Men’s grooming trends drive upcoming market focus

23 Feb 2023 --- While men’s skincare and grooming is a rising trend in the beauty segment, it has not yet reached its full market potential, only cornering about 1% of sales in a US$511 billion industry, according to data gathered by Innova Market Insights.

“Market penetration is the biggest challenge. Every year I see brands entering the category, as the opportunity is huge, but this is a tough market. Many brands who venture in fall by the wayside after a couple of years,” Stirling Murray, CEO and founder of beauty brand consultancy The Red Tree, tells Innova in an interview.

“Support and endorsement by male celebrities such as sport’s greatest icons are not to be underestimated as these men can create the seismic shift required to get the backing of the male consumer,” says Murray.

Male grooming used to be relegated to shaving and cologne. Pop icons such as David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust inspired younger men to try out hairspray, mousse and gel during the punk era of the 1970s and 1980s. Cut to modern times and the male grooming category has branched out into skincare with subcategories including aftershave and fragrance, bath and body, facial skincare and hair care.

Transformation of the “metrosexual” man
The grooming preferences of male consumers are becoming more tailored to their lifestyle choices across athleisure, fashion, hair, skincare, body care and nutrient supplements.

According to Innova, men increasingly report the benefits of meditation and yoga and are exploring plant-based diets. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness industry accounts for US$4.2 trillion, demonstrating significant growth potential in the men’s personal care products space.

“If you don’t look young and fit, there is a perception of ageism, and this can lead to discrimination that may affect employability,” Ophelia Yeung, an economist at the Global Wellness Institute, tells Innova.Green grooming is a significant driver in personal care products for men.

Forty-five percent of Brazilian men report that looking after themselves through fitness, diet and mental health is what healthy aging means to them, according to Innova’s Beauty, Personal & Household Care Survey 2021. In contrast, Japanese men value these attributes at 24%.

About a third of men in Germany say “staying physically fit” is the best way to age healthily and 46% believe healthy aging is about “allowing nature to take its course without interventions.”

Innova’s consumer research of men from ten countries revealed that 20% of the participants used anti-aging products, 14% used a nighttime moisturizer and about 8% used a neck décolletage moisturizer.

Thirty-four percent confirmed they did not use facial skin care or treatment products. Eighteen percent increased their use of facial skin care products in the 12 months of being surveyed and 9% decreased their use.

Grooming by geography
North America dominates the male grooming market, accounting for a significant share globally, Innova estimates; however, it has not disclosed the exact figure.

A growing wave of male consumers seeking personal care routines drives the market there. In addition, the growing adoption of business strategies such as mergers and acquisitions among the key players propels market growth.

Male beauty is one of China’s fastest-growing consumer product segments, valued at US$1.9 billion in 2020 and projected to grow by about 50% by 2025. Eighty percent of Chinese men born after the 1990s use beauty products and have developed skin care routines.

According to Innova, Europe and Asia dominate the lion’s share of the men’s skin care market at 84% (2022).

Europe is currently on a negative growth curve; however, the decline is still less than the global average. Latin America – a much smaller region for men’s skin care products – is the only region with growth in new product launches.

Japan and India are showing noteworthy growth rates in new product launches for men’s skin care and are a driving force in men’s skin care innovation. The third fastest-growing country in the category globally is Spain but at a much slower rate. Of the top nine markets – Germany, India, the US, China, Japan, the UK, Spain, France and Poland – Japan has more than 37% market share, India 21% and Spain 3.7%.

Plant-based claims account for 5.9% of new launches (2022) of men’s skin care products, while it was non-existent five years ago.

As a precursor to Innova Market Insights Trends Insider report, the market researcher conducted a detailed global survey of approximately 10,000 consumers in the beauty category.

Purchasing behaviorMinimalism is a significant driver in men’s skin care and personal care.
The shift to online purchasing has positively affected the male grooming category, mainly spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Millennials account for a major share of online sales.

Online purchasing gives a detailed description of products and price comparisons, which makes it easier for the consumer to decide what to buy.

A good fragrance is an important consideration for the male consumer, demonstrated by the steady product launch activity between 2016 to 2021. The category accounts for 22.7% of total male grooming launches in this period, Innova data verify.

The high-end minimalist brand category is the most dominant category, with “minimalism” radiating a sought-after quality. “Men like to feel smart about their purchase,” says Anthony Sosnick, founder of grooming brand Anthony, who used focus groups to learn about the market.

The Innova Beauty, Personal & Household Care Survey of 2021 highlighted men in Germany, Italy, France and China are looking for natural ingredient claims above those of “long-lasting” and “24-hour freshness” when choosing deodorants. The growth rate is approximately 40% compared with the 30% increase in new product launches not targeted at men.

Clean label drives innovation
Green grooming or rather “clean,” sustainable, ethical, free-from and animal-friendly are a few of the main drivers in the category and influencing purchasing decisions.

Free-from claims are growing in the skin care segment with the exclusion of certain ingredients making the product more or less attractive to the consumer, with approximately 5 to 9% of products containing alcohol, silicon or mineral oil-free claims in 2022.

Meanwhile, beauty and personal care launches tracked with natural and organic claims grew by 9% between July 2017 to June 2022. Europe led the way at 61%, followed by Asia at 17%. Skin care was the top market category with natural and organic claims.

By Inga de Jong

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