Big opportunity in men’s skin care, but first attitudes must be changed
According to NPD’s Men's Grooming Consumer Report, over 9 in 10 men (ages 18 and over) use some sort of grooming product, which includes facial and body skin care, shaving, hair care, and fragrance.
However, only one quarter of men currently use facial skin care products such as cleansers (excluding bar soap), lotions/moisturizers, lip products, acne treatment products, exfoliators, eye products, anti-aging serums/treatments, and toner.
"There is a huge opportunity with men for facial skin care. The challenge is getting them involved and engaged," says, Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst, NPD.
Changing behavior
"There is a feeling that facial skin care products are not needed unless you have a specific skin problem such as acne. For men to use a product, he first must be aware that there is an underlying need that requires addressing.”
According to Grant, once men know they have a need to fill, their problem-solution orientation will fuel their desire to find products to alleviate their grooming challenges.
“They also have to unlearn the idea that the body skin care product they use such as bar soap and body lotion works just as well for facial skin,” she adds.
“And, while men of all ages present an opportunity, need-based opportunities seem to be most pronounced with Black and Hispanic men, as well as younger men ages 18 to 34.”
Make it part of daily routine
The best advice Grant can give to marketers is that in order to create life-long user, marketers will not only need to build awareness of the benefits that products offer, but also show that these products can be seamlessly incorporated into grooming routines.
The men's facial skin care market has grown 11 percent in dollar sales in 2011, compared to 2010, according to analyst figures.
I its consumer report, NPD found that over one-third of men admitted using facial cleansers and moisturizers. Three in ten were cited using lip products, and over a quarter said they are using acne treatment products.
Within facial skin care, it appears men purchase the more commonly used products that target basic cleansing and moisturizing, while those that offer more specialized benefits such as treating acne and preventing or diminishing the signs of aging, are less likely to be used by men.
