Bevel vs. Scotch Porter vs. Melanin Kings vs. Shea Moisture: The Best Grooming Kits for Black Men in 2026

Going into the market for a grooming kit will bring you barefaced with innumerable grooming kits all claiming to be specifically built for Black men. This is genuinely a good problem to have as a Black man, but it means the buying decision has gotten more complicated as well.

A Peek at the Brands

Bevel

Bevel is a pioneering grooming and personal care brand designed specifically to cater to the needs of men of color and those with coarse, curly hair and melanin-rich skin. Founded by entrepreneur Tristan Walker in 2013 and later acquired by Procter & Gamble, it offers products ranging from razors and trimmers to skin, beard, and body care products.

Tristan Walker’s own lived experience with razor bumps and skin irritation inspired the philosophy of Bevel. Hence, Bevel uses gentle, premium ingredients like aloe vera, witch hazel, and glycolic acid to soothe and protect. A product for Black men that does not expose them to harsh products not intentionally made for their hair and skin texture.

Beyond selling products, the brand highlights and celebrates the Black community, fatherhood, and holistic well-being, and participates in events such as the ONE MusicFest in Atlanta, Georgia. The brand actively invests in its community by supporting important movements, such as criminal justice reform, anti-recidivism legislation, and job training for returning citizens. Some of their hair marketing campaigns, such as “Created for Kings” and “Get Your Mind Right,” partner with organizations to change the narrative around mental health, self-care, and recidivism in the Black community.

Scotch Porter

Scotch Porter is a popular men’s personal care and wellness brand that specializes in clean, multi-purpose grooming products. It was founded in 2015 by Calvin Quallis. The New Jersey-based company offers a wide range of items, including beard, hair, skin, and body care products.

The brand was born directly out of Quallis’s local barbershop, where he noticed his primarily multicultural clientele struggling with dry, coarse, and unmanageable hair, beards, and skin.

Calvin Quallis built the brand on the idea that self-care and emotional wellness are crucial for men. The brand encourages men to prioritize their internal and external health, advocating for the normalization of men showing vulnerability and compassion and taking care of their bodies.

Scotch Porter as a brand is environmentally conscious. They avoid harsh chemicals like parabens, sulfates, and silicones. The line is heavily rooted in plant-based, natural elements like aloe, nettle leaf, kale protein, and biotin.

Beyond selling grooming products, Scotch Porter is dedicated to actively advancing underserved communities. They operate a Social Impact Fund that donates to causes focused on education, job training, and entrepreneurship, alongside their efforts to mentor minority brand founders.

Melanin Kings

Melanin Kings is a premium grooming and wellness brand that specializes in beard and skin care products created specifically for Black and mixed-race men. Their product lineup includes items like beard wash, conditioner, oil, and balm. 

Founder Vineek created the brand to combat a culture of “grind and survive” by introducing space for intentional self-care. They aim to make men of color feel valued, pampered, and treated like royalty through luxury, everyday grooming.

Shea Moisture

SheaMoisture is a global personal care brand renowned for natural, ethically sourced hair and skin products, specifically formulated for curly, coily, and textured hair, as well as melanin-rich skin. The brand was founded in 1991 by Richelieu Dennis and Nyema Tubman, but its roots trace back to 1912 in Sierra Leone, where founder Sofi Tucker, Dennis’s grandmother, sold shea butter and homemade beauty preparations 

Shea Moisture’s brand identity is built around generational heritage, community commerce, and empowerment. It honors Sofi Tucker’s legacy by using raw shea butter and African black soap handcrafted by women’s cooperatives in Africa.

A Critical Review of the Products

Although these brands occupy the same broad grooming category, their flagship products are not essentially the same. For instance, Bevel is best known for their Safety Razor shaving kit, ideal for men who shave frequently. Scotch Porter products are ideal for black men who want to groom their beard for the best looks, while Melanin King’s products are best for budget-conscious buyers wanting natural ingredients. Shea Moisture comes in handy for maintaining healthy natural hair alongside beard care.

Bevel Safety Razor

Mr. D didn’t know of the Bevel safety razor until it was introduced to him by ChatGPT. He recounted his experience

“I had been using Harry’s for a year or two, but the blades just didn’t last very long. After maybe two shaves, they already felt dull—and my beard isn’t even that heavy. I asked ChatGPT for a recommendation, and it suggested trying a safety razor. I honestly couldn’t believe the difference. This is the best razor I’ve ever used. What’s funny is that it’s the same technology my father used years ago, and now I don’t even understand why multi-blade razors became so popular. Much smoother shave, less irritation, and far less clogging.”

Mr. D went ahead to drop a 5-star rating for the Bevel Safety Razor. This is a testament to how great the item was for him.

In the United States, the Bevel Safety Razor can be gotten on their official store for $49.95. You can also pick up a set at most third-party stores like Amazon, Walmart, or Ulta Beauty. The company also has a subscription model service, where you have a quarterly auto-shipment of their products. This is completely optional. In the United Kingdom, you can get the Bevel Safety Razor from the Amazon UK store for £17.75. In Nigeria, it is available on UBuy and priced at N118,691.

Scotch Porter’s Face and Body Essentials

Scotch Porter’s Face and Body Essentials feature three main products. The Exfoliating Face and Body Wash goes for $15.00 on their official website; the Face Lotion can be purchased for $16.00, and the Superfood Beard, Hair, and Skin Immune Support is valued at $12.00 for a one-off supply, while a subscription for a repeat supply purchase will get you a 10% discount.

When it comes to performance, these products are best used on normal to oily skin, where the cleanser effectively removes excess oil and helps reduce ingrown hairs, while the lightweight lotion absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy finish. 

Availability is excellent in the US through Scotch Porter’s website and major retailers like Amazon and Walmart, but UK and Nigerian buyers generally rely on international shipping or third-party sellers, increasing the overall cost. Getting this product in the UK will cost between £9.00 to £11.99, without the cost of shipping. In the UK, there are readily available alternatives such as the BullDog Skincare original Face Scrub for men or the ManCave Blackspice Body Scrub for men.

If you want to get this product in Nigeria, you should be looking at a purchasing price within a range of N16,443 to N21,950, going by the current exchange rate. Getting it delivered to Nigeria would cost an additional N15,000 – N20,000 if you chose to go by the current rates at UBuy. Alternatives can be gotten in Nigeria, such as the Cantu Men Beard Hair and Beard Oil or the SheaMoisture Maracuja Oil & Shea Butter Beard Wash and Beard Conditioning Oil.

Melanin Kings Beard Grooming Kit for Men

Melanin Kings’ Beard Grooming Kit is highly effective for moisturizing the coily, coarse beards and melanin-rich skin. One of the first things you will notice if you are a first-time user is the quality of scent that was used in making these products. Melanin King uses a Kenyan sandalwood scent profile, which has a warm and rich cologne-like feel that lingers for hours without overpowering the scent organs.

It comes in a six-core essential set that includes a premium beard wash, beard oil, and beard balm, along with grooming tools like a wooden comb, boar bristle brush, and trimming scissors. This beard grooming kit is highly effective for moisturizing coarse facial hair. 

To use this product, start by washing your beard with the included beard wash. Then, apply the beard oil for hydration and frizz control. The next thing s to use the beard balm to shape and style your beard. Brush your beard with the beard brush to distribute the oils evenly and soften it. Comb your beard with the beard comb to remove any tangles and keep it looking neat. 

If you need to, you can trim your beard as needed with the trimming scissors, and for added nourishment, apply the baobab oil to your beard and skin.

Going by Dani’s comments, “My husband LOVES these products! Has his beard smelling good, full, and moisturized. ”

One of the major drawbacks of this product is the sizing. Antonio Adams said:

“Ok guys. I just got my kit today and used it. It smells amazing. The oil isn’t greasy. It doesn’t make your hands look like you dipped them in cooking oil. The balm, oil, and beard wash smell amazing. It’s like cologne on your face. I love how it is packaged and everything. Hydrating. Shiny. It’s great. Except this is a package for a little person. Everything is so small. I’m 6’1″ and 165. I caught finger cramps just trying to use the scissors. And the balm looks like fancy packaging for lip balm. It’s like beard care in ration form. Is this an actual beard kit or a sample pack? But I guess it’s not all bad for the price.”

The trimming scissors are also quite small in case you have large hands and fingers.

Generally, there are positive reviews on this product with 4.6 stars out of a 5-point rating scale. The product is readily available on Amazon stores in the US and is sold for $38.90. If you want to buy it in Nigeria, you can buy it and pay an extra $31.52 plus import charges, which are in excess of $70.42. Converted to Naira, you could be looking at N95,500 for a kit. On UBuy, you can order it for N124,198 and have it delivered stress-free to you. 

For buyers in the UK, you can order it from US Amazon stores for a cost bordering around £52.79, as it is not listed directly on UK Amazon.

Shea Moisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie

This is a rich, creamy leave-in styler with a deeply hydrating property. It is used for defining and defrizzing thick, curly, and coily hair that is mostly seen on Black men and men of color. It comes in three size variants that include the 12-ounce pack of 1, the 12-ounce pack of 12, and the 20-ounce pack of 1. It is readily available in the US markets and can be gotten for a price of $10.46, $125.56, and $17.99 across the variants’ sizes and packaging.

While it offers excellent moisture and a pleasant tropical scent, its heavy formula can weigh down fine hair and leave a greasy residue if overused. It has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon

You can get this product in the UK on Amazon UK for £9.65 with free delivery, while other stores such as Boots will deliver it to you at £14.99 in the UK. In Nigeria, it is also available on Jumia where the price ranges from N10,000 to N11,900 for the 12-ounce pack of 1, depending on the dealer. 

Captain’s Verdict

For those shopping in the United States, all four brands work well. Bevel remains one of the best options for Black men who are prone to razor bumps. Scotch Porter offers the most refined skincare routine, Melanin Kings delivers one of the best-value beard kits, and Shea Moisture continues to dominate for textured hair care at an affordable price.

The equation changes considerably in the UK and especially Nigeria. Bevel’s Safety Razor is reasonably priced in the US and UK, but its limited availability in Nigeria makes it difficult to recommend once shipping and import charges push the cost beyond N100,000. A quality double-edge safety razor from brands like King C. Gillette, Merkur, or Wilkinson Sword offers a far better value locally.

Scotch Porter suffers from a similar problem. While its skincare performs well, Nigerian buyers can expect shipping costs that rival the price of the products themselves. Unless you’re already committed to the brand, readily available alternatives such as Cantu Men, SheaMoisture, or Nivea Men provide comparable daily performance at a fraction of the total cost.

Melanin Kings delivers excellent beard care, but importing a $38.90 kit that ultimately costs close to N100,000 simply isn’t practical for most Nigerian consumers. Its luxurious scent and quality ingredients are impressive, yet local beard oils from Cantu Men, SheaMoisture, or premium Nigerian grooming brands offer significantly better value.

Shea Moisture emerges as the most balanced choice across all three markets. It combines proven performance, broad retail availability, and sensible pricing, making it the easiest recommendation for Black men seeking dependable grooming products without paying a premium for international shipping.