From powerful exfoliators to all-natural deodorant to cologne that smells like wet rocks, these were the goops, creams, balms, and oils we loved most this year. (Plus: some of our favorite celebrity grooming looks from COVID lockdown.) 

The Best for the Shower

Scrub yourself clean.

The Body Wash Upgrade: Aesop Citrus Melange Body CleanserA blast of peppery grapefruit and bitter orange from the Australian masters of smelling good.

Aesop "Citrus Melange" body cleanser$45

Verishop

The Best Scrubber: Bathing Culture Sea SpongeFresh from the sea, it's the sustainably harvested, biodegradable upgrade to that old, grody loofah.

Bathing Culture Sea Sponge$20

Bathing Culture

King of the Shower Caddy: Dove Men+Care Blue Eucalyptus + Birch Body WashDeep and woody, maybe the best-smelling body wash ever sold in a drugstore.

Dove Men+Care "Blue Eucalyptus + Birch" body wash (4 pack)$24

Amazon

The Best Body Buffer: Sunday Riley Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body ScrubThis exfoliator does double duty: Gentle acids dissolve dead skin as a pleasantly rough texture sloughs it away.

Sunday Riley "Charcoal Smoothie" body scrub$38

Amazon

Spa in a Bottle: Disco Body WashTurn a YMCA shower into a wood-paneled sauna somewhere north of the Arctic Circle.

Disco Body Wash$16

Disco

The Best Deodorant

Everyone is on their own journey when it comes to staying fresh. Here are three paths to smelling good all day.

The Best Natural Deodorant: Schmidt's Sandalwood + Citrus Natural DeodorantIt has hippie bona fides but smells more like camping in a forest than living in a van.

Schmidt's "Sandalwood + Citrus" deodorant$8

Schmidt's

An Update to the O.G.: Old Spice Ultra Smooth Clean Slate AntiperspirantA grown-up take on the ur-antiperspirant, with the scent dialed back a bit.

Old Spice "Ultra Smooth Clean Slate" antiperspirant$10

Amazon

The Sweat Stopper: Hiki Body PowderThis is odor-fighting, moisture-sapping magic for everywhere you don't put deodorant in the morning.

Hiki Body Powder$14

Hiki

Clockwise from top left: Jamie Foxx grew a truly impressive beard; the Jared Leto method: clear skin, messy beard; Adam Scott chopped off half his quar scruff; even 2020 couldn’t stop Pharrell’s glow; Maluma buzzed it off himself; no shaves or haircuts really worked for Joe Jonas.

Collage bubbles and foam: photographs, Josephine Schiele / Jamie Foxx, Jared Leto, Adam Scott, Pharrell, Maluma, and Joe Jonas: courtesy of the subjects / background: Getty Images.The Best for Your Hands

Keep your mitts trimmed, moisturized, and scrubbed of virus.

The Best Nail Tools: The Art of Shaving 7-Piece Manicure SetUnfold this kit like you're an operator with a very particular set of skills (clipping and buffing your nails).

The Art of Shaving manicure set$179

Walmart

Pandemic Protector: D.S. & Durga Big Sur After Rain Spray Hand SanitizerThis fragrance was already a modern classic in candles and hand soap; now it kills pathogens on the go.

D.S. & Durga "Big Sur After Rain" hand sanitizer$30

D.S. & Durga

The Hand Softener: Byredo Blanche Hand CreamPandemic-era hand-washing leaves your skin parched and rough—this is the most luxurious way to reverse the damage.

Byredo "Blanche" hand cream$43

Nordstrom

The Best Body Lotion

Banish itchy, flaky, ashy skin—forever.

The Best Lotion: Nivea Men Breathable Body LotionNo grease, no residue, no need to wait before getting dressed.

Nivea Men "Breathable" body lotion$6

Amazon

The Anti-Lotion: Nécessaire Body SerumA fast-absorbing gel of powerful ingredients (ceramide NP, hyaluronic acid), it's the kind of hydrator you would use on your face, but for your entire body.

Nécessaire body serum$45

Sephora

The Best Scents for Your Home

Get your quarantine cave smelling right.

For Your Laundry List: Dedcool Dedtergent 05 “Spring”L.A.'s coolest nontoxic and gender-neutral indie fragrance company now makes leveled-up detergent.

Dedcool "05 Spring" laundry detergent$32

Dedcool

Kacey Musgraves's Candle: Boy Smells Slow BurnSkaters have pro-model boards; this country star has the year's always-sold-out candle.

Boy Smells "Slow Burn" candle$39

Boy Smells

The Best Home Scent: Frédéric Malle Jurassic Flower Perfume GunFire off a few blasts of peach and magnolia to subtly elevate your living space.

Frédéric Malle "Jurassic Flower" Perfume Gun$195

Frédéric Malle

The Best Scents for You

The right cologne will transport you—even if you're just headed downstairs to your WFH battle station.

The Best Reboot: Dior Homme Eau de ToiletteA bright and woody take on the classic hypermasculine scent.

Dior

Homme Eau De Toilette$95

Sephora

A Citrus Squeeze: Versace Atelier Versace Cédrat de DiamanteAn exuberant pop of cedar, with a frothy lemon opening.

Versace Atelier Versace "Cédrat de Diamante"$330

Versace

The Universal One: Calvin Klein CK EveryoneLike the brand's underwear, this could be worn by anyone for a hit of gender-neutral sex appeal.

Calvin Klein

CK Everyone$70 $58

Amazon

If you like to share a scent with your opposite-sex partner, here's that perfect His&Hers. Calvin Klein Everyone is a clean, ethereal fragrance that smells like a whiff of invigoratingly fresh air. Like the brand's underwear, this could be worn by anyone on your shopping list for a hit of gender-neutral sex appeal.

The Bright One: Louis Vuitton MétéoreA high-toned, long-lasting kick of pepper and Sicilian mandarin.

Louis Vuitton "Météore"$265

Louis Vuitton

The Interesting One: Gucci The Alchemist's Garden “A Midnight Stroll”This wearable incense smells like you've been out all night somewhere smoky and mysterious.

Gucci A Midnight Stroll$352

Nordstrom

This one from Gucci is dark in its mood, with an aroma of a powerful, woodsy incense. It's just right for nighttime and mischief-making.

The Oddball: Le Labo Baie 19A mix of medicinal notes and petrichor (the aroma of rain hitting dry soil)—what Icy Hot smells like on Mount Olympus.

Le Labo

Baie 19$230

Nordstrom

Baie 19 is a mix of medicinal notes and petrichor (the aroma of rain hitting dry soil)—try to imagine what Icy Hot smells like on Mount Olympus. If that's too much to wrap your head around, then just know that it exudes a fresh-morning-rain-in-the-woods aura.The Best Skin Care

Whether you're copping your first serum or honing a six-step routine, there's more bottled science out there than ever.

The Best Exfoliator: Herbivore Prism Exfoliating Glow FacialTake 10 minutes to banish blackheads and get a fresh-from-a-facial glow.

Herbivore "Prism" facial$58

Sephora

The Acne Fighter: Dr. Jart+ Teatreement Cleansing FoamSalicylic acid cuts through gunk like dish soap in TV commercials.

Dr. Jart+ "Teatreement" cleanser$28

Sephora

The Switch Hitter: Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner SerumDon't know a toner from a serum? No worries: Rihanna has both bases covered.

Fenty Skin "Fat Water" toner serum$28

Fenty

The Eye Brightener: Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Eye SerumEverything in the dark must come to the light—including those circles under your eyes.

Kiehl's "Powerful-Strength" vitamin C eye serum$50

Sephora

The Best Retinol: Dermalogica Retinol Clearing OilFor all of us at the awkward intersection of having acne and having wrinkles. This'll tackle both.

Dermalogica "Retinol Clearing Oil"$80

Amazon

The No-Brainer: Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Hydration BoosterApply this serum directly or mix with your go-to moisturizer for mighty, all-day hydration.

Dr. Dennis Gross "Hyaluronic Marine" booster$68

Sephora

Ultra-Flattering Sunscreen: Supergoop Glow Oil SPF 50Most sunscreen makes you look chalky. This SPF oil makes you look like you've been moisturizing daily since birth.

Supergoop "Glow Oil" SPF 50 sunscreen$15

Amazon

The Best Clay Mask: Beneath Your Mask Illuminate Clarifying Face MaskA classic mix-your-own mask for relaxing evenings and intensely clear results.

Beneath Your Mask "Illuminate" face mask$70

Nordstrom

The Best Serum: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C SerumIf David Blaine wanted to make the dark spots on your mug disappear, this is what he'd use.

Ole Henriksen "Banana Bright" vitamin C serum$65

Sephora

Clockwise from top left: Once again, Marc Jacobs wins Instagram; Ricky Martin nailed the beard-buzz ratio; Steve Lacy kept his mustache thin and his braids thinner; Brooklyn rapper Meechy Darko with a sorbet dye job from colorist Daniel Moon; Moses Sumney: moisturized and mustached; Chris Noth combined a gray goatee with a DIY shave; Kid Cudi got a key lime dye.

Collage bubbles and foam: photographs, Josephine Schiele / Marc Jacobs, Chris Noth, Ricky Martin, and Moses Sumney: courtesy of the subjects / Meechy Darko: courtesy of Daniel Moon of HAIR Los Angeles / Kid Cudi: courtesy of Pamela Littky / background: Getty Images.The Best Makeup

It's time to take the leap and get a little more handsome.

Gateway to Makeup: Glossier FuturedewYou don't even have to call it makeup—Glossier doesn't. But this stuff is glow in a bottle, like a real-life Instagram filter.

Glossier "Futuredew"$24

Glossier

Skin Smoother: Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing ConcealerTired of seeing that pimple every morning on Zoom? We have the technology to fix that.

Shiseido "Synchro Skin" concealer$31

Sephora

The Best for Your Hair

After this year, we'll never take our barber for granted again.

Better Than Shampoo: Scotch Porter Hydrating Hair WashThis sulfate-free wash is the gentler, healthier alternative to daily shampooing.

Scotch Porter hair wash$12

Scotch Porter

The Best Conditioner: Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk Ultra Soothing ConditionerA super-gentle, fragrance-free balm for dyed or fried hair.

Briogeo "Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk" conditioner$26

Sephora

Guaranteed Good Hair Day: Rahua Smoothing Hair BalmIt's product for anyone who doesn't want to look like they're wearing product.

Rahua "Smoothing Hair Balm"$30

Amazon

The Scalp Savior: Sisley Hair Rituel SerumUse the same level of skin care on your scalp as on your face.

Sisley "Hair Rituel" serum$195

Nordstrom

A Better Pomade: Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shaping PomadeMost styling products are itchy, flaky hell on your scalp. This one actually helps it.

Head & Shoulders "Anti-Dandruff" pomade$10

Amazon

For DIY Buzz Cuts: Andis Master Cordless Lithium Ion ClipperIt's what your barber uses—or wishes he were using.

Andis "Master Cordless" clipper$225

Amazon

The Soother: F. Miller Hair OilA deliciously heady mixture of 15 different oils; two drops is an immediate remedy for frizzy hair.

F. Miller hair oil$43

F. Miller

For Clean Curls: Bread Beauty Supply Hair-WashThis foamy cleanser was created specifically for curly, textured hair—but its gentle hydration is ideal for any scalp in need of a shampoo break.

Bread Beauty Supply "Hair-Wash"$20

Bread Beauty Supply

Makes Your Hair Cooperate: Axe Texturizing CreamMess it up, slick it back—no way to use this stuff that won't look good. (Though maybe not spikes.)

Axe "Texturizing Cream"$7

Walmart

The Best for Your Teeth

Cleaner, whiter, fresher.

The Most Advanced Toothbrush Yet: Oral-B iO9 ToothbrushA magnetic charger, an OLED screen, and a gentle, effective clean.

Oral-B "iO9" toothbrush$300

Best Buy

Better Breath, Anywhere: By Humankind MouthwashGenius tablets that dissolve into great-tasting mouthwash.

By Humankind mouthwash$10

By Humankind

A Simpler Teeth Whitener: Crest Whitening Emulsions with Wand ApplicatorNo strips, no trays, no timers: Just rub it on your teeth and go.

Crest "Whitening Emulsions With Wand Applicator"$60

Crest

The Best for Your Beard

Whether you're after robust scruff or a smooth shave.

The Best Beard Oil: Acqua di Parma Barbiere Beard SerumGoes on thick but then just disappears. You wouldn't know it was there, if not for the fact that your face is now soft and great-smelling.

Acqua di Parma "Barbiere" beard serum$45

End Clothing

Ingrown Smoother: Renée Rouleau Anti Bump SolutionLactic acid gets under the skin and to the root of deep acne and ingrown hairs.

Renée Rouleau "Anti Bump Solution"$50

Renée Rouleau

For Rough Stubble and Beyond: King C. Gillette Soft Beard BalmThe best calming ointment for your beard, at day 5 or 500.

King C. Gillette beard balm$13

Walgreens

The Best Razor: Oui the People The Single Sensitive Skin RazorPop an old-school blade into this futuristic rose-gold safety razor—we've come a long way from Ye Olde Barber Shoppe.

Oui the People "The Single" razor$75

Oui the People

Phillip Picardi is GQ's grooming columnist.

A version of this story originally appears in the November 2020 issue with the title "The 2020 GQ Grooming Awards."

PRODUCTION CREDITS:Still-life photographs and prop styling by Josephine Schiele

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