July 30, 2007
Guys Trying to Keep Up Appearances
By George Anderson
Whether guys are getting more in touch with their feminine side is up for debate but one thing is clear – men are certainly in touch with women’s beauty care products when it comes to their own personal grooming.
According to groominglounge.com, 70 percent of men use products intended for women as part of their grooming regimen.
Pirooz Sarshar, co-founder of groominglounge.com, told Forbes, “That’s one of the most frequently discussed topics on the question and answer forums on the site. Contrary to what most people think, men use women’s beauty products, and they like it.”
So what attracts men to women’s beauty products? Experts offer a variety of answers, including availability (it’s there, why not use it), packaging and scent.
Andy Cohen, a strategic marketing adviser, is a strong believer in the power of packaging to induce trial.
“Guys aren’t any different from women, in the sense that they are attracted to interesting packaging,” he told Forbes. “If something looks useful or it promises results, they will feel inclined to experiment with it.”
Among the everyday women’s beauty care items that men like most are Secret deodorant and Biore pore strips.
According to Mr. Sarshar, 70 percent of men use antiperspirants/deodorants and five percent use women’s products. Men, in the case of Secret, are said to be attracted to its floral scent.
Men, according to a USA Today report, are going to greater lengths to improve their appearance. The paper, citing the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, reports that men are increasingly turning to non-surgical procedures such as Botox injections, microdermabrasion and laser procedures to look younger.
Males are also more willing to undergo surgery to improve their appearance. Surgery to deal with hair loss is up in men between the ages of 20 and 39.
“Guys are always scoping out other guys, saying, ‘That’s a transplant, that’s Propecia, that guy’s wearing a wig,’” Brian Boye, fashion and grooming director at Men’s Health told USA Today. “Whether in the locker room or restaurant or while watching TV, they’ve got one eye on what everyone else is doing, on what looks good and what doesn’t look good.”
At Beauty.com, high-end anti-aging creams and other products are among the items bought most frequently by male shoppers.
Kathleen McNeil, a spokesperson for the e-tailer, told USA Today, that men gravitate to online merchants because the “environment is less intimidating than going into a department store and talking to a commissioned sales associate.” Men also can feel out-of-place in stores, she said, because “beauty counters are very feminine.”
Retailers and brand marketers are looking for ways to better communicate with men. While men’s grooming has long been seen as an untapped opportunity, many believe that a tipping point may be here. According to the NPD Group, men’s grooming and fragrance category sales now top $1 billion.
Karen Grant, senior beauty analyst, NPD Group, told the magazine, “Getting men through the door is difficult. Men’s products tend to be relegated to a small area, and that can diminish visibility. On the other hand, I don’t know if men are ready for an all-male cosmetics store.”
Discussion
Questions: How big an incremental sales opportunity does men’s grooming represent
for HBC/GM? Has men’s grooming reached the “tipping point” stage where it
is now ready to really take off? What can brands and retailers do to drive
sales in this area?
BrainTrust
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Poll
There’s nothing to indicate that men’s grooming product sales will surge well beyond their usual trends anytime in the near future. Why does it just seem like wishful thinking from those in HBA? Which male movie or TV or sports stars are using women’s items in public? Which male celebrities? Any famous men at all in Europe? Any minority group men known for being fashion leaders (Blacks, gays, Latinos?) Yes, men sometimes use Secret. But that’s far from a cosmetic. Fashion trends originate in the media (movies and TV) or among celebrities or in Europe or among certain minority groups. The look of those folks signals the fashions of the future. They’ve got tattoos, they wear earrings, they may be pierced elsewhere, but they’re not wearing cosmetics.
My bellwether for male appearance products is the limited success of the Just For Men line of haircolor products. After expanding to include beard coloring and adding a couple of shades, the line pretty much stagnated. Line extensions such as JFM-branded shampoos, conditioners, and moisture treatments failed to materialize. A hairdresser friend of mine asserts that haircolors with women on the box are just as effective for men as for women, offer many more shades and support products, and seem to be better developed in terms of scientific underpinning. These are the haircolor products men buy most often, which both supports the idea that they’re using products meant for women but questions whether similar products developed just for men would be sufficiently successful.
Men are slowly getting more comfortable entering a woman’s realm (as it were), but I still think that, for a while, they will be under the radar (as in: going online or having their wives/girlfriends add the night cream their men want to their drugstore/make-up counter shopping lists).
In doing research into how traditionally male-dominated industries market to women, I am also exploring how traditionally female-oriented industries (beauty/apparel, for one) tend to unnecessarily alienate a lot of male prospects by, well…being too “pink” in their approach. So–yes–men want nice haircuts and are willing to pay, but it may be too “girly” to admit it or be seen in a salon.
There is an interesting book called “The Future of Men” by Marian Salzman et al, that speaks to the evolution of masculinity–if anyone is interested in digging further.
My thought–that women may now be a lot more comfortable entering a man’s consumer realm than vice versa–especially since marketers have perhaps gone the superficial route to reaching women (by overly “feminizing” an approach rather than simply striving to serve higher standards). There’s a great example of one guy countering this: Jay Jacobs made his own blue dustcover for a diet book that was published with a bright pink one. (see the NYT article, from May 28, 2007, “Judging a Diet Book’s User by Its Bright Pink Cover.”)
It will be fascinating to follow the developments. Will marketers reel in their over-the-top marketing-to-women approaches so they actually reach the men who may happen to be in their core markets? We’ll see.
Driving more sales is great but brands will need to be careful. Just as in clothing, men will expect lower prices for same similar feminine products. For example men don’t buy $100 jeans and I don’t expect them to buy $20 bottles of shampoo. When the ladies see that men are paying less for similar products there could be some backlash. Or maybe I am completely wrong. Typically men don’t need cosmetics any more than women. It’s mostly psychological and often cosmetics do more harm that good to someone’s appearance. Historically, men have propped up their appearance with wallet size (i.e. new sports car), rather than with cosmetics.
About 8 years ago I researched and authored a report for Just For Men called “The New Guy Next Door,” which documented men’s increasing interest and willingness to care and do something about improving their appearance. (The percentage of men expressing such a willingness was about the same 70% as mentioned here.)
My most interesting finding was that masculinity has been redefined in America, away from stereotypes and more toward what I called “situational masculinity.” American men today are as masculine, but only as masculine, as they need to be in any particular situation. (Change a tire, change a diaper; be a provider, be an emotional supporter, etc.)
The findings were used in support of a national PR campaign (I was a media spokesperson) that included men from different walks of life. Since that time the trend of situational masculinity has only increased and strengthened. After all, it’s a trend!
The USA Today report, that men are going to greater lengths to improve their appearance, is probably valid but it also should be known that men are becoming increasingly good customers of premium hygiene products such as breath freshening oral rinses and gum. Case in point: recently, a nationally known bacteriologist and fresh breath expert, Dr. Harold Katz appeared at six Meijer stores to conduct free breath testing events, and more than half of the guests standing in line, were…uhhh…men. And most of them were very intent on having fresh kissable breath, as their wives and significant others stood by waiting for results!
I believe the term, “metrosexual” appeared in our vocabulary somewhere around 1994. This was a new word meant to describe a new type of “manly man.” This new-age man is one that is concerned about his overall appearance and he was not to be ashamed about it. This new man has been pegged as men that spend a great amount of time on their daily regimen including skin care, hair care and clothing.
Yes, 13 years have passed and the term has somewhat fizzled, but this man has not disappeared. In fact, there are more of them than ever before and the numbers are swelling. More and more men have become aware that when it comes to spending time on personal grooming and overall appearance, it’s time well spent. Why? Come on now, you know why. It’s because the ladies approve! Isn’t that why all men do all the things men do?
To accommodate this new thinking, the retail landscape has definitely changed over the last few years. Some retailers have began incorporating this new man into their scheme, but perhaps not to the extent to take advantage of the full opportunity. It has been an ordinary sight to see several feet of space in the personal care aisle dedicated to women’s products, but now is the time for retailers to reevaluate their men’s section.
The emergence of this new man is demanding their own products tailored specifically to their needs–facial hair, sensitive skin, etc. Retailers need to keep a close eye on this. This is especially true in metro markets where men are more likely to be aware of trends. Metropolitan areas like Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix and Seattle all should pay an unusual amount of attention. It’s the specialty retailers that are capitalizing on this market segment now, but the mass market retailer might consider the benefits that can be obtained by adding items specifically targeted to this “new” male.
I’m off to get my message, facial and pedicure now. See you later!
More Discussions
Has Same-Day Delivery Become an Expectation Across Retail?
Are expectations around retail delivery speed in flux?OpenAI Names the Infrastructure Standard for Agentic Commerce
Will OpenAI or Google (or another entity) set the gold standard for agentic commerce?Is Five Below Poised For Even Greater Growth?
Five Below is hitting serious growth numbers. Can this trend continue?
There’s nothing to indicate that men’s grooming product sales will surge well beyond their usual trends anytime in the near future. Why does it just seem like wishful thinking from those in HBA? Which male movie or TV or sports stars are using women’s items in public? Which male celebrities? Any famous men at all in Europe? Any minority group men known for being fashion leaders (Blacks, gays, Latinos?) Yes, men sometimes use Secret. But that’s far from a cosmetic. Fashion trends originate in the media (movies and TV) or among celebrities or in Europe or among certain minority groups. The look of those folks signals the fashions of the future. They’ve got tattoos, they wear earrings, they may be pierced elsewhere, but they’re not wearing cosmetics.
My bellwether for male appearance products is the limited success of the Just For Men line of haircolor products. After expanding to include beard coloring and adding a couple of shades, the line pretty much stagnated. Line extensions such as JFM-branded shampoos, conditioners, and moisture treatments failed to materialize. A hairdresser friend of mine asserts that haircolors with women on the box are just as effective for men as for women, offer many more shades and support products, and seem to be better developed in terms of scientific underpinning. These are the haircolor products men buy most often, which both supports the idea that they’re using products meant for women but questions whether similar products developed just for men would be sufficiently successful.
Men are slowly getting more comfortable entering a woman’s realm (as it were), but I still think that, for a while, they will be under the radar (as in: going online or having their wives/girlfriends add the night cream their men want to their drugstore/make-up counter shopping lists).
In doing research into how traditionally male-dominated industries market to women, I am also exploring how traditionally female-oriented industries (beauty/apparel, for one) tend to unnecessarily alienate a lot of male prospects by, well…being too “pink” in their approach. So–yes–men want nice haircuts and are willing to pay, but it may be too “girly” to admit it or be seen in a salon.
There is an interesting book called “The Future of Men” by Marian Salzman et al, that speaks to the evolution of masculinity–if anyone is interested in digging further.
My thought–that women may now be a lot more comfortable entering a man’s consumer realm than vice versa–especially since marketers have perhaps gone the superficial route to reaching women (by overly “feminizing” an approach rather than simply striving to serve higher standards). There’s a great example of one guy countering this: Jay Jacobs made his own blue dustcover for a diet book that was published with a bright pink one. (see the NYT article, from May 28, 2007, “Judging a Diet Book’s User by Its Bright Pink Cover.”)
It will be fascinating to follow the developments. Will marketers reel in their over-the-top marketing-to-women approaches so they actually reach the men who may happen to be in their core markets? We’ll see.
Driving more sales is great but brands will need to be careful. Just as in clothing, men will expect lower prices for same similar feminine products. For example men don’t buy $100 jeans and I don’t expect them to buy $20 bottles of shampoo. When the ladies see that men are paying less for similar products there could be some backlash. Or maybe I am completely wrong. Typically men don’t need cosmetics any more than women. It’s mostly psychological and often cosmetics do more harm that good to someone’s appearance. Historically, men have propped up their appearance with wallet size (i.e. new sports car), rather than with cosmetics.
About 8 years ago I researched and authored a report for Just For Men called “The New Guy Next Door,” which documented men’s increasing interest and willingness to care and do something about improving their appearance. (The percentage of men expressing such a willingness was about the same 70% as mentioned here.)
My most interesting finding was that masculinity has been redefined in America, away from stereotypes and more toward what I called “situational masculinity.” American men today are as masculine, but only as masculine, as they need to be in any particular situation. (Change a tire, change a diaper; be a provider, be an emotional supporter, etc.)
The findings were used in support of a national PR campaign (I was a media spokesperson) that included men from different walks of life. Since that time the trend of situational masculinity has only increased and strengthened. After all, it’s a trend!
The USA Today report, that men are going to greater lengths to improve their appearance, is probably valid but it also should be known that men are becoming increasingly good customers of premium hygiene products such as breath freshening oral rinses and gum. Case in point: recently, a nationally known bacteriologist and fresh breath expert, Dr. Harold Katz appeared at six Meijer stores to conduct free breath testing events, and more than half of the guests standing in line, were…uhhh…men. And most of them were very intent on having fresh kissable breath, as their wives and significant others stood by waiting for results!
I believe the term, “metrosexual” appeared in our vocabulary somewhere around 1994. This was a new word meant to describe a new type of “manly man.” This new-age man is one that is concerned about his overall appearance and he was not to be ashamed about it. This new man has been pegged as men that spend a great amount of time on their daily regimen including skin care, hair care and clothing.
Yes, 13 years have passed and the term has somewhat fizzled, but this man has not disappeared. In fact, there are more of them than ever before and the numbers are swelling. More and more men have become aware that when it comes to spending time on personal grooming and overall appearance, it’s time well spent. Why? Come on now, you know why. It’s because the ladies approve! Isn’t that why all men do all the things men do?
To accommodate this new thinking, the retail landscape has definitely changed over the last few years. Some retailers have began incorporating this new man into their scheme, but perhaps not to the extent to take advantage of the full opportunity. It has been an ordinary sight to see several feet of space in the personal care aisle dedicated to women’s products, but now is the time for retailers to reevaluate their men’s section.
The emergence of this new man is demanding their own products tailored specifically to their needs–facial hair, sensitive skin, etc. Retailers need to keep a close eye on this. This is especially true in metro markets where men are more likely to be aware of trends. Metropolitan areas like Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix and Seattle all should pay an unusual amount of attention. It’s the specialty retailers that are capitalizing on this market segment now, but the mass market retailer might consider the benefits that can be obtained by adding items specifically targeted to this “new” male.
I’m off to get my message, facial and pedicure now. See you later!