Caldera Lab Skincare for Men, and Anyone Else

Caldera Lab Skincare for Men, and Anyone Else

Caldera lab began when a founder in Jackson Hole borrowed his wife's serum and wondered why nothing like it existed for men. Here are the Caldera + Lab serums, cleansers and moisturizers I would start with, plus eye creams, cleansers and shave picks from other brands.

The story behind Caldera Lab is refreshingly ordinary. Founder Jared Pobre moved with his wife, Stacy Keibler, to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the dry mountain climate left his skin raw and red. He tried one of her serums, and as he told Entrepreneur, it cleared things up within a week. He asked why nothing like it existed for men, and the brand launched in 2019 with a single product, The Good, an oil-based serum made from wild-harvested botanicals. The name is a nod to the volcanic caldera at Yellowstone and to the lab side of the formulas.

The lead product here is The Great Lightweight Facial Serum, which Pobre describes as a water-based version of The Good. The Good Face Serum is the original hero. The Base Layer Fortifying Moisturizer and The Clean Slate Balancing Cleanser round out the three-step routine the brand calls The Regimen, along with The Good. The Hydro Layer Lightweight Moisturizer is a lighter moisturizer, and The Eye Serum Rejuvenating Eye Elixir covers the eye area. The Deep Reviving Clay Mask is a weekly extra, and The Smooth Shaving Elixir covers the shave.

This works for any skin that likes a short routine, so pass it along to whoever needs it. A quick test: use one serum morning or night for two weeks before you add anything else, and notice how your skin feels by afternoon.

Big numbers collage for Caldera Lab: six products from Caldera + Lab, The Ordinary and Jack Black, each set beside a large numeral
Caldera Lab

Caldera + Lab skincare

Eye creams and everyday moisturizers

Eye creams and daily moisturizers are where most people improvise, so here is how I read this grid. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG is a water-based serum for dark circles and puffiness. OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright+ Vitamin C Eye Creme is a brightening cream that the brand says also helps concealer go on better. Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream uses Viniferine, caffeine and niacinamide and is fragrance free. belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb has peptide and ceramide and promises up to 48 hours of moisture. innisfree Green Tea PDRN Eye & Lip Serum is a two-in-one serum for eyes and lips with peptides and encapsulated retinol.

For the face, Clinique For Men Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer is a lightweight lotion that eases shaving irritation, and Clinique For Men Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid is a quick-absorbing cream aimed at lines, wrinkles and dullness. The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Hyaluronic Acid Daily Moisturizer is fragrance free and non-comedogenic.

A pairing tip: dab eye cream with your ring finger, starting at the outer corner and moving in, and keep it off the lash line.

What I would skip: a rich anti-aging cream in the morning if you shave right after. Use the gel moisturizer then and save the heavier cream for night.

Moisturizers and eye treatments

Clean faces and smooth shaves

Cleansing and shaving set up the rest of the routine, so they deserve some thought. Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave is an all-in-one pre-shave oil, shave cream and conditioner, made with macadamia nut and jojoba oils and no fragrance. Clinique For Men Charcoal Face Wash Gel is a charcoal gel wash from the same men's line. The Ordinary Glucoside Gentle Foaming Cleanser is a mild foaming wash that keeps the moisture barrier intact. fresh Soy Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser is a gel with soy proteins, aloe and cucumber extract. Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash is a gel with mint that rinses away makeup and surface oils. Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser is a pH-balanced liquid with plum and mung bean extracts. rhode Pineapple Refresh PGA Daily Cleanser is a balm-to-lather cleanser that removes SPF and makeup. First Aid Beauty Ultra Gentle Pure Skin Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is fragrance free with colloidal oatmeal and glycerin.

How to use them: wash your face, then shave, because warm water softens whiskers. Rinse well and follow with a moisturizer.

What I would skip: a strong foaming wash twice a day if your skin feels tight. Move to a cream-to-foam cleanser at night and use water in the morning.

Cleansers and shave

A routine that stays simple

A routine that stays simple is the one you keep. Cleanser, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen in the morning, cleanser and moisturizer at night. Pick a serum for your biggest concern, pick one moisturizer for your skin type, and add an eye cream only if you notice the area. Caldera + Lab built the whole line around that kind of short routine, and I think that is a sensible way to start, whoever the skincare is for. Use each product for a few weeks before judging it, and let the boring habits carry the results.