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Geologie vs Tiege Hanley vs Lumin: I Tried Them All

William Barton
Expertise:

Style, Grooming, Fitness, Boots, Workwear

William has been covering men's style, grooming, and fitness topics for The Adult Man since 2018 as both a writer and photographer. Based in North Carolina, he's also the face of premier men's boots website BootSpy.com and the popular BootSpy YouTube channel. If William could only wear one outfit for the rest of his life, it'd be slim blue jeans, a green fitted oxford shirt, Chelsea boots, and a nice watch. Read full bio.


Last Updated: Jul 29, 2024
13 min read

Your own formula

Geologie

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Budget freshness

Tiege Hanley

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Looks great in the shower

Lumin

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Of the three brands, Geologie has the best quality product. Plus, I like that they make it extremely easy to get a personalized trial kit. After testing all three brands, Geologie is what I use every day.

Visit Geologie

If you’ve never tried skincare before and you don’t want to invest a lot into trying it out, Tiege Hanley is a fantastic brand. I enjoyed using Tiege, and found that their products were helpful. Eventually I moved to Geologie because they use more proven ingredients like retinol and salicylic acid, but Geologie is also over double the cost of a similar routine with Tiege Hanley.

Visit Tiege Hanley

If you’re all about the aesthetics, Lumin is the way to go. But in terms of skincare, I found that Tiege Hanley was more effective for me with fewer “flashy” ingredients (and it’s less expensive). The gold standard for men’s skincare is Geologie, and it’s worth the extra spend in my opinion.

Visit Lumin
(Get 70% off first trial purchase with code TAM70)
(Get 15% off any order with code THEAM15)

Pros:

  • Geologie has a variety of formulas that will help you with your specific skincare need
  • The quality is superb
  • Their trial kit and system makes it super easy and low risk to give the brand a try
  • Tiege has the lowest entry point and the products are solid
  • Their tier system is easy to understand and to add good products like their under-eye cream
  • Of all three systems, Lumin has the best aesthetic
  • The moisturizing balm is super effective for dry skin
  • The best exfoliating scrub I’ve ever used

Cons:

  • Nearly double the cost of the other brands
  • The moisturizer tends to run out long before the face wash does---I appreciate when they run out at the same time
  • Some ingredients like charcoal are unproven in a skincare setting

I’ve been picking up Jiu Jitsu and after an intense roll with a fellow white belt, he asked, how old are you?

Nevermind that it was kind of a weird question. But when I told him I was 32, he was surprised. 

Oh man, I thought you were younger. 

I looked this man straight in the eyes and said: “face lotion, baby.”

We proceeded to continue rolling and he got me in a choke hold and cut off the circulation to my head. Awesome. 

So what’s my secret to such supple, youthful skin? The kind that makes enemy combatants stop and wonder, wow, how does he look so good? 

Face lotion, baby. 

I’ve tried probably 10 brands at this point, and three of my favorites have been Geologie, Tiege Hanley, and Lumin.

And in this review, I’m going to cover each of their pros and cons, plus tell you which I still use and why. 

Geologie Logo Tiege Hanley Logo Lumin Skin Care Logo
Geologie Tiege Hanley Lumin
Customizable Sensitive, Acne, Redness Relief, Oil Control, Anti-Aging No Dry, Combination, Oily
Ingredient Quality Excellent Good Good
Trial $15 with code TAM70 No trial No trial
Visit Geologie Visit Tiege Hanley Visit Lumin

Geologie vs Tiege Hanley vs Lumin: Which is the Best Men’s Skincare Routine?

Men’s skincare has exploded in popularity over the last five years. Many brands have emerged, but there are a few that continue to endure. 

Of the 10 brands I’ve personally tried, Geologie, Tiege Hanley, and Lumin have been my favorites. 

Geologie

Geologie on sink counter using everyday face wash
(Get 70% off your first trial purchase at Geologie with code TAM70)

Geologie focuses on ingredient quality and effectiveness. But their price is definitely higher than both Tiege and Lumin (by about double). 

That said, Geologie offers trial sets that allow you to get a sense for how their products work before you go ham and get a full routine. 

Geologie is all about personalization. After taking their skincare needs quiz, they’re able to determine a routine that’ll impact the health of your skin the most. 

Geologie Complete 1-Month Personalized Skincare Sample Set
(Get 70% OFF first sample set purchase with code TAM70)

If you want to treat your skin well and not think too hard about how to do it, Geologie is a great place to start. Their well-known Complete Skincare Trial set checks the major boxes of healthy skin maintenance in an easy-to-use system.

Check Price Read Our Review

The brand has five different routines based on skin-type: Sensitive, Acne, Redness Relief, Oil Control, and Anti-Aging. 

You don’t need to worry if you think you might fall into multiple categories—when you take their diagnostic quiz, they ask several detailed questions that will land you in the right spot. 

The big difference between Geologie and both Tiege Hanley and Lumin is their ingredients. 

Geologie face wash and moisturizers

Their focus on using scientifically proven products like retinol, hyaluronic acid, and salicylic acid will produce results quickly. 

I noticed that there’s a bit of a “take-off” period with Geologie. When I switched to their routine, I had a lot of peeling around the bridge of my nose. I was concerned for a little, but trusted the process and it helped the redness I was experiencing in that area tremendously. 

Geologie using vital morning face cream

Yes, doing a salicylic acid and retinol combo might be a be intense if you have sensitive skin, but it seriously works. I don’t want to say that Geologie’s ingredients are intense—because even folks with sensitive skin can use them with great effect—but they’re more rigorous in terms of actual effectiveness.

Geologie is the brand I still use today. 

Geologie Personalized Skincare & Haircare
(Get 70% OFF first trial purchase with code TAM70)

If you’re not keen on looking like a sundried tomato later in life but don’t know where to start, Geologie provides affordable trials sets that are personalized to your needs. Thoughtful touches like packing in two face washes (one for the shower, and another for the sink) really show that Geologie has my back when it comes to building a routine.

Shop Geologie Read Our Review

Tiege Hanley

Tiege Hanley bathroom detail shot from side

Tiege Hanley was my go-to for a long time. I found their face wash and moisturizer combo to work well for several months. And I like the low prices. 

Tiege is an excellent budget-friendly brand, and I recommend them if you’ve never tried skincare before and you’re looking to dabble a bit to test the waters. 

If you’ve never tried skincare, Teige Hanley will get you positive results. 

Tiege doesn’t offer any trial kits, and they don’t really do customization. However, their packages are inexpensive enough to try out without breaking the bank. 

Tiege Hanley using AM Moisturizer

Their main system features a face wash, an exfoliating scrub, and their AM and PM moisturizers. 

I love that Tiege’s AM moisturizer has 20 SPF in its formulation: I never put on sunscreen even though I know I should, so having it as part of the daily routine helped keep my forehead wrinkles from deepening. 

For the price, Tiege’s ingredients are great—they offer excellent value for money. 

Tiege Hanley

Often hawked by YouTube superstar Aaron Marino, Tiege Hanley offers varying levels of skin care systems based on how much care and attention you're willing to give your face. Despite the hype, the brand lives up to their word with an uncomplicated skin care system that offers surprising value.

Sign Up Now Read Our Review

Lumin

Lumin complete package lineup

Lumin is all about the looks. If I wanted a girl to be impressed (and even slightly jealous) after looking at the skincare routine bottles in my bathroom, I would pick Lumin. 

When I used Lumin, I found their routine effective—the exfoliating scrub was probably the most effective I’ve ever used, and it wasn’t so harsh. 

Not all exfoliants are all that great—those that are too gritty actually do more harm than good because they can just rough up your skin. But Lumin’s is almost like clay in how fine it is, so there’s nothing rough enough to tear your skin. 

Lumin’s price is a bit higher than Tiege Hanley, though it’s still inexpensive compared to Geologie

Lumin moisturizing balm

But Lumin does depend on some “hype” ingredients that aren’t really effective. 

Their main face wash is a charcoal infused solution. While charcoal is regularly touted as a deep-cleaning ingredient, the amount that’s in skincare products, and the chemical changes it undergoes when suspended in a liquid make it ineffective. In short, charcoal in skincare products doesn’t really do anything

Despite the addition of some ingredients that are really designed for better marketing than skincare, I found Lumin to still be effective. 

Ultimately, I still choose Geologie over Lumin. But Lumin is also in my top-three for skincare, so it’s not like I don’t enjoy them. 

Lumin Skincare

Lumin really shines with their face wash and moisturizer. Their products go on smoothly and don't leave any residues. Most importantly, they work. The brand also carries several spot treatments to help with specific skin care issues.

Shop Lumin Read Our Review

Men’s Skincare Features Face to Face

Personalization

Geologie Quiz Question
Take the Geologie Skin Diagnostic Quiz and use code TAM70 for 70% off your first trial

Geologie wins the personalization game, offering five different formulations to help with sensitive skin, acne, red splotches, oily skin, and aging. So no matter what you’re struggling with, Geologie has a system that’ll help you for sure. 

Tiege Hanley has the least amount of customization and personalization. They do offer a few “systems” which are effectively just all of their key products bundled together, as well as one featuring salicylic acid for those who struggle with acne, but that’s about it. 

Tiege Hanley level 3 system opened
Tiege Hanley Level 3 System

I found that Tiege Hanley is effective for folks with sensitive skin, and their products will help improve your overall complexion, but Geologie has specific formulations that will help specific needs faster. 

Lumin has a degree of personalization—they offer three different formulations for dry skin, combination skin, and oily skin. 

Lumin Classic Maintenance Set
Lumin Classic Maintenance Set

Those three categories are a bit broad and don’t speak to all the issues guys face with their skin, but it’s still better than nothing. 

Overall, if you have a specific worry for your skin (mine is wrinkles and bags under my eyes), Geologie is much more likely to have something specifically formulated to help you. 

That said, both Tiege and Lumin are good products overall, but have less specific ingredients for specific problems. 

Winner: Best Personalization
Geologie Personalized Skincare & Haircare
(Get 70% OFF first trial purchase with code TAM70)

If you’re not keen on looking like a sundried tomato later in life but don’t know where to start, Geologie provides affordable trials sets that are personalized to your needs. Thoughtful touches like packing in two face washes (one for the shower, and another for the sink) really show that Geologie has my back when it comes to building a routine.

Shop Geologie Read Our Review

Ingredients

Geologie products to use at night

Geologie is the most rigorous with their ingredients, and they’re the only brand here that uses retinol in their night cream

In my experience, I had the most dramatic changes in my skin after switching to Geologie. At first, I had a lot of peeling around the bridge of my nose and on my cheeks under my eyes. 

I was actually not entirely sure I’d made the right move switching to Geologie. But as I kept using them, I realized that this peeling was caused by the retinol in the Geologie nighttime moisturizer. 

Best Retinol Products for Men Man Dispensing Geologie Retinol Night Cream

Retinol increases cell production and encourages old skin to slough, hence the peeling. After a few days of using the night cream, I found that my complexion in those problem areas had evened-out significantly.

So that led me to feeling that Geologie’s formulations were the most intense. And I don’t mean that in a way where folks with sensitive skin should be concerned—it’s not that Geologie’s ingredients are harsh. It’s more that they’re effective, and they’re effective fast. So you’ll likely start noticing changes within a few uses. 

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a bit disappointed with some of the “marketing-focused” ingredients in Lumin. But I’m still happy with their performance (when I was using them). 

And Tiege Hanley also uses excellent ingredients that will help improve your complexion, but they’re missing some heavy hitters that really help dramatically improve your skin health quickly. 

Overall, Geologie has the best ingredients of the bunch, and while you’ll be paying a premium for that, the results are faster and more complete. 

Winner: Best Ingredients
Geologie Personalized Skincare & Haircare
(Get 70% OFF first trial purchase with code TAM70)

If you’re not keen on looking like a sundried tomato later in life but don’t know where to start, Geologie provides affordable trials sets that are personalized to your needs. Thoughtful touches like packing in two face washes (one for the shower, and another for the sink) really show that Geologie has my back when it comes to building a routine.

Shop Geologie Read Our Review

Effectiveness

If it’s not already clear, I find Geologie to be the most effective skin care of these three brands. 

Geologie morning and night routines
The Geologie Routine

Tiege Hanley was my introduction to skin care and I definitely had an improvement in my overall complexion. I also love that they use SPF in their daily face moisturizer as that helped a lot in slowing my wrinkles. 

From Tiege, I tried several other brands until I landed on Lumin. Lumin was also effective for me, and I especially like their moisturizer and exfoliator. 

Lumin exfoliating scrub
Lumin Exfoliating Rub

In fact, I might re-up on their exfoliator now even though I’m a Geologie man. Its clay-like texture has the power of an abrasive exfoliant for removing lots of dead skin cells, but it’s not so textured that you’re doing more damage than good for your skin. 

But the quality of ingredients speak for themselves after a few weeks of use, and once I tried Geologie, I haven’t gone elsewhere for my skincare. 

Winner: Most Effective
Geologie Personalized Skincare & Haircare
(Get 70% OFF first trial purchase with code TAM70)

If you’re not keen on looking like a sundried tomato later in life but don’t know where to start, Geologie provides affordable trials sets that are personalized to your needs. Thoughtful touches like packing in two face washes (one for the shower, and another for the sink) really show that Geologie has my back when it comes to building a routine.

Shop Geologie Read Our Review

Geologie vs Tiege Hanley vs Lumin: Which is Best for You?

Geologie is my favorite skin care brand for men for a few different reasons. 

They’re the most rigorous with their ingredient selection, and I also like how comprehensive they are in determining what your greatest skin care need is. 

The level of customization they offer ensures you’re able to find something that solves your biggest skin care problem, whether that’s wrinkles, eye bags, red splotchy skin, dryness, oiliness, or acne. 

Best Overall
Geologie Personalized Skincare & Haircare
(Get 70% OFF first trial purchase with code TAM70)

If you’re not keen on looking like a sundried tomato later in life but don’t know where to start, Geologie provides affordable trials sets that are personalized to your needs. Thoughtful touches like packing in two face washes (one for the shower, and another for the sink) really show that Geologie has my back when it comes to building a routine.

Shop Geologie Read Our Review

I think Tiege Hanley is an awesome brand to choose if you’re getting your first skin care regime and you want to keep things budget-friendly. Their system is simple and it’ll help improve your overall complexion. 

Best on a Budget
Tiege Hanley

Often hawked by YouTube superstar Aaron Marino, Tiege Hanley offers varying levels of skin care systems based on how much care and attention you're willing to give your face. Despite the hype, the brand lives up to their word with an uncomplicated skin care system that offers surprising value.

Sign Up Now Read Our Review

Lumin is a good brand, too—their aesthetics are on point, which is great if you’re dating and you want to impress a girl with your matching bathroom products (it’s all about the details, boys).

Best Aesthetics
Lumin Skincare

Lumin really shines with their face wash and moisturizer. Their products go on smoothly and don't leave any residues. Most importantly, they work. The brand also carries several spot treatments to help with specific skin care issues.

Shop Lumin Read Our Review

But between Tiege and Geologie, Lumin falls short for me. While I think the ingredients are on par with Tiege, Tiege is less expensive, so that tips the scales in their favor for me. 

So if you’re looking to start a basic skin care routine and you don’t want to spend a lot, get Tiege Hanley

And if you want the best of the best and don’t mind investing in that handsome mug of your, get Geologie

FAQs

Which is better: Tiege Hanley or Lumin?

Overall, I like Tiege Hanley better because of their price. The ingredients between both are of roughly equal quality. I love that Tiege Hanley’s AM moisturizer has 20 SPF protection, but Lumin’s exfoliant is one of the best face-care products I’ve ever used. Still, overall, I think Tiege gives you more bang for your buck.

Is Geologie good for dry skin?

Yes, Geologie is very effective for dry skin. I have dry skin on my nose and Geologie has helped me a lot. 

Does Tiege Hanley have retinol?

Tiege Hanley’s Super Serum has some retinol, but if you’re looking for an everyday night cream with retinol, check out Geologie

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