How Men’s Attitude Toward Grooming And Cosmetics Is Changing

The past was not possible that men would think about some cosmetics that had historically been reserved intended for women. However, now, particularly in light of how gender norms for men are changing, men are becoming more willing to use products exclusively used by females in past times. Matt Teri, Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer for the brand for men, Huron said the situation: “Traditional values of modern masculinity have changed. Perspectives on gender roles and stereotypes are changing, and health and wellbeing being attractive and feeling great, is an integral part of everyday life.”

The research conducted by the data companies Ipsos and Spate to prepare of Spate and Ipsos in preparation for the Personalized Beauty conference in San Francisco next week shows how men’s attitudes have changed. Wendy Wallner, Ipsos SVP and Senior Client Officer stated, “There is considerable openness for males of all ages to use cosmetic products that we’ve not seen previously. This is due to the anonymity of the online purchasing setting, the latest increase in zoom calls , and concerns about the appearance of social media on.”

Men in the majority said their appearance was the primary reason they’d look into adding new grooming products to their regimen. The men who were surveyed were between 18 and 65, and, not surprising. The more mature they were, the more looking at their skin to make them appear younger. Men between 18 and 34 were also influenced by their skincare and echoed the claim that they “use products to conceal my imperfections.” Most likely, products men may think about adding to their regimen include CC cream or BB cream. (BB refers to “blemish balm” that is light and can hide minor blemishes and gives a “no makeup” appearance. It is “color control, also known as “complexion corrector,” that improves the appearance of redness and discoloration.)

The research suggests that skin creams could be a way to access different types of less conventional cosmetics for males. In line with skincare creams, one of the products that men might consider is eyeliner. The majority of men between the ages of 18 and 34 are willing to use cosmetics in a professional environment. As per Spate, Google searches for men’s eyeliner have increased by 14%. The younger men are also more likely to say that “cosmetic products will enhance the quality of my lifestyle” or “be fun to show my personality.”

There’s more than just skincare where interest is rising. The data from Spate shows that searches for men on Google related to nails have been increasing by over 35% over the past year. The most significant increase in searches was pedicures, nail art, and nail designs.

What Brands Can Do It

Ipsos claims that when they switched the discussion subject to “grooming and skincare” and changed it to “cosmetics,” the result was a quick, dramatic negative shift in the attitudes and beliefs of men. The more mature the customer was, the more significant the change. However, even among those aged 18-34, 37% wouldn’t even think about applying any cosmetics (71 percent of men over 51 felt similar). Jon Shanahan, Co-Founder and CMO of the men’s brand Stryx, stated that “70plus percent of clients haven’t bought an item of cosmetics before.”

With these headwinds, how do the male-focused cosmetics brands gain traction?

In the beginning, they must look at the brand. Men of all ages are more likely to purchase products from a brand for men instead of a woman’s brand, and the tendency grows as you get older. The second reason is that making products that connect to skincare but include different features is a way to lure men into different categories of products that begin with skincare. Shanahan of Stryx states that older customers are thrilled to “have an all-male brand for previously used items for concealer, such as colored moisturizers.”

Although more than 2/3 of the men between 18 and 34 would be at ease visiting a cosmetics store to test, learn about, or purchase products, this trend is less so, with just about 1/3 of those older than 51 feeling the as. For a successful business, the brands must employ various marketing strategies that cater to different age groups. Shanahan of Stryx states that the company targets its message based on age which focuses on breakouts, acne, and redness in younger men and the dark circles, rosacea, and wrinkles in older men.

Next Steps On The Journey

Jeff Raider, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at men’s clothing brand Harry’s said to me that “in many instances, the journey begins by the use of a partner’s product. Brittania Boey, Chief Commercial Officer at Harry’s, said that men are “early in the journey and more focused on their natural best self … [and not on] major transformations.”Both brands and consumers are evolving in how they approach cosmetics for men.

Based on our research, the most effective approach for companies is choosing a strategy for their product based on age, segmentation, and a specific advertising message. The study suggests that beginning with skincare and broadening into products with features for skincare such as wrinkle reduction or sun-protection, they can attract men to boost their grooming and cosmetic use. However, the data also indicate that segmenting messages to various age groups and focusing on outbound marketing is essential to successful results.

The problem is that building a successful brand isn’t just about creating the right product and then taking it on the marketplace. As with many in the world of consumer products, it is imperative to have a clear message that is effectively marketed to the right people is essential.

There are a lot of talents to be able to offer to a business, and eventually, there will be some brands that will grow into big brands once they learn. However, because it’s so complicated, there are likely to be numerous brands that fail in the process before they can emerge as the top contenders. Patrick Kidd, Founder of the men’s grooming brand Patrick’s I was told that “it’s the combination of teaching men on active ingredients and dealing with actual issues that men face, and making the products appear like something that they’d be happy to have within their bathroom. But most importantly … these products must function.” It’s a simple concept, it’s actually quite complicated.

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Samatha Vale
Samatha a senior writer for HC's entertainment team. She is an entreprenuer, mother and an excellent writer. She's also an avid reader, music enthusiast and all around inquisitive person - which is just a nice way of saying she's nosy.

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