of botanical oils and butters to restore your hands quickly.
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, €32/150ml has a 20 per cent concentration of shea butter inside. Rich and nourishing, it’s the hand salve of lots of men and women and it’s one of the biggest-selling buys at the much-loved French beauty brand.
Going to have facial hair on your wedding day? If so, we have tips on when to trim that here!