Just like conversations about skincare, men are often left out of the discussion when it comes to hormones. Hormones are most often associated with pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause. Actually, that’s just scraping the surface of the function of hormones in our bodies. Hormones impact weight, health, sleep, libido, mood, and more. 

For males in particular, testosterone is a very important hormone. If a male has a low level of testosterone, the symptoms can include erectile dysfunction, reduced bone mass and sex drive. Testosterone has many important functions, including: regulate sex drive (libido), bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. In fact, sperm concentration—the number of sperm per milliliter of semen—has dropped more than 50% among men in Western countries in just under 40 years.

When Sara & Ben Jensen, Co-Founder’s of Hugh & Grace, set out to create a line of skincare that was free from toxins that disrupt hormones, they wanted to make sure that the products were equally appealing and effective for both women and men.

Dermatologists have debated whether men and women require differing skincare for years, and many agree that regardless of gender, our skin faces many of the same needs. They recommend that people shop for skincare based on skin type rather than gender because it’s a better indicator of which products are right for you.

While marketing products based on gender worked successfully for years, the tides appear to be turning: the personal care industry as a whole has seen an emergence of gender neutral products across many sectors, and we’re excited that skincare is one of them. 

In addition to being easy and multi-functional, our products are intentionally designed to be hormone-safe, meaning our carefully-vetted ingredient list contains no hormone disrupting chemicals, also known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Most personal care products—including clean and non-toxic products—contain EDCs that impact our hormones and our health.

In men specifically, EDCs have been linked to decreased sperm count in recent years. As skincare becomes more targeted to men, it’s increasingly important that men pay attention to the ingredients in their products: phthalates, fragrance, and parabens are a few of the most common ingredients that should be avoided.

Firm in our belief that skincare should be inclusive, we founded Hugh & Grace as a gender neutral line. After all, we all have skin — so why has the skincare industry focused on targeting women for so many years? Women’s aisles have long been overflowing with creams, serums, toners, and moisturizers tailored to each and every want or need; men’s shelves, on the other hand, contain a noticeably smaller selection — and the products that do exist are often heavily branded for the “manly man,” boasting of overwhelming scents like “ANARCHY” and “Swagger.” 

Things are changing, and men’s skincare is a fast-growing industry.

When we set out to create a #BetterThanClean line of skincare products, we knew we wanted each product to be safe, accessible, and high-performing for both men and women. Made with intentional and carefully sourced ingredients, skincare doesn’t need to smell like “Swagger” (whatever that means) or be overly complicated and branded. We’re proud to let the performance of our ingredients shine, which is why Hugh & Grace products are wrapped in minimal packaging and branding, and carry a calming, neutral, mild scent. 

Because we lead with safe and carefully-procured ingredients, we were able to launch a minimal line with maximum performance: our four products (Purifying Cleansing Bar, Protecting Body Oil, Restoring Face Serum, and Renewing Night Serum) have a multitude of functions and are easily incorporated into the everyday in a number of ways: 

• Our Cleansing Bar is gentle on the skin and a fan-favorite thanks to its very simple, no frills functionality. Infused with an Adaptogen Complex from nutrient-dense mushrooms, the bar helps restore the skin’s microbiome while hydrating and strengthening the skin itself. Use it as a facial cleanser and say “bye-bye” to dry, inflamed, raw skin post-morning shave.

• While our Body Oil is of course excellent for skin hydration, men also love it for shaving, maintaining their beards, and styling their hair. Never sticky or overly scented, our Body Oil is excellent for skin hydration, close shaving, beard maintenance, and hair styling. It also has unique anti-inflammatory properties and superior antioxidant power thanks to ingredients like Meadowfoam Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, and Rosehip Oil. 

• Our Serums are great for shaving and helping to soothe skin irritation after shaving. Additionally, they’re anti-bacterial, which means they help with fighting acne, anti-aging, and anti-redness. Using them just once or twice per day helps brighten and nourish weathered skin — and applying it is a ritual that feels both rhythmic and calming. Bonus – they double as a beard oil if you have facial hair! 

We formulated Hugh & Grace with men in mind: we wanted to create products that were equally easy to incorporate into an everyday routine and safe for throughout-the-day-use. Neutrally scented and packaged, our products forgo the traditional gendered branding; instead we focused on each product’s sourcing and composition. Each day, the average man puts an average of 85 chemicals on his skin — we’re committed to lowering this number in the most positive way possible. With features in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and hundreds of 5 star reviews from women and men alike, we believe we’re on our way to successfully do just that. 

Want to try Hugh & Grace’s better-than-clean products for yourself? Shop our products and sets at hughandgrace.com.