You spent months choosing the flowers, the dress and the photographer. Then the gallery comes back, and one groomsman has a fresh razor nick on his chin, another is shiny under the reception lights, and the best man’s lips are so chapped they’re flaking in every close-up.
It happens at a lot of weddings, and it’s one of the easiest things to prevent.
That’s why grooming gifts make such good groomsmen gifts. They help the guys look their best in photos you’ll keep forever, and unlike an engraved flask, they get used long after the wedding. This guide covers a getting-ready timeline to send to the wedding party, 15 grooming gift ideas at every budget, and a checklist for a day-of groomsmen kit.
Why Grooming Gifts Make Great Groomsmen Gifts
- They show up in your photos. Rings, boutonnieres and toasts are all close-up moments. Hands, faces and hair are in every one of them.
- They get used after the wedding. A good razor or moisturizer are groomsmen gifts that get used every day. A shot glass gets used once.
- They work for every type of guy. Your college roommate and your future brother-in-law may have nothing in common, but they both shave and wash their face.
- They’re easy to give as a set. Matching grooming gifts feel cohesive without being identical novelty items.
The Groomsmen Grooming Timeline (Send This to the Group Chat)
The biggest mistake with grooming gifts is giving them at the rehearsal dinner. By then it’s too late to help with the photos. Give them four to six weeks ahead so the guys can actually use them.
Groomsmen Grooming Timeline
4 to 6 weeks before: Start a simple routine of washing, moisturizing and using lip balm. Skin takes a few weeks to settle into new products, so this is the time to start, not the week of the wedding.
About 1 week before: Get the haircut and beard shape-up. A cut needs a few days to settle in, so the day before is too late and two weeks before is too early. From here on, no new products.
The night before: Drink water, go easy at the rehearsal dinner, and get some sleep. If he gets irritated from shaving, he should shave tonight so his skin has time to calm down overnight.
The morning of: Wash, moisturize, put on deodorant and lip balm, and put blotting sheets in a jacket pocket. If he shaves daily without trouble, a careful morning-of shave with a fresh blade is fine.
15 Groomsmen Grooming Gifts They’ll Actually Use
Under $25
1. A good lip balm Chapped lips are one of the most common things photographers have to retouch. A classic men’s pick like Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm is small enough to live in a jacket pocket all day.
2. Oil blotting sheets Reception lighting, dancing and a suit jacket make for a shiny forehead by the time of the toasts. A pack of blotting sheets, like Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets, takes care of it in two seconds without any powder.
3. A pocket comb A Kent handmade comb is the kind of small, well-made thing a guy keeps in his jacket for years. It’s especially useful after hugging every relative in the receiving line.
4. A stain remover pen It’s not technically grooming, but a Tide to Go pen has saved more wedding photos than any other item on this list. Tuck one in every groomsman’s kit.
5. Beard oil For bearded groomsmen, a few drops of beard oil softens the beard and keeps it from looking frizzy in photos. Jack Black Beard Oil is a popular, affordable option.
6. Cooling under-eye patches They’re great for the morning after a late rehearsal dinner. Get a multi-pack of Bro Mask Under Eye Patches and hand them out while everyone is getting ready, and they’ll double as a getting-ready photo op.
$25 to $75
7. A shaving set A traditional Italian shaving cream like Proraso, paired with a pre-shave cream, gives a smoother shave than canned foam. It’s a small upgrade that most guys never make for themselves.
8. A safety razor A safety razor like the Merkur 34C is a “buy it once” gift. It’s heavier and better made than a disposable razor, and replacement blades cost pennies.
9. An electric trimmer The Philips Norelco OneBlade trims, edges and shaves, and it’s one of the best tools for keeping stubble or a short beard neat. It’s ideal for the groomsman who isn’t going clean-shaven.
10. A men’s nail kit The groom’s hands are in the ring shot, and the groomsmen’s hands are in nearly every group photo. A compact nail clipper and file set is an unglamorous gift that makes a real difference in close-ups.
11. A travel toiletry bag A water-resistant dopp kit like the Bellroy Toiletry Kit Plus holds a full grooming setup and will go on every trip after the wedding, starting with the bachelor party.
12. A personalized leather dopp kit If you want one personalized gift, make it this one. Etsy has plenty of leather dopp kits that can be monogrammed with each groomsman’s initials, and they make a great container for the other gifts on this list.
$75 and Up
13. A complete skincare set For many men, a skincare routine is the upgrade they’d never buy themselves but will happily use once someone hands it to them. Skincare is also the gift that does the most for wedding photos, as long as you give it early enough for the guys to start using it.
Look for a set that’s simple, with three steps or fewer, and that comes with directions. A complicated ten-step routine is more likely to end up in a drawer. Wild Roman’s skincare groomsmen gifts are a good example: the Face Routine set has a face wash, serum and grass-fed beef tallow moisturizer in a matte black gift box, with a printed how-to guide that tells him exactly what to use and when. They can also ship straight to each groomsman, which helps if your wedding party is spread across the country.
14. A group barbershop visit Book the guys in for haircuts and a hot towel shave about a week before the wedding (see the timeline above). It solves the haircut-timing problem, and it gives the groom a couple of hours with his friends before the wedding week gets busy.
15. A signature fragrance A cologne discovery set lets each groomsman find a scent he likes, without you guessing. Encourage a light hand on the wedding day, since the guys will be hugging a lot of people.
What to Put in a Groomsmen Getting-Ready Kit
Even if you’re not giving grooming gifts, put together one shared kit for the groom’s getting-ready room. Give it to the best man to carry.
- Blotting sheets
- Lip balm
- Stain remover pen
- Lint roller
- Comb
- Deodorant
- Mints
- Safety pins
- Bandages and a styptic pencil for shaving nicks
- Pain reliever
- Tissues
- A phone charger
If you gave the guys a skincare set as their groomsmen gift, ask them to bring their moisturizer to the getting-ready room that morning. A few minutes before photos is when it helps most.
Tips for Giving Grooming Gifts (Without It Feeling Like a Hint)
- Frame it as an upgrade, not a fix. “I wanted you to have the good stuff” lands very differently than “please do something about your skin.”
- Give it early. Four to six weeks before the wedding gives the guys time to use it. A groomsmen proposal box is a great time to include it.
- Keep scents subtle. Unscented or lightly scented products are the safest bet for a group with different tastes.
- Keep it equal. Give every groomsman the same core gift, and add something extra for the best man.
- Pair it with something personal. A handwritten note about why you asked each friend to stand up with you is what they’ll actually remember.
Groomsmen Grooming Gift FAQs
Are grooming products a good groomsmen gift? Yes. Grooming products are one of the most practical groomsmen gifts, because they’re used every day and they help the wedding party look polished in photos. Choose simple, high-quality products over gimmicky kits, and give them a few weeks before the wedding so the guys have time to use them.
When should you give groomsmen grooming gifts? Give grooming gifts four to six weeks before the wedding, or include them in a groomsmen proposal box. Giving them at the rehearsal dinner is a nice gesture, but it’s too late for skincare or new shaving tools to make a difference on the wedding day.
Should groomsmen shave the night before or the morning of the wedding? Groomsmen who shave daily without irritation can shave the morning of the wedding with a fresh blade. Guys who tend to get redness or bumps after shaving should shave the night before, so their skin has time to settle before photos.
Grooming gifts won’t steal the show, and they shouldn’t. Their job is to make sure that when you look back at your wedding photos, you’re noticing the moment, not the shiny forehead in the back row.
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