I’ve bought a lot of pro wrestling merchandise over the years, but I never in a million years thought I’d be using men’s skin care products hawked by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson himself. Yes, Johnson has added “skin care influencer” to his long list of titles, including actor, pro wrestler and businessman, with his recently launched Papatui line of products, which you can shop directly through the brand’s site and at Target. His line has a ton to offer, including skin care, body care and even hair care, all made for, and marketed toward, men.
I shouldn’t be shocked —?the guy’s got a strong, masculine celebrity influence that’s hard to ignore —?and he’s shiny and well-manicured enough to convince dudes he knows the ins and outs of proper grooming. All that’s left is a Rock-endorsed manscaping lineup, which feels inevitable at this point.
Hilariously enough, I tested Papatui from the perfect vantage point, in the weeks during and surrounding my trip to Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field where I vociferously booed Johnson throughout WrestleMania XL. But I can’t heckle the guy’s products: A lot of this stuff is good and not some cheap cash-in on his celebrity.
That said, unlike the meme that paints pro wrestling fans as dudes in desperate need of a good wash and deodorizing, I’m already familiar with the kinds of products Johnson is pushing: I already have a moisturizer, facial cleanser and even toner in my bathroom. So, while I was an ideal candidate to test Johnson’s new products, I know skin care is personal enough that more than one opinion is necessary. We enlisted two of my CNN Underscored colleagues — editorial coordinator Joe Bloss and senior travel and money editor Andrew Kunesh — to smell what the Rock is pitching together. We all tested these products for at least two weeks, swapping out any and all current moisturizers, face cleansers, toners, deodorants and body washes during this testing window for Papatui’s versions. Here’s what we thought about the various products.
What we liked about it
What we didn’t like
There were a few products we unanimously weren’t on board with. A stronger odor got in the way of Kunesh and me enjoying the Papatui Rejuvenating Facial Toner. Kunesh expressed his frustration bluntly, saying “it smells terrible. The quality is great, but it smells like tequila. Would be nice to see them work to make it a more neutral scent.”
And while the moisturizer was a winner for me and Kunesh, Bloss wasn’t a fan, noting that while its “dispensing pump was convenient,” he?didn’t love how it left his skin feeling. Comparisons are key here, as he found it “a lot thicker and left [him] feeling sticky,” unlike lotions he’s used from Jack Black and Gold Bond. While this moisturizer treated my skin well, I still think my pricier moisturizer from Etude left my face looking better.
My most confusing experience came with the Papatui Awakening Eye Gel, as it took me forever to learn how to properly squeeze the gel out of the tube. Fortunately, I happened to see a video that Johnson posted to social media. This is where I learned that you squeeze near the tip of the container, and that you can fix a “stuck [roller] ball” (his words, not mine) by rubbing it against your hand. Besides the learning curve, the gel feels refreshing, especially during my post-gym morning routine, but my experience didn’t feel conclusive. None of us experienced much of a difference after two weeks of using the eye gel. Maybe it would take more time (some say it takes as many as 60 days, and I’ve been using it for about a month now), or I’m possibly just fortunate enough to be getting better sleep.
Much like that one time the Rock tapped out in the ring, I had to stop using Papatui’s 48-Hour Antiperspirant before the testing was over. While it was easy to use and bears a pleasing tropical smell (they’re aiming for Lush Coconut), I found that it got a little itchy for me, reminding me of when I tried different antiperspirants in my teen years. So, after getting my editor’s approval to put down the antiperspirant, I went back to the eucalyptus Malin+Goetz gel deodorant that my armpits and nose love in equal measure.
Bottom line
It appears that Papatui is succeeding in its goal of making skin care more accessible to men. With most of the tested items that I was interested in, save for the toner’s awkward smell, I probably would have stuck with these goods had I not already built my own regimen.
Bloss and Kunesh had a much different experience than I did, possibly reflecting their lack of a preexisting routine that makes them more a part of the target demo than I am. Summing up his testing, Kunesh told me that his overall evaluation was that the Papatui line is “great” and that these products are “approachable both in terms of quality and price.” Bloss explained that he “really enjoyed” using Papatui’s products, appreciating “the comprehensive and complementary nature of the line.”
So, well done, Mr. Johnson. You’ve paved the way for many men to develop a skin care routine, which means I have to look out my window to see if hell is literally freezing over.
