SHENZHEN, China—Men’s personal care products are expected to grow four times in the next few years, according to Aline Hueber, DSM Nutritional Products. PCHi 2011 hosted the conference “The Macho Side of Personal Care", in which Hueber broke down men’s personal care needs into five sectors: Refreshing and Energy Kick, Refuel Aftershaving Balm, Sebum Fighter, Wrinkle Rebel and Eyes Like Steel.
As with women, men fear aging. They fear hair loss and white hairs, and they want to remain fashionable and attractive. However, men’s skin is different than women’s; even though men tend to use their partner’s personal care products and 80 percent of cosmetic products are actually bought by female shoppers, men need products especially formulated for them. Why? Well, men’s skin contains more collagen and is 20 percent thicker than females, so they age slower than woman. They also have a higher sebum production, which makes their skin greasier. Men also perspire more than women and are exposed to more daily stressors due to shaving so they need products tailored for their specific needs.
So how do you reach men? What kind of packaging, products and scents do they want? They are looking for products that combat their daily skin stressors (e.g., shaving) and grease. They want their products to appear sporty, powerful and efficient with intense colors such as red, black and blue (it’s wise to steer away from pastels and gold, according to Hueber, as those colors are more associated with women). They want products that are compactly packaged, and smell fresh and masculine.
Refreshing and Energy Kick. These types of products contain antioxidants and vitamins, and claim to stimulate cell respiration, reduce free radical damage and help stressed skin relax.
Refuel Aftershaving Balm. A man’s beard grows approximately 2 mm per day, which requires daily shaving. As a result, alcohol-based products and daily shaving dry out the skin. They are looking for ingredients that restore, promote wound healing and serve as an anti-inflammatory.
Sebum Fighter. Because men produce sebum at a higher rate than women, men are looking to “degrease" their skin, and for products that regulate sebum production and reduce pore size. Claims such as “shine control" work well with products such as these.
Wrinkle Rebel. No one wants frown lines or crow’s feet. The use of peptides, biotin and vitamin C can help combat wrinkles and tighten skin.
Eyes Like Steel. Environmental and lifestyle stressors such as UV radiation, smoking and sleeping habits can affect puffy eyes. Men are looking for products that boost hyaluronan content, and work to reduce dark circles and puffy eyes.