For the man deciding to embark on a responsible skin-care regimen (or for the woman deciding on his behalf), the flood of new products to the market over the last year and a half makes that first baby step a confusing one. While Dr. Harold Lancer recommends exfoliating the face to remove dead skin cells, then cleaning the skin to remove dirt and oils, then repairing damage (which includes, but is not limited to, hydrating the skin with a moisturizer), if he was forced to pick just one step, it would be using an exfoliant.

“But,” he points out, “if you’re a beginner and you’re starting in the $9.95 [drugstore] category, probably the single best thing to do would be to buy a combination facial scrub and cleanser.”

To that end, we took his advice and speed-dated a handful of male-specific skin scrubs — most of which do at least double duty (and sometimes more).

Gillette Fusion ProSeries Thermal Facial Scrub (3.3 ounces, $6.99)

In June 2010, Procter & Gamble’s Gillette brand rolled out a quartet of skin-care products clustered around the traditional morning shave ritual, including a face scrub that heats up on contact with water, warming the face and softening the beard at the same time as the skin is being exfoliated and cleaned (making it a “three-fer”). The only slightly disconcerting thing about it is its light blue color, which makes it look like a toothpaste. Which could cause an awful mistake.

Although it’s not the first men’s pre-shave to crank up the heat via a chemical interaction, its recognizable name, bright orange-blue-and-silver NASCAR-worthy packaging and familiar Gillette scent make it a good point of entry for the skittish skin-care neophyte.

https://www.gillette.com/en/us/Products/skin-care/proseries.aspx