Hims Skincare Review: Anti-Aging and Acne Rx for Men

Our Hims skincare review in short: Hims offers two custom, compounded prescription creams for men, one for anti-aging with tretinoin, azelaic acid and niacinamide, and one for acne built from up to five ingredients including tretinoin and clindamycin. A licensed provider prescribes them after an online consult. The actives are well studied, results take two to six months, and a basic drugstore routine covers a lot of the same ground.

This review walks through each formula, the realistic results timeline, how to think about price, and a side-by-side comparison with a simple drugstore routine for men. It's based on Hims' published product information and the medical evidence; we didn't order or test the creams.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want a prescription retinoid, Hims is one option among several, and the rest of this review judges it on that. If you'd rather start by finding out what your skin actually needs, try Pori, our iPhone app. A selfie gives you a 0–100 skin score with breakdowns for Hydration & Moisture, Pores & Texture, Pigmentation & Tone and Anti-aging & Elasticity, a skin-age estimate, and a short morning and evening routine. The Pro ingredient scanner reads a barcode or label and flags each ingredient as beneficial, use with caution or avoid for your skin type, which is handy when you're picking a drugstore cleanser or moisturizer. Pori doesn't prescribe or diagnose, so it can't replace a prescriber for acne medication.

What is in the Hims anti-aging cream?

The Hims anti-aging cream combines tretinoin, azelaic acid and niacinamide, with doses set to your skin by the prescribing provider. Hims lists the ingredients but, on the pages we could read, not a fixed percentage for each, because strengths vary by prescription.

• Tretinoin is a prescription retinoid used for acne and fine wrinkles. MedlinePlus says wrinkle improvement may take 3 to 4 months or up to 6 months and can fade after you stop. Our tretinoin guide explains strengths and side effects.
• Azelaic acid calms redness and helps even out tone and post-acne marks.
• Niacinamide has trial evidence for aging skin: 5% niacinamide used twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines, spots and blotchiness in a split-face study. That trial enrolled women, so it's a reasonable guide for men but not a direct test.

What is in the Hims acne cream?

The Hims acne cream is a customized blend of up to five ingredients, including tretinoin, clindamycin, niacinamide and azelaic acid. The exact mix depends on what your provider prescribes.

The core pairing is sound. The AAD explains that a retinoid clears pores and treats blackheads, whiteheads and some pimples, while a topical antibiotic such as clindamycin reduces inflammation and acne bacteria. The 2024 AAD acne guidelines give strong recommendations to benzoyl peroxide, topical retinoids and topical antibiotics. Dermatologists usually pair a topical antibiotic with benzoyl peroxide, and the Hims cream doesn't list it, so ask your provider whether a benzoyl peroxide wash belongs in your routine too.

One option you won't get for acne as a man is spironolactone, the hormonal pill many women use. The AAD states that spironolactone is not prescribed to treat acne in men due to side effects. For men, the main levers are topicals and, for more severe acne, oral treatments from a dermatologist.

How does the Hims consultation work?

You complete an online questionnaire about your skin, goals and health, and a licensed healthcare provider decides whether a prescription is appropriate. Hims sells its custom creams only when a provider prescribes them, and they ship on a recurring plan. A few things make the consult more useful:

1. Send clear photos. Use window light, no filter, and the camera at eye level, so the provider can see texture and breakouts.
2. List everything you use. Include aftershave, beard oil, acne washes and any oral medications, since stacking strong products raises the odds of irritation.
3. Describe where you break out. Bumps only along the beard line can be razor bumps, which need different care from acne.
4. Read the renewal terms. Note the billing date and how to pause or cancel before the first refill ships.

After a few months, tell the provider honestly how it's going. Strength can usually be adjusted if your skin is too dry or nothing has changed.

Is a compounded cream safe to use?

Compounded creams are mixed by a pharmacy for each prescription, which lets Hims combine several actives in one product. Hims itself notes on its anti-aging cream page that compounded products aren't FDA-approved, and the FDA explains that it does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed. The individual ingredients are well understood; the specific blend isn't separately approved. If you'd prefer an FDA-approved product, ask for generic tretinoin instead.

How long does Hims skincare take to work?

Plan on at least two months for acne and three to six months for lines. The AAD says acne treatment takes at least 6 to 8 weeks before you start to see fewer breakouts. For tretinoin specifically, MedlinePlus notes acne may get worse for the first 7 to 10 days and should improve over 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes more than 6 weeks, of regular use.

MedlinePlus lists burning, stinging, peeling and redness among tretinoin's common side effects, so keep it away from a fresh shave: apply it at night and shave in the morning, and if bumps along the beard line don't respond, read our guide to razor bumps vs acne to tell the two apart.

How much does Hims skincare cost?

Hims shows the price of each custom cream on its product pages and at checkout, and it varies by plan length. Prices across Hims' own pages have differed over time, and we couldn't confirm one current monthly figure, so check the exact total and renewal schedule before you subscribe. For comparison, Nurx lists generic tretinoin for anti-aging at $90 for a 3-month supply plus a $30 consultation fee as of October 2026. Insurance doesn't cover it there for anti-aging use.

Hims vs a basic drugstore routine: which is better for men?

For mild acne or a first step against aging, a drugstore routine is often enough, and it's the cheaper test. Adapalene 0.1% gel, a retinoid, has been sold over the counter in the US since the FDA approved the switch in July 2016, and benzoyl peroxide washes are easy to find. The AAD's advice for men covers the rest: a mild cleanser with lukewarm water, a daily moisturizer applied to damp skin, and broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher.

A sensible order: try the drugstore routine for about three months. If you still get regular inflamed breakouts, or you specifically want tretinoin, a prescription service like Hims makes sense. Our two-minute men's skincare routine lays out the basics, and our adapalene guide covers starting it without irritation.

Who should see a dermatologist instead?

An online cream is built for mild to moderate concerns. Book an in-person dermatologist if you have deep, painful nodules or cysts, acne that's leaving scars, acne on the back and chest that topicals can't reach, or any mole or spot that is new, changing, bleeding or itching. The AAD adds that men over 50 have a higher risk of developing melanoma, so regular skin checks matter.

The verdict

Hims puts proven ingredients in a single cream and adds an online prescriber, which suits men who want a low-effort setup and don't want to build a routine from separate products. The drawbacks are that the creams are compounded, the strengths aren't published up front, and the price needs checking at checkout. Men with mild acne should try adapalene and benzoyl peroxide first; men who want tretinoin for aging, or whose acne didn't respond to OTC options, will find Hims a reasonable route. Women weighing the same formulas can read our Hers skincare review.