Latest developments in men’s skin care market

A shift in the attitudes of males towards personal care products, innovation in ingredients and formulations, the rise of the well-groomed celebrity, from David Beckham to Tom Ford and the association that looking good contributes to success have, without a doubt, been the key contributors to the success in this area. No longer is the modern man restricted to a small piece of shelf space in the bathroom for maybe an all in one shower product, shaving cream, deodorant and a bottle of after shave, as the diversity, as well as the volume of products purchased has increased. For millennials in particular the rise of the ‘selfie generation’ puts further pressure on individuals to look their best at all times, which, coupled with this generation’s willingness to readily access and adopt new ideas and concepts, has given rise to new lines of male specific products. However, there is a general feeling that the male category has never achieved its true potential, with The Grocerdescribing the category as “suffering from a hangover” in 2016 in response to the news that in the UK the value of the men’s market had fallen by over 6%. Here we investigate men’s attitudes and buying behaviours, highlight some of the recent ingredient and product innovations and give some future predictions for trends which may contribute towards the category finally reaching its tipping point.

The need to look good

Recent Euromonitor research showed that the majority of men surveyed spent between 16 and 30 minutes on their daily grooming regime (compared to 30 to 60 minutes for women).2 When we look at how many times a year men used skin care products, this has increased from 453 billion occasions in 2011 to 557 billion in 2015, indicating that the time spent using product and the range of products used is expanding as the men’s market becomes more sophisticated.3 Sixty-one per cent of men believe that appearance is associated with success in both their personal and professional lives, with young adults aged 16 – 24 years most likely to be influenced by this notion.3 Currently these younger consumers are demanding products such as the Estée Edit range which promises to “Enhance up your complexion with this brightening powder—perfect for universally flattering, camera-ready skin…this powder creates a picture-perfect finish that’s always ready for a flash.”4 As these image conscious males age the desire for an older generation to look their best will increase, in turn driving a future need for products with advanced anti-ageing claims.