Cardon Skincare Review: The Best Products in Cardon’s Efficient, Effective Assortment

Many brands get schticky when they move into the men’s skincare space. They insist that men’s skin is somehow profoundly different and describe it like a fresh frontier. They are Meriwether Lewis describing the Pacific coast. But the truth is that men’s skin is not profoundly different than women’s skin. It contains more oil and more follicles, some of which are sheared regularly by razors. That’s it. So I was skeptical in 2019 when Cardon built a go-to-market strategy around men being ignored. I was dismissive.
I wasn’t wrong about the marketing, but I was wrong about the product.

Cardon takes its name from a cactus extract used in a majority of the brands products. It’s a soothing, hydrating, antioxidant-rich anti-inflammatory. And it makes the products – including the Purifying Clay Cleanser, Hydro Boost Gel Moisturizer and Dark Circle Eye Rescue – better. This is saying something because the products are impressive to begin with and collectively greater than the sum of their parts. The brand’s focus is on combining effective ingredients and it’s clear that the brand’s founders wanted to prioritize effectiveness over cost-cutting ingredients or potent scents. This direct approach is endemic to Korean brands, which is likely why so many have seen global success over the last few years.

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How We Tested Cardon’s Skincare Line

SPY’s resident grooming expert tested Cardon’s full line of products for a full month, eliminating other products from his routine in order to accurately gauge their effects. Rather than using each product one at a time, he used the entire collection simultaneously to test how the products work with one another and magnify each other’s effects. 

I adore this product. 10/10. I struggled to note any potential “cons” for the list below, because it is beyond perfect. It’s gentle on all skin types, even sensitive skin. It deeply cleans without dehydrating. It feels cushioning, too. I’m someone who washes his face 3-4 times daily (morning, night, post-workout, and whenever I feel too oily). This stuff prevents me from parching the pelt, and I get a genuine giddiness each morning when I see it on the sink ledge.

My initial surprise with this product was how small it was; how could this be an effective purchase if it fits snugly in my pocket, and is the size of a standard eye cream or facial serum? And yet, a pea-sized amount covers the entire mug, and satisfies that daily demand for SPF30+ coverage. It’s lightweight on the skin, it lasts me a month or two, and it travels oh so easily. Why would anyone want a larger product after having tried this?

Whenever I need an extra layer of defense during the day (particularly in the winter), I layer this hydrator over top the SPF one. It’s also a frequent standalone bedtime option, given the featherlight wear plus the supreme hydration and skin-barrier reinforcement. The gel formula suits all skin types, but I think dry skin will find it especially beneficial, thanks to the inclusion of regenerative rosehip oil. (Oily skin, worry not; that’s not a comedogenic oil ingredient, and this one will also help reduce the appearance of your overactive pores thanks to 2% niacinamide inclusion.)

Exfoliation should be a part of everyone’s core skincare routine, but I’d classify this product as  “supplementary,” since it goes above and beyond the standard-fare skin-smoothing product. It is part exfoliator with gentle Polyhydroxy acid (gluconolactone) which buffs away dead surface level cells without irritating skin—in fact, it also balances pH levels to control oil production and prevent inflammation; but turn the pad over and it’s also got a skin-soothing application of cactus extract to cushion the come-down while maintaining pH levels. It’s an impressive 2-for-1, but it’s more elaborate than most chemical exfoliators. 

I’ve used these from time to time as midday refreshes, like any standard fare face wipe, since the exfoliation is anything but grating on skin. They’re also mild enough to use daily, unlike most exfoliating products which must be spaced apart every few days.

One of the most easily applied eye creams out there technically isn’t an eye cream but a serum, and I suggest you store it in the fridge so you get the full de-puffing effects. And while the product name on this one suggests dark circle defense, it also benefits the eyes in other ways: antioxidants and peptides prevent further thinning of the skin, which prevents wrinkles, fine lines, sagging, puffiness, and yes, dark circles. The hyaluronic acid in this one also helps eyes look instantly alert, by fortifying skin with up to 1000x its own weight in water.

These little stickers are among the best acne patches in the game, because they go above and beyond most others. While the baseline for pimple patches is a simple hydrocolloid dressing, these ones are loaded with salicylic acid to deflate the gnarliest cystic pimples (before they ever break skin), and they also flood the pore with niacinamide to reduce pore appearance and preserve moisture in the skin, as well as cica to reduce inflammation and redness. Wear them overnight to wake up to a miracle, or discreetly during the day to cover up a blemish without calling attention to the patch.

These charcoal-powered sheet masks are one of two sheet-mask offerings from Cardon (the other being this ultra-soothing full-face sheet.) Cardon has also, finally, thrown bearded men a bone with these charcoal sheet masks. In addition to being deeply detoxifying for pores and purifying for the skin, they’re also cut above the facial-hair line so they’ll stick to your face when you aren’t otherwise freshly shaved. On top of that, they come with a sachet of beard oil to keep both whiskers and skin hydrated and softened. Do one sheet mask each week in order to keep skin ultra nourished on the regular; the 4-pack thus lasts one month.

Cardon’s latest foray is into hygiene, and this body wash is a well-executed step away from the facial regimen. It left my skin nourished and supple to the touch after each rinse (hard water be damned), and I found it especially effective at flushing away excess grime and sweat after intense workouts.

You can buy these products individually or together, but this shampoo and conditioner are so complementary to one another, that I see no reason not to get both. They rely on the same key ingredients—scalp-hydrating yeast extract, ultra-hydrating dexpanthenol, and follicle-fortifying niacinamide—to help calm the scalp and promote anchored, fuller hair growth. All hair types will find it satisfying, but especially guys who prioritize hair retention. I’ve got long hair at present and found the conditioner especially competitive against some of the more expensive, salon-caliber brands that would charge upwards of 5x more for the same result.