Horace Skincare Review: The Climate-Conscious Cosmetics Living Up To The Hype

For the past two months, I’ve been incorporating several of Horace’s best-selling products into my daily routine to assess whether this natural French-made skincare range can deliver tangible results.

Gone are the days for blokes to rely on an old bar of soap for an all-inclusive 360 approach to their skin and body care regime. With more and more affordable and effective products available that are specifically catered for Australian men, it’s no longer an excuse to not have a go-to brand for all your extensive skincare needs.

I should preface this article by saying I’ve always struggled with my skin; as a teenager, I had bad skin and tried every breakout-preventing myth under the sun to treat the problem. It got to the point where I had to take a series of prescribed treatments to fix the problem.

As an adult, my skin’s a lot better but I still have to be careful to keep my skin clean and hydrated to ensure I don’t break out… it certainly doesn’t help with the amount of alcohol events I attend but that’s another issue for another article.

I was excited to try out Horace’s extensive range for their unique and compelling story. Founded in 2015 by three mates in Paris, Horace set out to produce a series of skincare products specifically catered for the everyday man, delivering a product for every need and occasion throughout their extensive range.

Their original premise was simple: to create natural products that are reliable, easy to use and good for all skin, complexions and hair types.

Here I’ll go through each and every one of Horace’s most popular products and give an honest review of my experience with them. To be honest, I’ve found myself using some more than others, and I’ll admit for a couple I had to google what they do (and why I needed it), but overall, I’m pleased to say Horace has delivered on everything they promised.

Quick Look At Horace

Sold? Here’s my favourite.

Editor’s Pick

Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser

A great moisturiser that left my skin fresh and hydrated. Every bloke needs a go-to daily moisturiser and Horace’s offering ticks all the boxes.

Why Trust Us?

We get a lot of skin care products sent to the DMARGE office; like a lot. So when I say we’ve tried our fair share over the last decade, you can believe it.

The bottom line is we’re all everyday guys who have the same everyday needs; with a range of different skin types, we’re each looking for something different from the products we try. This is reflected in our first-hand accounts of each of the products we use and review.

When a brand claims to be no frills but can still pack a punch under the minimalist design, while maintaining an all-natural list of ingredients and being a fraction of the cost of some of the bigger brands, we knew we had to give them a try.

So we selected seven picks from the Horace lineup from MECCA and got them sent to the office so that we can check to see if they actually deliver on all their promises.

So let’s take a look, shall we?

Horace Cedar & Sage Shower Gel

Essential Everyday

Horace Cedar & Sage Shower Gel 500ml

A paraben-free shower gel that cleanses and freshens your skin, leaving you smelling great.

The bottle comes with a pump action spout so it’s great for use in the shower.

In all honesty, it’s hard to go wrong with a shower gel. At first, I didn’t love the smell of Horace’s Cedar and Sage shower gel; it was herbal – botanical, almost. Like I was seasoning myself before I started the day. But it’s certainly one from Horace’s range that’s slowly grown on me throughout the testing.

It comes in an easy-to-use pump action spout so it can happily sit in your shower rack at home without any fuss. It’s a good, reliable product for everyday use and leaves me looking clean and fresh – even when I’m not feeling it. But at $31, it’s certainly reaching the higher price point for a shower gel, and I’m not entirely convinced I’d spend that money again.

Horace Purifying Face Cleanser

Another Everyday Hero

Horace Purifying Face Cleanser 200ml

Extremely effective face wash for the everyday. Natural ingredients leaves the skin feeling clean, soft and hydrated.

Would highly recommend this product.

Every bloke needs a go-to daily face wash; it’s no good using a one-size-fits-all bar of soap for every job in the morning. Horace’s Purifying Face Cleanser quickly became a staple part of the morning routine after its first use.

I’m always trying to keep my skin from breaking out and this is one of Horace’s products that I feel is the most effective in keeping my skin clean and free of impurities. Active charcoal gets deep in to purify the skin, whilst aloe vera and plant-derived glycerin keep you soft and hydrated. It’s paraben, sulphate and oil-free giving you a natural feel that doesn’t dry your skin out.

At $25, it’s certainly a good price point for a daily face wash, and comes in a handy 200ml bottle so it’ll keep you going for a while.

Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser

Another day Another Moisturiser

Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser 75ml

A no fuss product for effective everyday use. Just a small amount goes a long way so use sparingly, and you’ll still see and feel the results.

After you’ve washed your face of all its impurities, it’s essential to grab a moisturiser to protect your skin – and you can’t go wrong with Horace’s Mattifying Face Moisturiser.

Less is certainly more with this product; just a small dab will cover your skin and keep it hydrated and fresh without it feeling wet or oily.

Apart from leaving my skin feeling good, the best feature is this product is fragrance-free. I hate when I’m chucking on a moisturiser and it’s left me stinking like mint or citrus; the Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser is a simple, but effective solution for everyday care without the unwanted extras.

At $29, it’s a good investment to protect your skin and will certainly last.

Horace’s Serum Salic Acid + Niacin

With my skin history, this was the product I was most looking forward to using. It claims to reduce the appearance of blemishes, ultimately keeping your skin from flaring up at the worst times and keeping the spots at bay. To be honest, this was the one that disappointed me the most.

BHAs such as Salicylic acid are used to help unclog pores and tackle blackheads, whilst Niacinamide helps to repair the skin and reduce melanin, specifically designed to prevent blemishes.

Horace’s Serum is certainly not a cure-all product and throughout this test, I’ve consistently broken out, even though I’ve followed the regime.

At $37 it’s not a cheap product either and felt more like a luxury item amongst the rest of the range that had so far proven simple and effective.

Horace Healthy Glow Fluid

Wake Up And Shine

Horace Healthy Glow Fluid 30ml

Not for the everyday, this product delivers on its claim of leaving your skin hydrated and glowing, if that’s what you’re after.

At first, I wasn’t entirely sure why I wanted my skin to glow. As far as I was concerned, people actively used products to try and reduce the chance of a shiny face and forehead so this product was a new one for me.

Horace’s Healthy Glow Fluid claims to reduce sebum found in skin; an oily and slightly waxy substance that is less than desirable for those looking for a sheer finish. Relatively, Horace’s Healthy Glow Fluid did give my skin a glow, it felt and looked even and moisturised, so I was happy to keep using it.

Completely free of parabens, silicones and mineral oil, this is another one of Horace’s products that’s both kind to your skin and the environment, but I wasn’t sure I could justify the $37 price tag… maybe it’s just wasted on me.

Horace Gentle Face Scrub

Packs A Punch

Horace Gentle Face Scrub 75ml

The perfect post-workout product, this face scrub gets deep into your pores and retains your skin’s moisture well.

I’ll definitely get this one again.

Gentle by name but not by nature, the Horace Gentle Face Scrub does a remarkable job at exfoliating your skin for that extra sparkly clean.

I ended up using this one every time I got back from the gym, due to the all-natural murumuru butter and seeds that tackle impurities across your face, getting deep into your pores to unclog and refresh your skin. Again, this one’s free of any silicones, parabens and mineral oils, making it the perfect product after a sweaty workout.

At $25, it sits at an affordable price point for intermittent use and a small amount definitely goes a long way.

Horace Face Firming Gel

As a spritely young lad whose skin hasn’t been tested by the inevitability of time, Horace’s Face Firming Gel might be more of a preventative product for me, rather than a treatment. But I can certainly still feel the benefits of getting ahead of the curve and finding a good anti-wrinkle cream before I hit 30 – and Horace’s Face Firming Gel certainly ticks a lot of the boxes.

Horace uses hyaluronic acid here to reduce the natural deterioration of the skin’s lipid barrier, which, when not functioning properly, can leave your skin more susceptible to dehydration which can ultimately cause wrinkles. This is paired with the Kakadu plum, a natural fruit that contains the active nutrient ellagic acid, which is effective at fighting free radical damage and protecting the skin from signs of aging.

So actually, this product is the perfect preventative product, after all.

It’s pricey at $37, but compared to some of the other anti-wrinkle products on the market, I’d say it’s around what you should be paying for an effective product.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, I enjoyed experimenting with Horace’s extensive range of dedicated skincare products for men and will certainly continue to use at least three of these going forward: Horace Gentle Face Scrub, Horace Mattifying Face Moisturiser and Horace Purifying Face Cleanser.

These days it’s not enough for companies to simply make products; consumers are looking brands – and in particular skincare and cosmetics brands – to make certain promises that they’re otherwise unable to affect or change, such as the quality of the ingredients they use and the impact it has on the environment.

Horace’s commitment to using 95% to 100% all-natural products not only benefits your skin but also plays a crucial role in reducing chemical pollution on the planet. This commitment is instrumental in driving positive change, so when you use their products, do so with a clear conscience, as well as clearer skin.