Anyone who thinks skincare is light work hasn’t been inside The Manual when approaching our fourth annual Grooming Awards. For the 2022 edition, we tapped four of our most experienced writers and six grooming influencers. For more than six months, they squeezed, daubed, and scrubbed their way through a cornucopia of more than 700 products. Any wobble in quality or mediocr e results when tested? Into the rubbish bin of editorial excess. With picks in hand, these grooming experts entered into a March Madness-like playoff bracket, wheedling their picks against others in a no-holds-barred, winner-take-all struggle for inclusion. But in the end, just 18 products survived, rounding out this year’s list of what editors and contributors feel are the best-of-the-best skincare, hair care, and body care products that got us through a long, hard year.
All of our Grooming Award-winning products are effective, of course, but they also share a certain economy (because if 13 months of coronavirus lockdown taught us anything, it’s that money sure doesn’t grow inside the house). They’re also relatively accessible through Nordstrom and elsewhere, and none of them require you to charter a jet to Paris. So, if you’ve neglected your appearance over the last year and need a reset, or just want to see what’s latest and greatest in grooming, The Manual’s got you covered. With Covid-19 restrictions loosening, vaccinations rolling out, and both domestic and international travel already looking promising, it’s time to get out there and shine. Our carefully selected products will help you do it brighter.
The Winners
[dt_prelude title=”The Best Face Products”]We’ll say it: Even if you’ve got the driest abs in the world or 21-inch biceps, the face is still the benchmark on which every man is judged. So elevate it, scrubbing off the drab remnants of 2020 and entering 2022 with a fresh glow.[/dt_prelude]
[dt_prelude title=”The Best Whiskers Products”]Gone are the days when you had to pick a lane for facial hair and stick to it. For every facial hair discipline, there’s a season, and these products will help you transition through them gracefully.[/dt_prelude]
[dt_prelude title=”The Best Hair Products”]Whether you’re a close-cropped Josh Hartnett circa Black Hawk Down, a barbarian-relaxed Jason Mamoa, or somewhere in between, your hair only communicates when you care for it. So ditch the ball cap; a routine to bring out your best follicles doesn’t have to take all week — or an entire paycheck.[/dt_prelude]
[dt_prelude title=”The Best Body Products”]Say goodbye to that stifling studio apartment and the relaxed sweats of the work-from-home life. This year is about fresh air and close proximity. Refine your skin’s life and scent for a hot-vax summer.[/dt_prelude]
Meet the Judges
[dt_person name=”Brendan Fallis” image=”1095073″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/brendanfallis/” ]Brendan Fallis first made waves as a professional skier who competed with Team Canada. Now, he’s a trending DJ and creative entrepreneur, and has been featured in marketing campaigns by Revlon, Adidas, Stuart Weitzman, and more. He and his wife, fellow social media star Hannah Bronfman, live in New York City. More from The Manual: Brendan Fallis’ Grooming Journals[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Moti Ankari” image=”1095068″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/motiankari/” ]Moti Ankari cut his teeth as a fashion assistant at GQ, and has gone on to create his own menswear blog, The Metro Man, co-founded shoe line Ankari Floruss, and has become a fashion and lifestyle tastemaker in his own right. More from The Manual: Moti Ankari’s Grooming Journals[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Luke DiTella” image=”1095069″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/lukeditella/” ]A former professional surfer, Luke DiTella’s career spans, acting, modeling, and most recently, has been a brand ambassador for brands like Jo Malone, Stranahans, and Boss. More from The Manual: Luke DiTella’s Grooming Journals[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”DJ Crespo” image=”1095070″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/crespothedj/” ]DJ Crespo is the official tour DJ for Jaden Smith, and has worked with brands from Nike to Netflix and Google. When he’s not on the decks at your favorite Miami hotspot, Crespo is busy mentoring emerging artists at his premier music production school, Wired Sound Academy. More from The Manual: DJ Crespo’s Grooming Journals[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Devon Levesque” image=”1095071″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/devonlevesque/” ]Fitness entrepreneur Devon Levesque is the founder of DML Holdings — a portfolio of wellness brands like 1 Hotels, Gymshark, and PromixNutrition. Most recently, he bear crawled the New York City marathon to raise money for FitOps, an organization that helps veterans find careers in fitness. More from The Manual: Devon Levesque’s Grooming Journals[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Anthony Urbano” image=”1095075″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/oh_anthonio/” ]Anthony originally started his fashion blog Oh Antonio as a creative complement to his work as a structural engineer. A decade later his project has become one of the leading male voices in the industry. More from The Manual: Anthony Urbano’s Grooming Journals[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”John Jones” image=”1044304″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/johnrusseljones/” ]John is a Jersey City-based writer who enjoys covering design in all its forms, from fashion to architecture, interiors, and textiles. When he’s not herding cats with his husband, he’s training for his next Tough Mudder or hanging out in St. Augustine, Florida, the nation’s oldest city.[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Cristina Montemayor” image=”1095072″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/crismontyy” ]Cristina Montemayor is a freelance beauty editor and writer based in Austin, Texas. Her work has appeared in Very Good Light, BRIDES, HelloGiggles, Slate, and more. Offline, she’s also a working makeup artist for weddings and commercials.[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Ty Gaskins” image=”1044296″ instagram=”https://www.instagram.com/ty.gaskins/” ]Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Ty launched his fashion and grooming career at Paper. Since then, his writing and styling work has been featured in V Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and L’Officiel USA, interviewing and collaborating with numerous fashion icons like Bella Hadid, Solange Franklin, Rihanna, and Virgil Abloh.[/dt_person]
[dt_person name=”Wasani Probasco” image=”1095074″]Wasani is a Digital Marketing professional and freelance writer with a passion for men’s grooming and self-care. Based in Los Angeles, Wasani has worked in the entertainment tech space for the past 5 years for Amazon and Penske Media.[/dt_person]
