There are a lot of jokes about men not knowing how to take care of their skin. The 3-in-1 face wash, body wash, and shampoo trope is funny– but it also reflects the frustrating fact that most men never learn how to take care of their skin or have many options for products that help.
Growing up, I thought “skincare” amounted to washing my face in the morning and at night with a drugstore-brand benzoyl peroxide cleanser. All I got from that was dry skin and bleached shirt collars.
As an adult– and recognizing that as a white person, having skin that naturally ages gracefully is unlikely– I’ve made a point to take care of my skin. It doesn’t take a genius to know that having moisturized skin and preventing skin cancer is ideal.
In my efforts to follow an ideal skincare routine, I decided to try Tiege Hanley. I wanted to see if they live up to their motto: “Uncomplicated skin care for men.”
Here’s what I thought.
Tiege Hanley Skincare Review
The specific product I tried was the Level 3 skincare system.
This combination includes:
- A daily face wash
- An exfoliating scrub
- A morning moisturizer
- An evening moisturizer
- Eye cream
- A toning and tightening serum
While that sounds like a lot, it’s fairly intuitive. You use the daily face wash morning and night, just like you would any other face wash. A couple of times per week, you use the exfoliating scrub. Apply the serum after you’ve dried your face, and then put the morning or nighttime moisturizer over it, depending on the time.
If you don’t have any skincare routine already, it can be a lot to get used to, but overall, it’s pretty intuitive.
Pros- What I Like About the Tiege Hanley Level 3 Skincare System
Overall, there’s a lot to like about this product. The cleanser and moisturizers all have a fairly neutral scent, which I like. I don’t want cleansers that will compete with my deodorant or cologne. The cleansers and moisturizers have a faint floral scent (likely from the lavender and rosemary oils in the ingredients). Still, it’s not overpowering and dissipates quickly– I don’t feel like it clings to my skin.
On top of that, the AM moisturizer has an SPF of 20. That is amazing. Applying a daily SPF to your face is one of the most important things you can do to prevent premature aging, skin cancer, and wrinkles. Many facial moisturizers have some SPF factor, but they’re often lower– in the range of 5 to 15. While that’s better than nothing, 20-50 is ideal, so I was very glad to see the SPF of 20 on the AM moisturizer.
Speaking of the moisturizer, I also think it’s helpful to have both an AM and a PM moisturizer. At first, I worried that having two separate moisturizers would complicate things unnecessarily. Overall, though, I think this works well since you can use the SPF moisturizer for the daytime, and then the slightly creamier PM moisturizer before bed to help lock in moisture while you sleep.
I definitely feel like the cleanser and exfoliant do their jobs well. I haven’t had any breakouts since I’ve been using Tiege Hanley regularly, and neither leaves any residue on my skin after rinsing. The moisturizers don’t make my face too shiny, either, but they manage to moisturize well.
Cons– What Could Have Been Better About the Tiege Hanley Level 3 Skincare System
Overall, I really liked this product, so it’s hard to pinpoint specific cons. However, no product is perfect, and I think there are a few things about the system that could have been better.
Mainly, I would love to see the eye cream and the serum be a bit thicker. The serum is fairly runny, which isn’t always bad with serums. They’re meant to be spread over your skin and absorbed quickly. However, for an anti-aging serum, I want something that feels a bit more substantial when I apply it (again… my skin is very white… we age notoriously poorly, so I need all the help I can get!).
The same is true for the undereye cream. Your eyes are almost constantly moving, squinting, and straining. Diminishing the impact of this constant movement requires a moisturizer that deeply penetrates and rejuvenates the skin, so I love rich eye creams, and the Tiege Hanley eye cream is a little on the thin side.
More eco-friendly packaging options would be great, too, and something I’d be open to paying a little more for.
FAQs About Tiege Hanley
How much does Tiege Hanley cost?
The Level 3 system costs $50 and includes the abovementioned components. For me, it’s lasted a little over a month, so overall, that $50 goes a long way.
They also have Tiers 1 and 2, which are a bit cheaper and come with the basic components of the routine but don’t include every step.
Is Tiege Hanley good for acne-prone skin?
I have semi-acne-prone skin and have done well with Tiege Hanley. I still get blackheads around my nose, but I’ve accepted that those will be there no matter what I use.
It should also be noted that Tiege Hanley also has an acne-specific line. I have not personally used their acne-specific line (yet), so I can’t vouch for it in as much detail as possible with the standard line. But if the acne line is the same quality as the standard line, I’d feel comfortable trying it out.
In my case, using their products didn’t make my acne worse or lead to any flare-ups. I also felt like the cleanser did a good job getting built-up oil and dirt off my skin; I never felt like there was still a residue or grime on my face after rinsing, which is always a good sign for those of us who struggle with zits and blackheads.
Is the Level 3 Routine right for me, or would a different one also work?
In my opinion, you’re never too young to start an anti-aging skincare routine, so I do believe that regardless of how smooth and youthful your skin currently is, the Level 3 routine would probably work for you.
However, the fundamental components of a skincare routine should include a cleanser, an exfoliant, and a moisturizer with SPF. The Level 1 (Essential) set covers all of those bases.
If you’re still unsure, Tiege Hanley does have a handy quiz on their site which will match your skincare goals and needs to their product offerings.
How Does Tiege Hanley Compare to Other Skincare Options?
If you’re looking for something affordable and easy to use, this will be a better option than grabbing an assortment of items off the shelf at the drugstore.
You’ll probably save money using Tiege Hanley instead of drugstore products since you get several products together with each order. Plus, these products are made to be used together, which can take much of the guesswork out of the equation.
I’d put their products on an equal footing with Lumin skincare. If you want to compare Tiege Hanley and Lumin directly, I’d say that their cleansers and moisturizers are about equal. I prefer Tiege’s exfoliating scrub over Lumin’s, but I prefer Lumin’s dark circle defense over Tiege’s eye cream.
All-in-all, if you’re looking to simplify and improve your skin routine– or if you’re looking for a gift for one of the men in your life that will help them make sense of skincare– you’re not going to go wrong with Tiege’s offerings.
