01 September, 2021 · 3 minutes of reading
Skincare for men has been a focus of innovation and growth over the past two years. It is a growing cosmetic sales opportunity and will be the industry’s future focus.
The global men’s personal care market size was valued at USD 47.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.0% from 2020 to 2027. An increase in concerns related to health, body image, self-grooming and hygiene among men is the key factor driving these data.
A survey conducted by Kantar in 2019 revealed that Spanish men are among those who take the most care of themselves, and while 24% of men worldwide say they keep up to date with personal care trends and fashions, this interest is as high as 34% among Spanish men.
In 2019, Asia Pacific was the fastest-growing market due to the growing population and expansion of the middle class, as well as increasing concern about appearance. This increase is attributed to social media applications such as Instagram and TikTok, which put pressure on clear skin and are beginning to challenge traditional gender stereotypes.
Major market opportunity
The first specifically male cosmetic lines were developed in response to typical male treatments (baldness, acne, shaving, etc.). However, men’s motivation for self-care is much more widespread nowadays.
The image of men currently portrayed by the beauty, fragrance and fashion industry is generally outdated: distant, unemotional, physically strong and always in control. Reinventing this harmful stereotype could be a great opportunity, for example, to portray a modern masculinity by encouraging men to be vulnerable and expressive or simply to present positive versions of masculinity. Some brands, such as Dove and Gillette, are already working on this. While the change will not be an easy task, the strategy – of how a man should or should not be – will always attract both fans and haters, and this is no doubt what brands are afraid of.
Men tend to be more pragmatic than women when it comes to choosing a cosmetic product and they therefore look for multifunctional, fast-absorbing, light-textured, lightly scented and easy-to-apply treatments. As with the female cosmetics industry, we must keep on top of movements that are here to stay, such as clean beauty, or ethical aspects such as the use of environmentally friendly packaging.
Brands must be aware of the needs of male consumers
Despite the differences in skin characteristics between men and women, skin problems are equally conditioned by ageing, lifestyle, fatigue, environmental conditions, diet, health problems and bad habits such as a sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and smoking.
While women’s and men’s cosmetics have the same aim, brands should be clear that the characteristics of male skin require specific cosmetics to be formulated for men.