UrbanUpdate

Once or twice a year, a new grooming brand emerges and I get an instinct like, "This one is gonna be big." Not to brag, but I had that gut feeling with hims, Harry’s, Bevel, and V76. Whether it's backing from big-time investors, beautiful design, or formulations from chemists with deep industry knowledge, each of these lines had some factor that made them a force as soon as it landed. 

When Art of Sport launched in 2018, that factor was Kobe Bryant's involvement. He had signed on a a founding partner, and the brand seemed like a canny play: high-level grooming products at a fair price for a consumer that might be more used to taking their cues from professional athletes than skincare influencers. It was just one piece of the Lakers legend's exciting flurry of post-retirement moves, tragically cut short almost exactly a year ago. 

The brand has carried on. AOS is already in Target and is a category best-seller on Amazon, but early 2021 brings an expansion into more than 10,000 US locations, thanks to placements in places you might expect to find skincare products—drug and grocery stores—and some you might not, like big-box sporting goods stores. In other words, you’re going to see Art of Sport everywhere, and the brand stands to be one of Bryant’s many lasting legacies.

“Most people know Kobe as an athlete, but don’t forget that he was in board meetings for years. He had a front row seat for knowing how sports relate to culture and could create something that people could be excited by,” says Art of Sport co-founder Matthias Metternich. Case in point: When Metternich and co-founder Brian Lee approached Bryant with their pitch, it was on the tails of Bryant’s success with Bodyarmor, the sports drink brand he invested $6 million into in 2014. (Last spring, Bryant’s stake in Bodyarmor, still owned by his wife Vanessa, were reportedly valued at more than $200 million.) 

With Art of Sport, Metternich says Kobe’s impact went beyond his scrutiny of product formulas and packaging, helping to identify the athlete who would be spokespeople for the brand. “He wanted someone who transcended their sport, diverse people, culturally rich people with strong, emblematic personalities,” Metternich says. Among Art of Sport’s current athlete endorsers are NBA all-star James Harden and Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Juju Smith-Schuster. 

It's an impressive roster! Of course, none of that matters if the product isn't any good. Happily, the stuff is great almost across the board, especially for the price. Art of Sport isn’t exactly on the cutting edge of the clean skincare movement, but they've worked with scientists to remove the really questionable chemicals, and the formulas are billed as clean and cruelty-free. They'll use ingredients that wouldn't cut the mustard at a boutique all-natural skincare company, like aluminum salts, but the products are free of bogeymen like parabens and phthalates. What's arguably more important is their line smells great and generally does what it says on the tin. At least for products marketed directly to to young men, that's enough to make it a real standout.   

Here are some of my favorite products from AOS’s lineup.

Art of Sport antiperspirant + deodorant$7

Amazon

I sweat a lot, so I can't go without antiperspirant. AOS's cool eucalyptus deodorant prevents moisture and tingles on contact.

Art of Sport charcoal body scrub bar soap$8

Amazon

Give your body a soothing, hydrating scrub down with this ultra-cleansing charcoal bar soap, which also packs crushed apricot seeds and lava rock to buff away dead, dry skin.

Art of Sport SPF 50 sunscreen$12

Amazon

A lightweight sport sunscreen that is engineered specifically for people who sweat. It's also water- and sweat-resistant up to 80 minutes.

Art of Sport exfoliating charcoal face cleanser$8

Amazon

A face-friendly version of the body bar, this exfoliating cleanser also packs in volcanic rock and charcoal for a polishing scrub. It also balances skin and reduces blemishes thanks to tea tree oil.

Art of Sport total skincare regimen kit with gym towel$58 $49

Amazon

A full shower and skincare regimen in the brand's terrific eucalyptus scent. (You even get a gym towel as part of the kit.)

Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQKobe BryantBathroom and ShowerMoisturizerDeodorant