Building a solid grooming and skincare regimen will genuinely improve your life. Adding a few steps like moisturizer, a dedicated conditioner, and maybe even a retinol serum to your daily routine will truly make you a bit more handsome in just a few weeks, and keep you looking that way as you age. 

But building a routine can be expensive. It’s daunting to sort through cleansers and moisturizers that cost as much as concert tickets, wondering whether or not they’ll actually be any better for you than the drugstore option. The answer is a resounding maybe. But the good news is that even if the fancy product is really that good—and some of them are, unfortunately—there is almost always an inexpensive option that will get you most of the way there. 

As much as I love telling readers about the best new $100 night cream or an always-sold-out $65 body scrub, it’s even more fulfilling to advise people on the best products that cost a few bucks. And these are those products, all available alongside candy and prescription refills at a drugstore near you.  

Of course, no drugstore carries the exact same lineup—we tried to keep it limited to what you could find in a large, well-stocked American chain, but your mileage will certainly vary. But even if the pharmacy near you doesn't have these exact products, the internet certainly does—so consider this a one-stop shopping guide for an inexpensive grooming routine no matter where you pick it up. 

The Best Affordable Body Wash: Dr. Bronner’s

Dr. Bronner's tea tree castille soap$16

Target

The hippie standby works great, lasts forever, and the label makes for entertaining reading when you're bored in the shower. (If you make it really deep, you'll learn that it even it works wonders as a floor cleaner—which we can confirm!) The peppermint scent is the big classic, since it tingles on the skin and leaves you feeling as fresh as you smell, but we're partial to tea tree—it'll make even a frat-house bathroom smell like a fancy wood-paneled spa.  

The Best Affordable Cleanser: CeraVe SA 

CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser$10

Target

Salicylic acid controls oil and unclogs pores, promoting your healthiest, brightest complexion while the cleanser itself flushes away excess sebum. CeraVe’s SA cleanser will keep skin balanced, and leaves it feeling every bit as hydrated as before the wash. (Most drug-store cleansers will totally dry out the skin, but this one that preserves moisture levels, thanks to the addition of ceramides.) 

A Great Affordable Serum 

CeraVe retinol serum$20

Target

Retinol is like a cheat code for better skin. It comes in eye-waveringly expensive creams and prescription-only formulas, but also this (relatively) affordable serum. This isn't nearly as strong as what you can get from a dermatologist, but in some way's that's a good thing, because retinol can irritate the skin of new users. Use this between cleansing and moisturizing, only in the evening, and start slow—maybe twice a week until your skin gets used to it.    

The Best Affordable Moisturizer with SPF: Cetaphil Pro 

Cetaphil oil-absorbing SPF 30 moisturizer$18 $14

Amazon

Daily hydration and sun protection are both essential, and Cetaphil’s moisturizer exceeds expectations by also mitigating oil accumulation on the skin. It leaves you with a matte face and invisible sunshield. Note this is Cetaphil's “pro” line—the normal stuff works fine, but it's worth the upgrade. 

The Best Affordable Shaving Cream: Bulldog

Bulldog shaving gel$7

Amazon

This shaving gel harnesses the soothing power of aloe to lubricate your razor and fight razor burn and adds a lovely menthol scent—it'll wake you right up in the morning.  

The Best Affordable Shampoo: Suave tea tree 

Suave tea tree shampoo$3

Target

When I was growing up Suave was a punchline. But this new tea tree-scented release is actually kind of incredible—it does a good job cleaning and smells like something that costs $30, not $3. (Of course, no matter how much you like the scent, one of the best things you can do for your hair is washing it less often, so don't get hooked.) 

The Best Affordable Conditioner: OGX

OGX argan oil conditioner$7 $6

Amazon

Argan oil is one of my favorite ingredients in skin and hair care, given its ability to restore moisture to the driest conditions. This cult-favorite, low-cost conditioner from OGX, which delivers a flood of nutrients (with argan oil chief among them), helping it rebound from lifelessness or a dehydrating shampoo.

The Best Affordable Deodorant: Old Spice Classic

Old Spice classic deodorant (2 pack)$9

Target

What was quite likely the first deodorant you ever owned is still one of the best in the game. This deodorant stick from Old Spice (in its classic scent, which rules to this day) is guaranteed to prevent smells no matter how many hours you log or miles you run. 

The Best Affordable Razors: Schick

Schick Hydro 5 sensitive skin razor (razor + 2 refills)$9

Walmart

It's easy to make fun of the ever-escalating razor wars, but five smooth-gliding blades truly do deliver a thorough, efficient shave. It adjusts to any change of pressure applied, and its refill blades are also pretty affordable. 

The Best Affordable Body Lotion: Aveeno 

Aveeno moisturizing lotion$11 $9

Amazon

O.K., maybe your mom uses this one. So what? You think you know better than the woman who gave birth to you about finding an effective and unscented body moisturizer? Use it to maintain soft, smooth skin, or to quickly restore yourself if you've gotten dry and cracked.

Read MoreEverything You Need to Know to Start a Skin-Care Routine

GQ grooming columnist Phillip Picardi breaks down how every guy can—and should!—create a regimen of creams and serums for himself.

By Phillip Picardi



Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQGQ RecommendsBathroom and ShowerMoisturizerShavingSkincare