When my boyfriend and I first started dating, he was very much a “toothpaste, body wash and deodorant” kind of guy. Little did he know that there was a whole new world of grooming products outside the Irish Spring aisle. My first job out of college had me repping some fantastic men’s brands, a few of which my main squeeze still counts as his top picks for keeping him so handsome. To watch his evolution from “whatever works” to “these grains seem to provide a gentler scrub” was shocking (to say the very least) but also slightly odd, given the fact he didn’t know men needed anything more than the abovementioned items. And while he dutifully tried everything I brought home (hey, I needed to know what worked and what didn’t so I could properly do my job), it quickly became clear that his Irish Spring was here to stay.

Awesome skin saver - $53

The only product that remained in our trial-and-error ways was one from cult English brand REFINERY. The brand, originating from London’s flagship men’s-only spa, is incredibly therapeutic and targeted in its approach to skincare. Highly effective and simple in its offerings (hurrah! No more confusing labels to try and understand!), their Post Shave Balm has transformed my boyfriend’s skin from troubled and angry after shaving, to clear and soft. At $53 a bottle, it’s a splurge he’s careful about, but still a product he can’t live without.