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Partner Content JANUARY 9, 2023

30 Best Hair Conditioners for Men of 2023

Conditioner is a vital hair product. It seals in moisture, tames frizziness, and calms dry scalps.

30 Best Hair Conditioners for Men of 2023
Best Conditioners for Men

Best Conditioners for Men

Men, let’s chat. We know you want to take care of your hair, too, but it seems like there isn’t a product out there that can help. Not every product soothes, hydrates, and treats your hair. Maybe you need a conditioner that can detangle thickness. Or maybe you need a restorative conditioner that repairs your dry, damaged hair.

 

Conditioner is a vital hair product. It seals in moisture, tames frizziness, and calms dry scalps. Whatever you’re looking for, we rounded up 30 of the best hair conditioners for men of 2023.

 

1. Blu Atlas Conditioner

Do you want a conditioner that leaves your hair looking smooth, luscious, and clean? Then Blu Atlas Conditioner is the one for you. Men deserve to have nice hair, too, which is why this all-natural conditioner is one of the best hair conditioners for men. It’s rich, lightweight, and full of restorative ingredients that leave your hair looking salon-styled. Lather a small amount of this conditioner into your hair after shampooing, rinse with water and brush your hair for the best results. 

 

You’ll be amazed at how easily this shampoo combats frizz, dryness, dullness, and breakage. Stop settling for conditioners that don’t work and start using Blu Atlas Conditioner. We promise you won’t regret it.

 

2. Jack Black Nourishing Hair & Scalp Conditioner

Jack Black’s Nourishing Hair & Scalp Conditioner is one of our favorite conditioners for men. It’s fragrance and sulfate-free, so it won’t over-dry or irritate your scalp. This nourishing blend tames even the frizziest hair, infuses the scalp with long-lasting moisture, and seals the ends for protection. 

 

You don’t have to know a thing about hairstyling to have perfectly polished hair because this conditioner will get it done for you. Wash with shampoo, rinse, add conditioner, rinse, and you’re good to go. Never will your hair look so healthy and happy. Enjoy.

 

3. Rocky Mountain Barber Company Daily Use Conditioner Forest Mint

You want to be a mountain man—a man who traverses the wilderness and can handle anything. You love hunting, hiking, and fishing but you hate being ungroomed. Want to mix the best of both worlds? Rocky Mountain Barber Company’s Daily Use Conditioner Forest Mint is one step ahead of you. 

 

This paraben- and SLS-free conditioner was inspired by the grandness of nature. Infused with enriching peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus oil, your hair and scalp will look and feel rejuvenated after using this product. This conditioner works on any hair type and calms frizziness, hydrates the scalp, and leaves you feeling like the grizzly man you truly are. Go forth and embrace your wild side—just with a hint of peppermint.

 

4. Blackwood For Men Active Man Daily Conditioner

It might seem tedious and annoying to wash your hair and add conditioner, especially if you’re running late for work. But we promise it makes a world of difference. Blackwood For Men Active Man Daily Conditioner is the hair product you’ve been waiting for. Formulated with licorice root, citric acid, clove flower, seaweed, peach leaf, aloe vera, ginseng root, Tsubaki oil, and Swertia japonica, you’ll feel like you’re at a mini-spa every time you step into the shower. 

 

This soothing conditioner cleanses your scalp, removes build-up, absorbs excess oil, prevents frizz, protects the hair, and hydrates. This product is cruelty-, paraben-, and gluten-free and formulated without soy, dyes, or GMOs. Plus, it’s Ocean Safe, so you can feel good about helping the Earth.

 

5. OGX Hydrating + Tea Tree Mint Conditioner

If you’ve never used an OGX product before, you’ve been missing out. OGX is one of the best hair care brands out there. Their products are affordable and actually work. We love OGX Hydrating + Tea Tree Mint Conditioner because it’s invigorating, revitalizing, and soothing. If you’ve been on the hunt for a conditioner to help with dry scalp, this could be the one. 

 

This little green bottle uses enriching peppermint and tea tree oil to calm dry and irritated scalps, tame frizziness, and restore the hair. This conditioner is paraben- and sulfate-free, which is great if your scalp gets irritated by harmful ingredients. For the price and effectiveness of this product, it’s one of the best hair conditioners for men.

 

6. Brickell Men’s Products Revitalizing Hair Conditioner

Do you ever wish your hair could look as sexy and sleek as the men you see in movies? Do you ever think that if you could just get your hair under control, you could look your best? Brickell Men’s Products Revitalizing Hair Conditioner will leave you looking like a movie star. 

 

This conditioner uses aloe vera, borage oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, tea tree oil, and peppermint oil to volumize hair, tame frizziness, encourage hair growth, hydrate the scalp, reduce excess oil and dandruff, and protect from breakage. Your hair will be so clean and radiant that you’ll be able to style your hair any way you want. Don’t believe us? Try this best-selling, globally-loved conditioner for yourself.

 

7. Huron Smooth & Nourish Conditioner

Huron Smooth & Nourish Conditioner is a lightweight powerhouse conditioner. It’s one of our favorite products, and we think it’s one of the best hair conditioners for men. Huron Smooth & Nourish Conditioner uses Argan Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Biotin that leave your hair looking fresh, healthy, and shiny. This conditioner tackles dry and brittle hair, moisturizes the scalp, seals hydration, calms frizziness, nourishes, and prevents future damage. 

 

You don’t need to have an extensive hair care routine; you just need Huron. The best part? This product is free of parabens, sulfates, silicones, aluminum, and phthalates and is vegan.

 

8. Hair Craft Co. Hair Moisturizer with Argan Oil

We get it. Dry, itchy, irritated hair is annoying. Luckily, there’s a solution: Hair Craft Co. Hair Moisturizer with Argan Oil. This conditioner infuses the hair with vitamins A, E, and C, argan oil, antioxidants, and omega-6 fatty acids that will leave your hair hydrated, voluminous, and sexy. 

 

Seriously. This conditioner can do it all. After just one use, your hair will feel and look smoother, softer, more moisturized, and frizz-free. There are very few products out there that can tackle all your hair care needs, but this conditioner is one you have to try. Stop wasting your time and money on conditioners that don’t work and just buy this one already. Okay?

 

9. Old Spice Thickening System with Vitamin C

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard about Old Spice by now. They are a well-loved, comforting brand that millions of people around the globe use. Old Spice Thickening System with Vitamin C is the kind of conditioner you want to keep on hand. It’s moisturizing, enriching, and luxurious.

 

If you use this conditioner in combination with Old Spice’s other thickening products, you’ll soon watch your hair transform into a luscious mane. This is one of the best conditioners to use if you’re trying to prevent hair loss, damage, and breakage. What are you waiting for? Go take care of your hair!

 

10. American Crew Daily Conditioner

We love American Crew, and we know you will, too. With so many great products to choose from at an affordable price, this brand is a man’s dream. This conditioner infuses the hair with rosemary and peppermint that tone, cleanse, hydrate, and soothe the scalp and hair. 

 

Dry scalp? This conditioner can tackle it. Dull spots? Been there, done that. After washing your hair with shampoo, take a small amount of this conditioner and gently massage it through your hair and scalp. You’ll instantly feel the invigorating tingles from the peppermint and rosemary as they rejuvenate your hair.

 

11. Verb Ghost Conditioner

Guys, we understand. It can be exhausting looking for a reliable hair conditioner that doesn’t also serve as a 3-in-1 shampoo and body wash. You want something that will get the job done, and we have just the thing. 

 

Verb Ghost Conditioner will take your haircare game to the next level. Moringa seed oil detangles and hydrates the hair, while quinoa protein prevents future damage and breakage. Finally, sunflower seed extract acts as a barrier between your hair and UV rays, preventing color fade-out. Your hair will look shinier, softer, and more hydrated after just one use of this revitalizing conditioner. Plus, this product is vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

 

12. Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance

 

Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is one of the best hair conditioners for men of 2023. It’s enriching, hydrating, strengthening, and softening. Seriously, if you haven’t found the perfect hair conditioner for you just yet, this is one you need to try. 

 

No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner works for any hair type—straight, wavy, curly, and coily. A small amount of this creamy conditioner will reduce frizz, repair damaged hair, soothe split ends, and moisturize dry scalps. You’ve got to try this one for yourself if you haven’t already. It’s just that good.

 

13. Pureology Strength Cure Conditioner

 

Your hair deserves long-lasting nourishment, and Pureology Strength Conditioner can give it to you. This gentle, revitalizing conditioner helps restore damaged hair. And it’s even safe for color-treated hair. 

 

Keravis, a strengthening protein, helps prevent future hair damage. Astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant, restores colors and hydrates dry, brittle hair. This conditioner will leave your locks looking their healthiest and happiest. Stop wasting time and money on boring, dull conditioners that don’t work and start using Pureology Strength Conditioner. This product is free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates and is vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

 

14. Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Conditioner

 

Don’t you ever wish you could pack up your life and be a global jet setter? Or do you ever want to channel your inner James Bond and feel like a truly modern man? Anyone? Just us? Whatever your inner wishes and dreams are, Oribe can help unleash your wildest fantasies. Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Conditioner helps restore hydration in dry, frizzy, and damaged hair. 

 

Bio-Restorative Complex restores and heals hair cuticles, promoting strong and smooth hair. Mediterranea Cypress Extract infuses the hair with intense moisture that lasts long after application. Oribe Signature Complex protects the hair from environmental irritants—like pollution and UV rays—while also restoring the hair’s natural keratin levels. This vegan, paraben-free conditioner will change your life and make you feel like you rule the world. Because you do.

 

15. Bumble and bumble Bond-Building Repair Conditioner

 

If you live in a cold climate, you know how dull and brittle your hair gets in the winter. No matter how many hydrating products you use, they never seem to help. Don’t give up hope just yet. We have one of the best hair conditioners for men. Say hello to Bumble and bumble Bond-Building Repair Conditioner, a nourishing conditioner that moisturizes even the driest of hair. 

 

Honey bond-building complex repairs and restores damaged hair by infusing your locks with healing hydration. Wildflower honey and honey ferment strengthen the hair by preventing breakage, split ends, and brittleness. This conditioner also decreases frizz and tangles and promotes shine by softening the cuticles. Don’t worry, you can still use this if you have color-treated hair. 

 

Take a small amount of this fruity conditioner—infused with blood orange, exotic guava flower, jasmine, passionflower, and wild orchid—and gently massage it through your hair. Rinse and be amazed. Your hair will never feel or look softer, brighter, and healthier than when using this conditioner. Free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and formaldehyde, this conditioner is suitable for sensitive skin and scalps.

 

16. Crown The Ritual Conditioner

 

Your morning or night routine shouldn’t take long. It’s okay if you don’t have a ton of products to put in your hair. Sometimes, simple is better, which is why we love Crown The Ritual Conditioner. This is one of the best hair conditioners for men because it’s easy, hydrating, and rejuvenating. The Ritual Conditioner utilizes the power of Tsubaki seed oil and beetroot extract to promote hair growth, strengthen locks, detangle, promote shine, hydrate, and reduce frizz. 

 

Why have a long hair care routine when your conditioner gets everything done for you in one step? This conditioner is suitable for any hair type because it’s lightweight and hydrating. Your hair will look and feel healthier after using this conditioner, and we know it’ll become your new favorite product. The Ritual Conditioner is free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, sulfates, and coal tar. Plus, it’s vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

 

17. Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hydrating Conditioner

Fable & Mane is one of our favorite haircare brands, and now they can be one of yours, too. Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hydrating Conditioner will transform frizzy, dry hair into soft, smooth locks. This conditioner can tackle it all—gym hair, work hair, playing-with-the-kids hair. 

 

Turmeric promotes a healthy scalp by infusing the hair with moisture. Coconut adds shine and seals hair cuticles, preventing split ends and damage. Hibiscus promotes healthy blood flow around the scalp, increasing circulation. All of these key ingredients combined brighten, hydrate, and detangle your hair, leaving you looking radiant and stunning. We could go on and on about how great this conditioner is, but we think you should try this vegan and cruelty-free product for yourself.

 

18. Kiehl’s Nourishing Olive Fruit Oil Conditioner

Are you tired of your hair looking lifeless and dull no matter what you do? Washing it every day dries it out, so you try washing it every other day. No matter what you do, it’s always dry. If that sounds anything like you, Kiehl’s Nourishing Olive Fruit Oil Conditioner is here to save the day. 

 

This luxurious conditioner contains olive fruit oil, lemon extract, and avocado oil that soothe frizzy hair, tame tangled locks, infuse intense hydration into the hair, restore color, and leave your hair looking healthy. Your friends will all want to know your secret. The salon? Nope. It’s Kiehl’s. This is one of the best hair conditioners for men of 2023, so you better jump on it fast.

 

19. Adwoa Beauty Blue Tansy Reparative Conditioner

Have you ever tried a new conditioner and it just left your hair feeling sticky, greasy, and crunchy? It’s the absolute worst feeling. You spent all this time picking a new conditioner, you paid for it, and yet it failed you. What do you do? Try Adwoa Beauty Blue Tansy Reparative Conditioner, of course. We love this soothing, invigorating, and restorative conditioner that leaves your locks hydrated and soft. 

 

Avocado oil seals the hair and protects it from environmental pollutants. Buriti seed oil hydrates, strengthens, and heals damaged hair. Blue Tansy flower oil promotes hair growth. If that doesn’t sound good enough, there’s more. This conditioner also detangles, reduces frizziness, and enhances your hair’s natural shine. There aren’t many great conditioners out there like Blue Tansy Reparative Conditioner, which is why we love it so much. This product is vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.

 

20. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner

 

After a long workout at the gym, you need a conditioner that restores hydration and moisture. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner is one of the best hair conditioners for men because it protects and heals hair for the long term. This conditioner contains a patented healthy hair molecule (OFPMA) that works on any hair type to intensely hydrate, nourish cuticles, and restore shine. 

 

You deserve a conditioner that works hard for you. After washing with shampoo, take a small amount of conditioner and massage the product through your hair for maximum results. Plus, this conditioner is safe for color- or chemically-treated hair, so you can still use it even if you’re secretly not a real blonde. We promise we won’t tell.

 

21. Pure Nature Argan Oil Deep Moisture Repair Conditioner

 

Argan oil is one of the best ingredients to use for your hair. It’s nourishing, hydrating, and makes your hair feel super soft. Pure Nature Argan Oil Deep Moisture Repair Conditioner brings the best of both worlds—argan oil and convenience—together in this miracle conditioner. 

 

Formulated with vitamin E and argan oil, this conditioner infuses the hair with enriching antioxidants that repair and restore damaged hair, hydrate, seal cuticles, detangle, reduce frizz, enhance shine, and protect against UV damage. Any hair type can use this conditioner, but you should definitely use it if you have curls, waves, or coils in your hair. This product is free of sulfates, parabens, and gluten and is safe for daily use.

 

22. Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Conditioner Cool Citrus

 

As much fun as it would be to go live in the wilderness and tough it out for the rest of your days, we’d wager that you probably wouldn’t smell the best. If you still want to live out your wild man fantasies, here’s a compromise: Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Conditioner Cool Citrus. This fruity blend of shea butter, avocado, peppermint oil, and menthol will transform your shower into a tropical rainforest. 

 

This conditioner targets frizz, damaged hair, dryness, dullness, and breakage, resulting in ultra-luscious locks that may or may not leave your hair looking like Tarzan. The peppermint oil and menthol will tingle your scalp, stimulating hair growth and restoration. If that wasn’t good enough, this citrus blend also balances your natural pH levels, resulting in healthy skin and hair. You can’t go wrong with this plant-derived, cruelty-free, natural conditioner that will completely change your life. How does the saying go? Happy hair, happy life?

 

23. Redken Brews with Crafted Malt Daily Conditioner

Have you ever drank something so good that you wanted to bathe in it? Yeah. Us, too. Redken understood the assignment with the creation of Redken Brews with Crafted Malt Daily Conditioner, an addicting product that will leave your hair as delicious-looking as your favorite craft beer. This intoxicating conditioner will hydrate your hair, reduce frizz, detangle locks, heal damage, strengthen brittle hair, enhance curls and waves, and add shine to dull spots.

 

The infused malt in the conditioner acts as a natural cleanser, removing any impurities and leaving the hair spotless. Even though this conditioner is intense, it won’t weigh your hair down, cause greasiness, or make your hair crunchy. Even though you can’t swim in your favorite craft beer, you can shower and condition your hair with Redken Brews. That sounds like a fair compromise to us.

 

24. Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Renewal Conditioner

As embarrassing as it may be, dandruff happens. It’s frustrating, annoying, and outright unsightly. Luckily, we have just the product for you. Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Renewal Conditioner can tackle and treat even the toughest cases of dandruff and scalp build-up for natural, coily, and kinky hair. Creamy, nourishing coconut oil penetrates through the hair and soothes dry, flaky scalps by removing build-up. It also enhances curls, hydrates, strengthens, prevents future damage, and enhances shine. 

 

You shouldn’t have to suffer from a dry, itchy, flaky scalp forever. With Royal Oils Moisture Renewal Conditioner, you don’t have to. This conditioner is also free of sulfates, parabens, and dyes, which can often cause more irritation to your hair. If you’re still reading this, what are you doing? You should be adding one of the best hair conditioners for men to your online shopping cart.

 

25. Aveeno Fresh Greens Blend Conditioner

There are no better ingredients than natural ones, which is why we love Aveeno Fresh Greens Blend Conditioner—a natural, enriching treatment for thin and brittle hair. Your shower will transform into a luxurious, aromatic spa with hints of peppermint and cucumber cleansing and thickening your hair. 

 

This conditioner uses natural oats, rosemary, cucumber, and peppermint to add hydration to your dry scalp and hair, strengthen brittle strands, protect the hair cuticles, tame frizz, enhance shine, and soothe irritated scalps. Take extra time to massage this product through your hair after cleansing with shampoo. You’ll want to soak in the scents as much as you can. Sure, your bathroom may not be as cozy and relaxing as a spa, but Aveeno Fresh Greens Blend Conditioner can help you pretend. This product is free of sulfates, dyes, and parabens.

 

26. Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner

 

You can’t go wrong with Dove. Their products are timeless, affordable, and accessible. You can pick up Dove at most grocery and drug stores, which makes this product all the better. Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner instantly repairs dry, damaged, and brittle hair. Maybe you’ve spent one too many days out in the sun, or you’ve used the tanning bed for longer than you should have and your hair is paying the price. Whatever the case, this conditioner can tackle it. 

 

Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner infuses the hair with intense moisture that detangles, de-frizzes, and strengthens hair. As a bonus, if you use this product with Dove’s other strengthening systems, your hair will be healthier and stronger than ever. Give your hair a break and stay out of the sun for a bit, okay?

 

27. Mane ‘N Tail Moisturizer-Texturizer

 

Alright—hear us out. We know it’s odd to see a horse haircare product on this list, but there’s a reason Mane ‘N Tail has been a mainstay on the haircare scene for decades. These products actually work! If they’re good enough to use on thick horsehair, they must be good enough to use on your hair, right? Mane ‘N Tail Moisturizer-Texturizer infuses the hair with horse-heavy moisture that will nourish and restore your tired locks.

 

Seriously, if you’re in the market for a conditioner that tackles your thick, heavy hair, this is a sign from the universe to buy this product. There are few conditioners out there that can de-frizz, detangle, and treat thick hair. Mane ‘N Tail gets it done. Apply a small amount of this conditioner onto your hair after shampooing and feel the nourishing amino acid formula for yourself. For the amount of product you get in this conditioner at such a low cost, this is one of the best hair conditioners for men.

 

28. Nexxus Humectress Conditioner Protein Fusion

Hey, guys. This conditioner is screaming your name. Nexxus Humectress Conditioner Protein Fusion is a whirlwind experience, complete with soothing ingredients and nourishing textures. This conditioner locks in moisture, hydrates the scalp, prevents dryness, enhances shine, strengthens hair, and brightens dull spots. 

 

Nexxus Humectress Conditioner Protein Fusion also infuses the hair with protein, so your locks can start healing and restoring themselves. You shouldn’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on salon styles and blowouts when you can unleash the power of Nexxus.

 

29. Matrix Total Results Mega Sleek Conditioner

If you want soft, smooth, and shiny hair, you’ve got to try the Matrix Total Results Mega Sleek Conditioner. This shea butter-infused conditioner protects your hair against environmental pollutants, UV damage, and humidity by infusing intense hydration and sealing the cuticles. Your hair will look sleek and sexy after just one use of this ultra-nourishing conditioner. This product is suitable for natural, dry, and color-treated hair.

 

30. OGX Nourishing + Coconut Milk Conditioner

You already know how much we love OGX, so it’s no surprise that their Coconut Milk Conditioner showed up on our list. Coconut milk and oil, egg white protein, and other natural ingredients soften and smoothen your hair, detangle, reduce frizz, enhance shine, hydrate the scalp, and absorb excess oil. Not only does coconut milk make your hair super soft, but it also leaves your hair smelling incredible. This gentle conditioner is free of sulfates and parabens, so it’s safe to use on any hair type.

 

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Studio S OCTOBER 22, 2026

Milan Design + Build Helps San Diegans Remodel With Confidence

The San Diego home remodeling company works on full homes, kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, ADUs, garages, landscapes, and hardscapes.

Milan Design + Build Helps San Diegans Remodel With Confidence
Courtesy of Milan Design

Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.

“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”

Courtesy of Milan Design

Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.

The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.

At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.

Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.

Courtesy of Milan Design

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 10, 2026

La Jolla Institute for Immunology Announces $55 Million Fundraising Campaign

The Campaign for La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) will fuel scientific innovation and medical advances

La Jolla Institute for Immunology Announces $55 Million Fundraising Campaign
Courtesy of La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Philanthropists and Scientists Join Forces for a Bold $55 Million Campaign

La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is going public with a bold bet: a $55 million campaign to propel medical research into a new era. The Campaign for LJI will fuel discovery, empower scientific innovation, and expand the impact of immunology on human health. 

The Institute quietly kicked things off in 2023, guided by its Board, campaign volunteers, and early believers. Nearly 80% of the $55 million goal is already in hand. Now LJI is opening the doors and inviting the whole community to carry their visions across the finish line and back discoveries that change how LJI researchers understand, treat, and prevent disease. 

And there’s a bonus. To mark the public launch, LJI Board member and Campaign Honorary Chair Anthony R. Carr is offering a special matching gift so new donors can double their impact. Full details are here. 

The Promise of Immunology

Immunology has already rewritten human history. Advances in immune science helped wipe out smallpox, pushed polio to the brink of elimination, and revolutionized how we prevent and treat infectious disease. Today, immune-based therapies are opening doors for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious illnesses once considered untreatable. 

For nearly four decades, LJI scientists have stood on the front lines, driven by one insight: the immune system shapes disease in virtually every organ in the body. By decoding how the immune system works and how to harness it to prevent and treat disease, LJI researchers are chasing the Institute’s ultimate mission: Life Without Disease®. 

To make that mission real, the Institute pairs world-class scientists with cutting-edge technology, speeding up breakthroughs and turning discoveries into transformative new therapies that ease suffering worldwide. 

The Campaign for LJI supercharges that momentum, uniting the vision of the Institute’s scientists with a community that believes in research. Focused on advancing LJI’s most promising areas of study, the campaign aims to help build a future free from the burden of disease, a goal that demands bold ideas, lasting partnerships, and generous philanthropic support.

The Campaign for LJI will advance research across three critical pillars: 

1. President’s Priority Fund. Flexible, unrestricted dollars let big ideas move now, not later. Scientists can launch high-risk, high-reward projects, bring experts together across disciplines, build transformative technologies, and train tomorrow’s scientific leaders. 

2. Center for Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System. Male and female immune systems don’t respond the same way, and LJI researchers are tracing the fundamental differences down to individual cells and molecular pathways. The Campaign will speed up this pioneering work, revealing hidden drivers of disease and paving the way for more precise, biologically informed therapies for autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and beyond. 

3. Center for Vaccine Innovation. Immunologists, bioengineers, and vaccine experts are teaming up to design the next generation of vaccines and immune-based therapies. With donor support, LJI scientists can engineer longer-lasting and more personalized vaccines, pinpoint the cellular mechanisms driving protective immunity, and refine delivery methods to prevent autoimmune disease and treat cancer. 

A Lasting Impact

As the campaign enters its public phase, LJI welcomes new partners and supporters to join this landmark initiative. Community support is essential to accelerating scientific discovery, and there are many meaningful ways to help shape the future of immunology. Donors may direct their gifts to any campaign priority or other area of interest. As a comprehensive campaign, all gifts to LJI count toward the campaign goal, regardless of designation. Join the campaign, and multiply your impact with our limited-time matching opportunity. 

To explore the campaign, visit imagine.lji.org.

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 9, 2026

Paving the Way for New Knee Treatments

Scripps orthopedic surgeons are investigating stem cells as an alternative to joint replacement

Paving the Way for New Knee Treatments
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic recently received a $12.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to investigate whether they can transform stem cells into tissue that can repair some types of knee injuries. Currently, if a patient has lost most, if not all, of the cartilage in their knee, then their doctor will recommend a total joint replacement. Joint replacement is safe and effective, but patients who’ve only lost part of their cartilage often don’t qualify. A stem cell-based treatment would provide these patients an option that doesn’t involve donor tissue. Click here for more on the preclinical trial process. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 9, 2026

Healing by Design

Artwork throughout the Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas promotes hope and healing

Healing by Design
Courtesy of Scripps Health

The recently opened Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital staffed by dedicated team members who’ve helped make Scripps one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems. Complementary to that medical excellence, the Lusardi Tower also represents the latest expansion of the Scripps Arts for Healing Program. The philanthropic initiative strategically places nature- and community-based artwork throughout the hospital to support health and well-being. Both Scripps Encinitas and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla have healing arts programs as part of new building projects and growth on the campuses. Click here to read more about the Healing Arts Program and how residents from a nearby retirement community showed their support. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content NOVEMBER 4, 2026

A Guide to South Park

From century-old Craftsman homes to vegan fantasy bars, dive bars, and a tiki room built for exactly two people, this is one of San Diego’s great little neighborhoods

You may not realize it, but Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park (in fact, 1.5 times larger). Pressed right up against its southeastern edge is a little architecture farm built on old trolley bones, where houses look like someone was collecting architectural styles and local businesses are still run by people who seem personally invested in keeping this place interesting.

This is South Park. 

To understand why it feels the way it does today—less like one commercial strip and more like a handful of tiny villages—you have to go back to the trolley.

How the Trolley Built South Park

The land that became the original South Park Addition (the subdivision’s original name) was surveyed in 1870 and officially filed in 1890, but the neighborhood really started becoming a neighborhood in the early 1900s. The Bartlett Estate Company began developing and marketing the tract in earnest around 1906, pairing lots and new homes with something extremely useful if you lived outside Downtown in the horse-and-buggy era: an electric streetcar.

On May 1, 1906, the South Park and East Side Railway made its first trip. Developers didn’t just build near transportation; they helped pay for the transportation, then used it to sell the dream. Downtown had industry, noise, and congestion. Out here were palms, sidewalks, utilities, room to breathe and a four-cent ride back to the city.

It worked. Homes began filling in around the streetcar route, and little commercial clusters grew around the places where people got on and off. That transportation pattern is still written into South Park’s geography. Some of the neighborhood’s odd street geometry is also due in part to the trolley—the old line cut across parcels instead of politely obeying the grid, leaving behind pieces of land that later businesses learned to build around. Places like Station Tavern sit on the former easement and station site of San Diego’s No. 2 trolley line.

Then San Diego went big for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in neighboring Balboa Park. The exposition transformed much of the park and helped push the city through another burst of building and growth. South Park was right there to absorb some of that momentum.

And the people building houses here had taste.

Walk the residential streets now and it can feel like somebody planted an architectural sample garden: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival. Creedence Clearwater Revival. All the revivals. The neighborhood includes work by Irving Gill, one of the defining architects of early modern California; Gill-designed Prairie homes still stand along Granada Avenue.

The city formally designated the South Park Historic District in 2017, recognizing roughly 400 properties and a period of significance stretching from 1906 through 1949. In other words, a lot of what makes the place feel old is actually old.

South Park Today

While the trolley eventually disappeared, the basic idea behind it didn’t. South Park is still a neighborhood organized around little pockets of human activity: a couple blocks where you can buy a record, drink a beer, find a 60-year-old lamp, eat a vegan burger beneath gothic beasts, browse a bookstore, and walk home past a century-old Craftsman.

The 30th-and-Fern area may be the clearest example. Several surviving buildings there date to South Park’s early development, including the old Fire Station No. 9, Rose Grocery building, and Burlingame Garage. What began as infrastructure for a young streetcar suburb became the neighborhood’s commercial heart.

That history is also partly why buying a house here can be competitive. There isn’t some endless supply of vacant land waiting around the corner for another subdivision. Much of the neighborhood filled in generations ago, and the architecture itself is part of the appeal.

San Diego Mag’s been documenting the city for 78 years. And we’ve been looking for a partner who loved the city enough to help us tell its stories. Redfin is that partner. They’re helping us tell the story of some of the city’s most unique neighborhoods. They launched Redfin Early Access this year to get their people in first and to see certain coming-soon and exclusive listings on Redfin before they appear on other major real-estate sites.

First up: South Park.

Here are some of the people and places worth knowing here:

Whistle Stop Bar

Big Kitchen Cafe

Start with Judy “the Beauty” Forman, because it’s difficult to explain South Park without her. The former social worker bought Big Kitchen in 1980 and turned a neighborhood breakfast joint into a gathering place for artists, musicians, activists, politicians, eccentrics, and pretty much anyone who needed somewhere to belong. As Judy puts it, “I built this for people who others passed over.”

One of those people was a young single mom named Whoopi Goldberg, who worked as a dishwasher here before the Whoopi Goldberg part of her career happened. Today Big Kitchen still serves breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday.

3003 Grape Street

Whistle Stop Bar

Whistle Stop reopened in 2001, right as South Park’s little independent-business ecosystem was finding a new generation. Owner Sam Chammas—also connected to Live Wire and, later, Station Tavern—helped turn it into the kind of neighborhood bar where the calendar can jump from a DJ night to live bands to some strange communal event nobody at a normal sports bar would propose.

The room still has that laid-back, slightly sweaty house-party quality. Check what’s happening before you go, because Whistle Stop changes personality depending on the night: sometimes neighborhood beer, sometimes everyone dancing beneath the disco ball like work tomorrow was canceled.

2236 Fern Street

Station Tavern

Station Tavern may be the most literal example of old South Park becoming new South Park. It opened in 2009 on land once crossed diagonally by the No. 2 trolley line, and architect Lloyd Russell incorporated that history into the design rather than pretending the weirdly shaped lot wasn’t weirdly shaped. The project won the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Grand Orchid Award the same year it opened.

Sam Chammas built the place as an open-air burger-and-beer spot with big communal tables, a backyard, room for kids, and room for dogs. It still works exactly that way: get a burger, get the tots, let everybody spread out, stay awhile.

2204 Fern Street

Kindred + Throne Room

Kindred arrived in late 2015 looking nothing like the beige-and-leafy vegan restaurant stereotype. The place went full gothic fever dream—heavy music, wild cocktails, decadent plant-based food—and eventually collected national vegan accolades plus local Restaurant of the Year and design honors.

And in 2026, it got even weirder. Hidden behind a chain-mail passage inside Kindred is Throne Room, a medieval-fantasy cocktail chamber whose mythology grew out of a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired map the Kindred team created for a 2017 Coachella pop-up. The 90-minute experience has scroll menus, plant-based mezze, cocktails and zero interest in pretending restaurants need to behave normally.

1503 30th Street

Bad Madge & Co.

Vinyl Junkies Record Shack

Vinyl Junkies has good music-scene DNA. Founder Eric Howarth previously ran indie label Hi-Speed Soul, whose roster included acts like Nada Surf and Swervedriver, then teamed with Casbah owner Tim Mays after the pair had spent years putting on Vinyl Junkies record swaps.

They opened the South Park brick-and-mortar shop in 2017, and it remains a buy-sell-trade temple for people who understand that owning music on a physical object is irrational in exactly the right way. Go flip through the new arrivals. Leave holding something you had absolutely no intention of buying.

2235 Fern Street

Bad Madge & Co.

Bad Madge is what happens when “vintage store” doesn’t quite explain the situation. Owner Tanya McAnear and her team fill the shop with furniture, clothing, barware, records, art, jewelry, collectibles, and various objects that seem like they may know things about their previous owners. The shop opened in 2011 and has made reuse and upcycling part of its identity ever since. Go in without looking for anything specific—specificity will only slow you down.

2205 Fern Street

Thread + Seed

Across the neighborhood’s vintage-and-vinyl universe sits Thread + Seed, a local boutique built around clothing, denim, gifts, and personal styling. Its South Park shop has an especially deep denim program—petite, tall, wide-leg, straight, flare—and the store also offers one-on-one styling built around color and body type. In other words, this is where you go after deciding the jeans currently on your body have betrayed you. South Park understands that sometimes personal renewal begins with pants.

2220 Fern Street

The Book Catapult

Seth Marko started The Book Catapult as a book blog in 2006. In 2017, he and his wife, Jennifer Powell, turned it into an actual bookstore in South Park, specializing loosely in fiction, local interest, and children’s books while maintaining the more important bookseller skill: putting something into your hands that you didn’t know you needed.

There are staff picks, author events, signed books, and the dangerous possibility of walking in for one title and emerging with four. Because no one ever died thinking, “I shoulda read less.”

3010-B Juniper Street

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Partner Content NOVEMBER 3, 2026

Tastemakers Fall 2026: Valle

Chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and craft mixers - meet our 2026 Tastemakers, the minds behind the magic.

Tastemakers Fall 2026: Valle
E-SDM—Valle-2026—Tastemakers_WEB

Roberto Alcocer, Chef

Chef Roberto Alcocer showcases all that Mexican cuisine and culture has to offer at Oceanside’s Valle. The Michelin-guide recommended restaurant takes inspiration and techniques from all over Mexico—with a heavy Baja influence—and blends them with local San Diego ingredients to create original and delectable contemporary Mexican cuisine. The seasonal tasting menu allows Chef Alcocer to experiment with the freshest available ingredients, creating dishes that defy guests’ expectations, while the wine list features more than 100 labels from Mexican artisans. Even the restaurant’s walls are a celebration of Mexican culture, all decorated with work from artists of Baja.

“My favorite part of being a chef of Valle is being able to showcase the Mexico that I know to everyone who visits,” Chef Alococer says. “Not only through the food, but with the design, culture, and welcoming service.”  

Try This!

Lobster Taco: Flour sourdough tortilla with lobster shell bisque and local red spiny lobster

Valle

222 North Pacific Street, Oceanside, California 92054
866-723-8906  | valleoceanside.com

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