12 Great Grooming Gifts That Dad Will Actually Use

Colognes, shaving gear and shower gel are failsafe, tried-and-tested gifts for dads and husbands on Father’s Day. But lots of them end up shoved to the back of the cupboard because the men in our lives simply can’t be bothered to use them, or don’t see the difference when they do. Here are 12 men’s grooming gifts that actually work, whether it’s on his under-eye bags or his undercarriage. —Aileen Lalor

american crew father’s day travel kit. You’re actually able to travel this summer, so help him do it in style with a kit ($28 at americancrew.com) that comprises shampoo, body wash, shave gel and hair-styling fibre, all of such high quality that the men in our lives actually commented upon it (unheard of!).

beautycounter counterman collection. Chic packaging, glorious citrus scents and lightweight textures make this collection ($143 at beautycounter.com) of cleanser, lotion, shave cream, body wash and soap an absolute winner for stylish dads.

bruush electric toothbrush. If Apple made sonic toothbrushes, they would look just like this sleek device ($99 at bruush.ca), which gives you 31,000 strokes per minute, a 30-day battery life and six cleaning modes including whitening and gum-cleaning. And it’s not form over function: it works better than the leading sonic toothbrush brand we were devoted to for years. And, so you’re not scrubbing away at your teeth with a manky old brush head, you can sign up for a refill subscription that gives you three new heads twice a year.

clarins energizing gel and energizing eye gel. Most men, unused to wearing skin care, can’t stand anything heavy on their skin. This new duo (at Clarins counters and clarins.ca) is feather light, easily absorbed and delivers moisture and instant depuffing.

dippity do hemp all over hair and scalp 5 in 1. If your guy is only going to use one product, make it this good all-rounder ($36 at dippity-do.ca), which is shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion in one, plus a good pick-me-up, thanks to its energizing peppermint scent.

maison francis kurkdjian aqua celestia cologne forte. This is our pick for best men’s cologne of the year so far. Opening with citrus, blackcurrant and jasmine, it dries down to a musky base. Let’s just say we were planning to gift it, but we ended up gifting it to ourselves.

jack black reserve collection. Your bearded boy will appreciate this beard oil, body and hair cleanser and body lotion ($42 at getjackblack.ca), all with a warm cardamom/cedarwood scent.

malin + goetz cannabis candle. He might believe you have too many scented candles, until he clocks this bad boy (at malinandgoetz.ca). Spicy and herbaceous, deep and dark this slowly burns for 60 hours, and when it’s spent, the candleholder does double duty as a glass.

king c gillette starter kit. King Camp Gillette was the inventor of the double-edged safety razor, so we have him to thank for our husbands and dads not cutting their faces to ribbons every day on a cut-throat razor. Now, the brand he founded has launched a brand named after him and including all you need to look after your skin, including razors, a beard trimmer, face wash, beard balm and shave gel. It all comes in elegant retro-inspired packaging (from $8 at masteryourstyle.ca).

manscaped the ultra smooth package. This one’s probably for your partner not your dad—it includes shaving gel, an exfoliant and a close-shave razor all designed for below the waist ($50 at manscaped.com). Why does he need a special kit for that? The razor is engineered to pivot more around awkward crevices, the exfoliant prevents ingrown hairs in the trousers department, and the clear shaving gel means you can see exactly what you’re trimming so you don’t remove anything you shouldn’t.

revlon oil absorbing volcanic roller. Men’s skin tends to be oilier than women’s. If your dad or husband is displaying too much of a glow, give him this facial roller ($19 at revlon.com) made from volcanic stone. It immediately absorbs excess oil, is pocket-sized so he can carry it wherever he goes, and it’s reusable (wash with soap and water between uses).

rouge light therapy table top device. If the man in your life is into technology and not skincare, steer him in the right direction with this device, which promises to reduce acne, boost collagen production and healing of cuts and scrapes, and even support hair growth. Users also say it alleviates arthritis pain and post-exercise aches. Light and compact, you can hang it on a door or stand it on a tabletop and use it daily for around 30 minutes.