The Best Men’s Grooming Brands to Know Right Now

New men’s grooming brands launch all the time nowadays. With more guys putting thought into their moisturizers, shaving creams and grooming tools, it’s only natural that the market is expanding. It can be challenging to weed through the buzz and find effective brands or products that cater to your specific needs and, overall, are worth your investment. Thus, we aim to simplify and spotlight grooming brands that should be on your radar. We do the leg work because looking better makes you feel better, and every guy should have a grooming routine with products that work for him, tailored for him.

The brands we recommend may offer a full line of products to stock your medicine cabinet, or they may specialize in one item and excel at it. Some brands will contain their own proprietary ingredients, while others use tried-and-true formulations. Many put just as much thought into the presentation that will enhance the aesthetics of your medicine cabinet, while others opt for more understated packaging. They’ll range from the highest end of the market (if we feature it, we can vouch for it) to more accessible options that perform exceptionally well. Some might work for you, some might not, but all are worth checking out.

Regardless, knowledge is power. Today, we’re highlighting two distinct yet equally stylish grooming brands. One is a natural, and effective olive oil- and botanical-infused skincare and haircare line with an indie aesthetic out of California. The other is a luxe, niche Icelandic fragrance house that creates artistic and edgy colognes, candles and incense.

Wonder Valley

Sometimes you discover a brand and instantly know it will become a standard by your sink or tub. California-based Wonder Valley is a prime example. The Golden State has been producing fantastic skincare lately and Wonder Valley is helping lead the charge, emphasizing natural ingredients, hip packaging, effective formulations and an artisanal ethos permeating everything they do. I’ve known about the brand for a while, but after meeting the founders in NYC recently, I gained more insight and appreciation for their story, and the meticulous approach that goes into their products.

Wonder Valley started out selling cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, elegantly housed in cork-top ceramic jars and sold in specialty shops. Riding on that success, the brand expanded into skincare and haircare, weaving natural oils into cleansers and serums. Their body washes, shampoos, scrubs and treatments are packed with natural powerhouses like willow bark, ashwagandha, and plant and sea botanicals, to name a few, and balanced with staples like hyaluronic acid for skincare that’s effective but not overly clinical.

Everything smells incredible and ethereal, whether it’s their peptide- and botanical-infused Wonder Serum or their earthy-yet-luxurious Hinoki Body Wash. And then there’s the mesmerizing packaging: Designed in-house (reinforcing their hands-on approach), much of the line sports distinct, retro-inspired graphics and apothecary-style bottles. The brand isn’t just about stellar grooming products; it’s a whole vibe, with vessels you want to display by your sink, shower or medicine cabinet.

The brand has an “I care about grooming, but I don’t overthink it” feel that will appeal to both guys and gals. The products cleanse, nourish and tone with a touch of old-world simplicity, blending high-quality natural ingredients with niche appeal. Start with the Hinoki Body Wash and Sandalwood Yuzu Shampoo. From there, we’re sure you’ll become a Wonder Valley convert, too.

Fischersund

Fischersund is one of those fragrance houses that appeals directly to my personal olfactory vibe, so I couldn’t wait to write about them. I discovered the brand on a trip to Iceland when I spotted a display of their striking candles and colognes in distinctive, smoky vessels at my hotel. Founded in 2017 by Jónsi of Sigur Rós and his siblings, along with partners Sindri and Kjartan Holm, Fischersund blends scent, sound and art to capture Iceland’s raw, untamed beauty. Their colognes, candles, room sprays and incense carry an air of mystery, each scent unfolding like a transportive journey through the country’s rugged landscapes with unconventional, evocative notes that are atmospheric and edgy.

Fischersund’s scents are unconventional yet approachable, so long as you appreciate fragrances that think outside the box. Their descriptions are poetic and deeply rooted in Icelandic heritage. No. 23 (their signature scent) channels the ruggedness of Reykjavík’s old harbor with a transportive blend of amber, leather, seaweed, smoke, aniseed and black pepper. No. 101, inspired by Reykjavík’s wild backyards and luminous summers, combines chervil, Arctic angelica, black currant, long grass and a wooden fence accord. Their latest release, Faux Flora, reimagines the plant life cycle through five colognes, blending familiar and unexpected notes — vetiver, patchouli, oud, bergamot, dirt, spice, musk and even red wine. Bizarre on paper, but addictive on skin. Then there’s Jól, a holiday incense and candle that leans into nostalgia with frankincense, pine, vanilla, clementine and cinnamon, conjuring the warmth of an Icelandic winter night. I burned it all season, infusing my space with a comforting yet otherworldly vibe.

Stepping into Fischersund’s shop in Reykjavík felt like entering the brand’s self-contained world: artistic, moody and fantastic-smelling. Naturally, I walked out with a cologne and incense. Each bottle comes wrapped in a cotton bandana illustrated by co-founder Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir, while the candles sit in speckled black vessels and the incense cones — handcrafted by the siblings’ father — are housed in hand-stamped tins, each one unique.

While the brand’s scents are stocked in select niche perfumeries (including a couple in Brooklyn, thankfully), they also ship from within the U.S. Fischersund isn’t just a fragrance house — it’s an experience. Keep your eye (and nose) on them now, so you can say you knew them before everyone else, kinda like an up-and-coming indie band.

More Grooming Brands to Know

Artem

I first heard about Artem from a colleague at Osswald NYC (one of NYC’s best perfumeries that has its finger on the pulse of olfactory trends). But beyond the recommendation, the name and storytelling behind the scents piqued my interest. When I met founder Bryan Elliott in a Brooklyn coffee shop, one thing was clear: he is fervent about fragrance. It was no surprise, considering he cut his teeth at powerhouses like Creed and LVMH, but what stood out was how refreshingly unpretentious he was. As a brand, Artem positions itself as a storyteller for everyone, using evocative fragrance pyramids by way of a time-and-place approach inspired by music and locales. They’re in it for the right reasons, crafting each scent with attention to detail and honoring the artistry of perfumery.

Narcyss

Breaking into the men’s grooming world isn’t easy, so I’m always on the lookout for wholehearted recommendations of new brands. An industry colleague (who only reps brands he genuinely believes in) put Narcyss on my radar, and between the hearsay and the superb packaging, I was intrigued. After some firsthand experience, I came to this conclusion: If the grooming world were the music scene, Narcyss would be the band everyone’s talking about — buzzy and hip, but with substance and style. Founded in 2020 and formulated in Paris and Sweden, Narcyss is premium, practical, cool-guy skincare.