About the Brand

Hawthorne is a cologne, grooming, and self care brand offering high quality, natural products personalized based on your preferences. The brand is elevated but approachable–a major step up from the Old Spice you used in college, but much more affordable than the Aesops of the world.

It’s worth noting that, while the brand is clearly geared toward men, I found the scents in their products to be very natural and sophisticated, and they could certainly be used by folks of all genders.

How it Works

You start by completing a 20 question quiz to begin personalizing your self care routine. Questions cover a range of categories like hair and skin type and shower product preferences, to personality and favorite activities for a night out. This helps them not only choose products that address your grooming needs, but also scents and styles that fit your lifestyle and personality. Of course, if you’d prefer to take matters into your own hands, you can browse all of their products a la carte in their shop as well.

Products and Prices

Hawthorne’s flagship products are their colognes. Made by award winning perfumers, the scents are modern and sophisticated, and are priced very affordably at $50. They also have a large variety of self care products for body (bar soaps, body washes, lotions), hair (shampoos, conditioners, and styling products), and face (cleansers, lotions, and eye creams). These are also reasonably priced given their high quality, ranging from $13 to $19. They also sell home products which include hand washes ($12) and candles ($33), with scents that mirror some of the cologne options.

Products I Tried

I tested a variety of products for this review – Three cologne fragrances, Exfoliating Body Wash, Hydrating Shampoo, Sensitive Skin Face Cleanser, Hinoki Hand Wash, Medium Weight Body Lotion, Medium Weight Face Lotion, and the Warm and Woody Citrus candle.

The Colognes

Hawthorne has two main cologne categories, Work and Play, along with a variety of seasonal and limited edition releases. Work scents are more subtle, designed to not overpower the office, while Play scents are a bit stronger and more adventurous. I tried three fragrances:

• Mineral Wave - A limited edition summer seasonal scent
• Green Cyprus - A limited edition winter seasonal scent
• Sophisticated and Aromatic - A best selling “Play” scent

Mineral Wave - The Hawthorne team did a pretty unbelievable job bottling a perfect “beachy” scent with this cologne. It’s a relaxed, breezy fragrance that really is reminiscent of a warm summer day at the beach. Key ingredients are beach sand accord, laminaria seaweed, wild sage, and sunkissed driftwood. This fragrance doesn’t quite feel right in the winter, so keep in mind it won’t be a year round go-to. ★★★★☆

Green Cyprus - A woodsy, forest scent, Green Cyprus is made with cyprus (of course), pine resin, oakmoss, and fir balsam. Again, Hawthorne’s perfumers very effectively captured the earthy, outdoorsman’s vibe this cologne’s name implies. It’s sharper smelling than Mineral Wave, but still subtle and sophisticated. With that said, this was my least favorite of the three, although that is more due to personal preference than quality of the fragrance. ★★★☆☆

Sophisticated and Aromatic - My favorite scent of the three. It’s light and airy, with a bit of sweetness and a bit of earthiness. Made with notes of smoked pineapple, sea salt, petitgrain, and vetiver, this fragrance feels modern, energetic and elevated. This has quickly become my go-to for nights out, and is one I’ll definitely be reordering when the time comes. ★★★★★

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The Other Stuff

The Shower Stuff - The Exfoliating Body Wash and Hydrating Shampoo both have a Eucalyptus Mint scent that’s fresh and energizing. I love the body wash especially – It has a great lather, doesn’t dry out my skin, and a little goes a long way, which is not always the case with other premium body wash brands. The Sensitive Skin Face Cleanser is one of the best face washes I’ve used. It’s an unscented gel cleanser with a soft, smooth feel. I have naturally oily skin, and it does a great job of keeping that under control without drying out my skin.

The Lotions - The Medium Weight Face Lotion has a slightly unusual texture – less of a typical cream and more of a light gel. The scent is nice and subtle and the formula is non-greasy as designed. Personally however, I prefer a bit of a lighter face lotion, so might give the lightweight formula a try next time. The Medium Weight Body Lotion on the other hand was perfect. Not too thick and not too thin, rich and moisturizing without leaving my hands greasy.

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The Home Stuff - The Hinoki Wood Hand Wash is one of my sneaky favorite products of the bunch, with a rich, earthy scent that comes across as trendy and luxurious. The Woody Citrus Candle, unsurprisingly, smells great as well, with a warm, soothing scent that fills the room without being overpowering.

Is it Worth It?

I’m extremely impressed with the quality of Hawthorne’s products across the board. As a company that specializes in fragrances, it’s no surprise that their scented products stand out as some of the best I’ve tried. Their prices are above the typical drugstore brands, but well below the vast majority of premium self-care brands and designer colognes. If you do manage to find something you’re not a fan of, they have a generous 30 day guarantee, and will happily return or exchange your products for something that suits you better. In my opinion, it’s a no-brainer: Hawthorne’s products are absolutely worth it!