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We all groom. We lather, swipe, pluck, brush, trim, scrub, brush, swish, and spray. Whether we do so in the airplane lavatory or in a private sanctuary dotted with full bottles of Aesop wonderserums, we all make a bit of an effort and build something resembling a routine. 

Routines are great. They are the touchstones of daily life. That said, routines need routine maintenance. Products need to be switched out. New tools need to be switched on.

The men’s grooming space is dynamic. Innovation leads to domination in no time at all. Brands go from obscure to ubiquitous quickly if their goop does what it promises to do – softening beards, curling hair, smoothing skin…. That’s why SPY editors are constantly trying everything from toothbrushes, to floss, to toothpaste to beard trimmers to beard balms to bald head shavers to bath bombs. Every year, we use a lot of horrible, gunky, malfunctioning products and a handful of amazing solutions. The 2023 SPY Grooming Awards is a celebration of outstanding, joyful solutions. 

We’ve divided our picks into seven distinct categories: Hair Care, Skincare, Shaving, Hygiene, Dental Care, Head Care (read: stuff for bald dudes), and Indulgences. Each category contains truly exciting new products.

Hair Care

Proper hair care is essential to conserving and caring for locks — whether they’re a source of anxiety, pride, or indifference. For men who aren’t currently in the market for a bald head shaver, we’ve selected our favorite haircare products for achieving clean, smooth, and soft tresses from root to tip. 

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Skincare

The vast, complex world of skincare has become gargantuan. Sure, every man’s skin is different but the number of must-have products is actually small. A good cleanser, SPF, and moisturizer will get most men 90% of the way there. Everything else is a nice bonus. 

Here are our favorite basic products, and our selects for the pampering add-ons that’ll achieve that “dewy bedtime” look your girlfriend nails every night.

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Shaving

We’ve got picks for men who like an old-fashioned shave, and men who lean electric, as well as aftercare selections for fighting irritation, which seems inevitable, but isn’t. Trimmer engineering is now advancing faster than automotive engineering and we’re fine with it. 

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Head Care

Headcare is haircare for bald men, as maintaining a smooth-shaven dome takes careful tact with the right tools. Each product was hand-picked by SPY’s resident bald editor who has honed his regimen over years post-receding-hairline.  

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Hygiene

Every crevice needs attention, and we’ve got picks for every body’s nooks. Finding a body wash that doesn’t strip moisture, moisturizers that don’t clog, and deodorants that clog without sticking wasn’t easy, but we’re here. 

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Dental Care

A great toothbrush doesn’t need to be electric, but it probably should be. Water flossers aren’t excessive. Mouthwash can brighten a mood. SPY editors are very selective about their dental routines, and everything below has been vetted by, literally, hundreds of teeth. 

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Indulgences

We groom so we don’t smell. But we also groom to feel soothed, to satisfy an ache, to have fun. SPY is a pro-bath organization so bath bombs, face masks, and nail care kits also have spots in the medicine cabinet. Here are the ones worth indulging in. 

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