Men’s formulations for a changing landscape

Personal care is an industry like no other, influencing everything from our individual confidence and self-esteem through to our hygiene, health and wellbeing. And in a sector so deeply connected to the emotions and rituals of customers around the world, there is a constant pace of change and endless opportunity for innovation. Men’s grooming products come in a wide variety as each person has unique needs, depending on their skin type, age as well as many other contributing factors. In this article, we present formulations which meet men’s skin care needs for 2021 and beyond, with an emphasis on skin, hair health and wellbeing.

The fact that 2020 was such a unique year has resulted in changes to many of our daily routines and habits, as well as our skin care needs. Some of these changes made may never fully return to what they were before. According to Mintel’s presentation “British Lifestyles 2020: The impact of COVID-19 in 2020 and beyond” (12/2020), we now spend 49% more of our time on video calls, unsurprisingly. With all the challenges that 2020 brought to daily life, the need to be wellgroomed for the discerning man is now much higher than ever before, as the presentation and contact with colleagues, friends, and family now involve meeting in the digital world, increasing the awareness of how we look when connecting digitally. The approach to the best “on-line” version of ourselves is significantly affected by the health and condition of both skin, particularly face naturally, and hair, be it on the head or the face. 

There is also much greater need for brands to justify why they are the right choice, with marketing, claims, and support data gaining much more significance. The naturality and sustainability of the formulations are still just as important, but the justification as to why raw materials are selected, both base and actives need to be made clear in the minds of today’s consumers.