GoodGuide Fragrance For Men Ratings

If there’s a theme in the booming sales of men’s cosmetics and grooming supplies worldwide, it might be that it’s not enough for a guy to be sensitive on the inside only. There’s a wide range of men's grooming products required to achieve that sensitive, clean-shaven, fragrant style—and the ingredients in them are just as much cause for concern as in any other personal care product line. Aftershave, in particular, can come with a host of potentially toxic ingredients, including BHA (an organ and immune system toxin and possible carcinogen), aluminum starch octenylsuccinate (a neurotoxin that raises contamination concerns), eugenol (an immune system toxicant), and PEG-50 or PEG-100 stearate (cleaning ingredients that can be contaminated by the immune system toxin and possible carcinogen 1,4-dioxane). (more)

Most men’s grooming products also have some form of scent attached to them, usually with the complicated ingredient listed labels as “fragrance”. (Fragrance is found in many types of products, not just products like cologne.) It’s hard to know specifically the concerns for any given fragrance since the chemical mixture is considered a trade secret, but fragrance can be a catch-all term that conceals toxic phthalates or other strong chemical ingredients. The mixtures of chemicals in fragrance are also a potential allergy and immune system concern. Fragrance-free men's grooming products reduce many health concerns.

You can also use our data to reassure yourself about a product’s environmental quality, since some grooming products—shave gels particularly—contain chemicals like triclosan, which accumulates in the environment, is hazardous to marine life, and could lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria. While you’re looking, you can check our Certifications and Listings section to find companies that don’t test their products on animals—which many companies, especially those with strong ingredients in their products, do.