I like to look, feel, and smell good. And, with every passing day, look younger too. I'm very discerning when it comes to purchase decisions for food, clothing, or entertainment, but I'll put just about any shampoo, lotion or deodorant one finds at a pharmacy or department store on my body - and with very little thought.

This is what made my opportunity to review Hawthorne's product suite so intriguing. Are there benefits to being more discerning with my skincare? Will my co-workers notice? Will it actually improve my appearance - or at least make me feel good about it?

Read on to find out if it's worth the hype.

My Subscription Addiction paid for the styling fee of this product. (Check out the review process post to learn more.)

Quick Facts

Hawthorne Brand Overview

• Hawthorne offers a fully-tailored skincare and grooming plan to your body’s needs and lifestyle preferences.
• All Hawthorne products are 100% natural, aluminum-free, and cruelty-free.
• The product assortment includes body wash, deodorant, conditioner, lotions, cologne sets, and other men’s grooming products.

How It Works

• Upon sign-up, Hawthorne requests customers complete a 23-question quiz about each individual's skincare and grooming needs and lifestyle preferences to better determine product formulations.
• Hawthorne's suggested products are the algorithmic result of study-backed research from hundreds of thousands of customer's data.
• Hawthorne's suggested results can be purchased individually or as sets and as one-time purchases or as a recurring subscription. A la carte options are also available.

Cost

• Product pricing ranges by product type.
• Receive free shipping on orders over $25.00 or any subscription order.

Subscription Frequency

• Hawthrone automatically populates reorder frequencies based on suggested use.
• Customers can slow, expedite or cancel recurring order frequencies whenever they want.

Cancellation Policy

• Hawthorne is easy to cancel (or modify) and risk-free.
• Customers can cancel at any time and are protected by a satisfaction guarantee.

Creating a Hawthorne Profile

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Personal Care Quiz

Hawthorne relies on an impressive, 23-question personal care quiz to build perfectly suited skincare and fragrance formulas for your needs. Their study-backed research utilizing hundreds of thousands of customer data sets has resulted in an algorithm identifying "the perfect products for your body chemistry, skin type, hair type, and lifestyle with over 97% accuracy." That's quite a confident statement! Questions range in scope from identifying your body and skin type ("what's your main hair or skin need?" or "what's your body skin type?") to personal care preferences ("bar soap or body wash?") to lifestyle choices ("drink of choice?" or "where do you work?"). I actually had a lot of fun filling this out. I also probably stressed a couple of my answers - "am I still a beer guy?", for example - way more than I should have. I'd love to get behind the hood of this algorithm to understand how something as simple as selecting "bar" vs. "dinner" for my preferred night out affects Hawthorne's product recommendations.

As for my decisions... discovering formulas that will improve (or at least assist) my somewhat oily, bald head and, most importantly (according to my wife), reduce wrinkles and the dark circles under my eyes after 30+ years of being a terrible sleeper.

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Quiz Results Preview

Upon completion, Hawthorne provides you with a series of items across its entire product suite that has been recommended (with 97% accuracy!) based on your answers. Products can be purchased in sets (ex. Hawthorne's bathroom set consists of deodorant, body wash, and shave gel) or as individual items including bottles of cologne (for work and play!), lotion, and conditioner. Customers also have the option to make a one-time purchase or as a recurring subscription at a discounted rate.

I obviously wanted to try everything. I'll apply anything said to improve my personal hygiene. I decided to select "The Face Set" for the purpose of this review. For a $59.00 recurring bundle, I received a face cleanser, face lotion, brightening and de-puffing eye cream, and SPF 30 face sunscreen. Each product was specifically formulated (which I'll get into below) to combat my skincare concerns and set me on a path to looking like I'm right out of high school. At least I hope so.

What Did I Get in My Hawthorne Box?

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What Comes in the Box?

The highlights of my first-ever Hawthorne box were obviously the four beautifully packaged (and colorful!) skincare products: a natural face cleanser ($14.00), natural face lotion ($14.00), SPF 30 face sunscreen ($14) and brightening and depuffing eye cream ($17.00). The box also came with a recounting of my quiz profile responses, as well as additional information about the products I received.

How did Hawthorne's Skincare Products Perform?

First, a caveat: this is my maiden voyage into skincare. Sure, I've put lathered my face and skin in the Lubriderm and cocoa butter lying around the house or in the luxurious amenities provided by upscale hotels. But I've never, ever, bought products specifically for the purpose of improving my complexion. Let alone products geared towards my exact concerns or needs.

But I'm going to go out on a limb and assume there are many others exactly like me out there when it comes to self-care.

While my knowledge is amateurish and the sample size is still low, I have to say I am pleased with the Hawthorne experience - from customer service to delivery to, most importantly, the product itself.

Speaking of which, let's dive deeper into my face set. And go exactly in order of application as Hawthorne recommends.

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My new daily routine begins by applying Hawthorne's Natural Face Cleanser. It requires lathering a dime-sized amount onto your wet face before rinsing with warm water. The "Natural" version was selected from their five face cleanse variations to remove dirt and oil. Key ingredients include Calendula (extracted from marigold flowers), aloe vera and Centella Asiatica (aka Tiger Grass). It's said to smell like Bergamot Oil - and I'll take their word for it. While everyone's routine will vary, Hawthorne recommends applying at least once per day.

While my application sample size remains low, I can at least attest to the positive feeling I gain immediately after each wash knowing I've cleaned my face in a non-shower setting for one of the first times in my life.

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Step two is, perhaps, the one I'm most excited about. And something my wife told me "I definitely need." It's time to apply the Brightening and Depuffing Under Eye Corrector. Hawthorne offers three versions of eye cream. My selection is said to brighten dark circles and depuff under-eye bags. While I'd prefer to simply become a "good sleeper" for the first time in my life, I'll happily settle for a cream that gives me the look of one. Its key ingredients include Caffeine, Cucumber and Vitamin C.

It provides a cooling and oddly soothing feeling as I lightly pat a small amount under my eyes. While I don't yet see any immediate effects, I look forward to continuing this process (and attempting to sleep next door to an 8-month-old). And if I ever miss a day, the bottom line is my wife will be there to correct that.

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The third step has offered the most noticeable, immediate impact. Hawthorne's Natural Face Lotion is again one of five formulas focused on hydrating all skin types thanks to a combination of ancient grains, healing oils and nutrient-dense avocado. Key ingredients include Jojoba Oil and Shea Butter. Hawthorne clearly recognizes the importance of a hydrated face as it recommends use twice a day.

As noted earlier, applying lotion to my face is not new to me. Applying lotion specifically formulated for your face - and my dry face, at that - is a welcomed change. It's hard to illustrate or even show you the difference it's made but my face just feels different. Subtle? Sure. But every little bit counts.

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Last but certainly not least is Hawthorne's Mineral Face Sunscreen with SPF 30. I know I talked up the face lotion's importance but this - especially for my fellow bald men - might be the most important. And it's already received the most use. It's formulated with ingredients such as Zinc Oxide, Green Tea and Coconut Alkanes to act as a physical barrier against UV rays.

Few things are as important to me as protecting my skin - especially my scalp - from these increasingly hot and sunny days. I've applied this sunscreen nearly every day since receiving and don't intend to leave home without it.

Common Questions

What Grooming Products Does Hawthorne Offer?

Hawthorne’s high-end grooming product assortment includes skincare, conditioner, deodorant and other accessories specifically customized for each customer’s unique body chemistry.

What are Hawthorne Products Made Of?

Hawthorne products are all 100% natural and made in the U.S. All ingredients are sulfate-free, paraben-free, aluminum-free and cruelty-free.

Is Hawthorne Worth It?

Prices vary but costs for most lotions and creams range between $13-17.00 with a recurring subscription and slightly higher as a one-time order. Lower priced options exist on places like Amazon or Walmart, but it's also far from the most expensive. Given the personalization, natural ingredients and high-end experience, I believe Hawthorne is worth giving a try.

Is Hawthorne Easy to Cancel?

Yes, Hawthorne proudly offers customers 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Products can be canceled at any time for a full refund or be retailored to your updated needs.

My Verdict

It bears repeating I'm a novice in the category. There are far more well-qualified men's skincare reviewers in the universe. But my guess is it's the less-qualified skincare amateurs that need, and should try, Hawthorne the most.

Did I have any idea what I needed based on my skincare and lifestyle profile? Absolutely not. Thank god for Hawthorne's algorithm and data sets to answer those questions for me. The biggest potential concern is whether the answers I provided are actually accurate. If not, I guess I have bigger problems.

My experience from sign-up to filling out the quiz to experiencing and applying the lotions was tremendous. Hawthorne offers customers high-quality ingredients in high-end packaging. Receiving a personalized set of four different skincare products for a recurring price (every nine weeks) of $59.00 feels more than fair.

I already feel better taking this regimented approach to improving my skin. I (rather my wife) can't wait to enjoy the physical effects!

Give Hawthorne a Try!

Have you ordered from Hawthorne? What did you think of their skincare or fragrance selections? Did you order on a recurring basis? Let us know below!

Curious about other Hawthorne packages? Learn more about Hawthorne.