If you haven’t heard, face serums are big business. Whether you want to reverse those forehead wrinkles, fade dark spots or control oil production, there’s a bottle (or a dozen) out there promising to help.
But with so much choice comes confusion, and only the foolish walk unprepared into the arms of an eager Space NK sales assistant. Listen: if you’d like to sort out your skin without being relieved of a month’s salary, you have options.
Horace is one of a burgeoning club of men’s grooming brands finally offering serious skincare nous without all the marketing waffle and often inexplicable triple-figure price tags.
For the real beginner, the cleanser and moisturiser are an ideal place to start, but for those wanting to tackle a specific issue – be it acne, dark spots or dryness – the brand’s trio of serums is sure to please.
Each one is laser-focused on treating a different issue, and slots simply into your routine between face wash and moisturiser. They’re all fragrance free (good news if you’re sensitive) and free from the pomp and ceremony that puffs up most of today’s skincare industry. In short, they’re made with men’s skin in mind and designed to deliver real results, not to be Instagrammed while resting on a marble table.
The Vitamin C + Glycolic Acid Serum is your resurfacing treatment: think of it as a next-gen exfoliator, without the pulverised bits of apricot kernel (we’re past all that now). Glycolic acid works by dissolving the ‘glue’ that holds dead, rough skin cells on the surface of your skin, while antioxidant vitamin C gradually brightens patches of pigmentation caused by your stubborn aversion to proper sun protection. Used at night, two to three times per week, this one will lead to a brighter, softer and more unified complexion. Co-founder Marc Briant-Terlet puts it simply: “It boosts skin radiance and glow so your skin looks better in eight weeks.”
For those struggling with breakouts and blackheads, the Salicylic Acid + Niacinamide Serum is your ally. Salicylic acid is an oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid, meaning it travels into your pores to dissolve the gunk from within. Combined with niacinamide, which regulates over-enthusiastic oil production, this one will both nix existing spots and prevent new ones from forming.
And to unite us all, there’s the Hyaluronic Acid + Panthenol Serum, which draws moisture into the uppermost layers of the skin and holds it there, keeping dryness and dehydration at bay for hours. “It’s for dehydrated skin,” says Briant-Terlet. “It moisturises well and prevents those fine, feathery lines that come with a dehydrated complexion.” Best applied in the morning, and locked in with a moisturiser on top, this is one everyone should benefit from.
Really, this is exactly how men's skincare should be today: effective, but not excessive, and easy enough to use that you don’t end up completely baffled over how to apply the right products in the right order. “We’re about being affordable and to-the-point,” says Briant-Terlet. “We’ve been creating simple and efficient products since day one. Skincare should be simple, and needs to stay this way.” If you aren’t lured in by gold-plated packaging, shiny celeb endorsements or those tiny application spatulas that surely nobody uses, you’re at home here.
