The Best Grooming Brands to Know Right Now: The Grey and Kismet Olfactive

New men’s grooming brands pop up all the time. It’s only natural that the market is expanding these days, what with more guys putting thought into their moisturizers, shaving creams and grooming tools. But it can be hard to separate the companies that simply have good branding from those with products that actually cater to your specific needs and, overall, find which ones are worth your investment. Thus, we’re here once again to spotlight the grooming brands that should be on your radar. We’ve done the legwork for you, because looking better makes you feel better, and every guy should have a grooming routine with products that work for him.

These brands might offer a full line of products to stock your medicine cabinet, while others may specialize in one product and excel at it. Some brands may contain their own proprietary ingredients, while others use tried and true formulations. Many put just as much thought into the presentation that will enhance the aesthetics of your bathroom, while others opt for more understated packaging. Some range from the highest end of the market (if we feature it, we can vouch for it) to more accessible options that perform exceptionally well. Some might work for you, some might not, but all are worth checking out.

Regardless, knowledge is power. For this edition, we’re featuring a premium, specialized and complete European skincare brand and an NYC-based fragrance house that produces small-batch scents for the discerning nose.

The Grey

Launched in 2018, The Grey offers a no-fuss, high-end, back-to-basics men’s skincare line that has quickly garnered significant buzz among skincare enthusiasts while becoming a prominent player in the ever-expanding men’s grooming market. The Dutch brand collaborates with top European laboratories to create a specialized and effective skincare range using natural, high-quality ingredients that detoxify, refresh and nourish — a testament to their rigorous research. The superior concentrations produce fine, light skincare formulas easily absorbed by the skin. Having used the 3-in-1 Face Cream this past spring, I can attest to how easily it is applied and how it resulted in smooth, toned skin.

The packaging is minimal and handsome and fits into any grooming cabinet. Whether you aim to cleanse, hydrate, fight signs of aging or tone your skin, The Grey has a specialized offering. The line includes most men’s skincare staples, from a potent moisturizing cream and a charcoal face wash to an award-winning shampoo and deodorant. The brand also carries a range of supplements for immune defense, memory support, and daily vitamins to promote overall well-being. A good starting point is The Essentials Set, which includes a face wash, face cream and sunscreen all neatly packaged in a beautiful toiletry bag.

Here are some products we recommend, with descriptions from The Grey:

3-in-1 Face Cream

“Highly active replenishing day, night and eye moisturizer. Deeply hydrates dry skin while softening the appearance of wrinkles and visibly increasing firmer-looking skin. Skin-restoring ingredients and proven emollients revive the skin’s barrier, leading to a beautiful, healthy, younger-looking glow.”

Charcoal Face Wash

“A detoxifying gel wash delivering a deep pore clean. Natural charcoal extract draws out the dirt and excess oils that can clog pores. Soothing, non-drying lather gently washes away trapped dirt and impurities to leave all skin types feeling fresh and healthy. The Charcoal Face Wash really softens the skin and facial hair, enabling a easier shave.”

Cleansing and Shaving Mousse

“This dual-function Cleansing and Shaving Mousse is the perfect daily cleanser which transforms into an ultra-smooth, hydrating shaving mousse for a clean and close shave. Formulated with antioxidants, this mousse creates a luxurious, protective lather that provides glide and hydration for an irritation-free, close shave.”

Stimulating Shampoo

“[This] shampoo stimulates, cleanses and hydrates the scalp, which leads to optimal conditions for hair growth. This products contains various ingredients that improve blood circulation and blood flow to the scalp and nourish the hair follicles.”

The Essentials Set

“All the essentials you need for a perfect skin and an easy-to-keep routine. Cleanse, anti-age and protect, all packed in the perfect toiletry bag.”

Kismet Olfactive

We are big fans of artisanal fragrances, and Kismet Olfactive, an NYC-based independent fragrance studio, is a relative newcomer — and a standout. Kismet prides itself on custom small-batch formulations, using only the finest oils and sustainable raw materials. Bridging Persian heritage and Western upbringing, Kismet draws from diverse influences, including 1960s revolutionaries in music, film, fashion, psychedelia, nostalgia and poetry. This eclectic mix shapes the brand’s unique and evocative fragrances, designed for the modern indie connoisseur while paying homage to ancient Eastern practices and classic French perfume styles.

Read the thoughtful fragrance descriptions and scent pyramids, and you’ll find that Kismet excels in olfactive storytelling. My personal favorite fragrance, Studio, evokes the ambiance of a room filled with used books and vintage records, a cup of black tea beside last night’s glass of wine, tchotchkes on an oaken spice shelf, palo santo smoke wafting over wilting lavender, and an alluring scent from the bedroom. This warm, moody chypre fragrance is as hip, indie and intoxicating as it gets. Another standout is The Poet, featuring notes of grapefruit, lily, ambrette musk, frankincense, sandalwood, tonka bean and patchouli. Kismet embodies an intimate, inclusive and natural approach to fine fragrance creation, appealing to the tastemaker set but suitable for anyone and everyone.

Here are some fragrances we recommend, with notes from Kismet Olfactive:

Studio Scent

“A sensual chypre, Studio Scent is structured around rich Turkish fig while blending bergamot with black tea notes, lavender with amberwood, and palo santo with oak moss. Warm and moody, this is an evocative home fragrance inviting bohemian spirits to the space in which we live and work.”

Nostalgia (A Sonnet for Grasse)

“Nostalgia’s first stanza is based on seductive suede, saffron and leather accords, evoking Grasse’s roots as an epicenter of tanning in the Middle Ages. Heart notes include Rose de mai and nagarmotha as a nod to Grasse’s rise as the world’s perfume capital in the 18th century — home to hillside flower fields that meet the Mediterranean Sea. At its volta, Nostalgia turns upwards towards anisic top notes inspired by Pastis — the complex, herbal aperitif.”

The Poet

“Soft-spoken, coolly composed and worldly wise. The Poet fuses floral Casablanca lily with eastern wood and resin notes including Moroccan Atlas cedar, Omani frankincense and Indian sandalwood. A sophisticated floriental fragrance, The Poet is rounded out with sensual leather and ambrette musk, warm patchouli, grapefruit and hints of sweet tonka bean.”

Wedding in Oaxaca

“Wedding in Oaxaca is the story of two lovers bound together in a mystical Mexican city, surrounded by a parade of local music, dance and friends in wild celebration. A playful fragrance, [it] fuses smooth lactonic notes of coconut milk and tuberose with fresh floral violet leaves and woody undertones of vetiver, musk and sandalwood. May this scent always remind you of a memorable moment in time.”

Nympheas (Water Lilies)

“Inspired by Monet’s great cycle, Nymphéas (Water Lilies) is a floral fragrance exploring ambiguity, impermanence and blurred perception. Solar water lily notes hover over lily of the valley, jasmine and aquatic pond water which, in turn, mingle with earthy scents of vetiver, oak moss and maté. Embracing olfaction’s ever-shifting subtleties, Nymphéas evokes the uncanny experience of familiarity with the unfamiliar — it’s like being in love.”