As men begin to show more and more interest in a well groomed appearance, the market is seeing both skin care and facial hair care as key drivers.
Steady growth
According to Croda, men’s care is an area showing steady growth over the last few years, and although some men may still use whatever products they find in the shower, the global firm says there is a growing number of men who seek and purchase products especially formulated for their unique skin requirements.
“Today, there is a movement towards trimmed, well maintained facial hair. Because of this fashion trend, you will see more men purchasing products that will help groom their facial hair and keep it from becoming unruly,” said Victor Low, marketing executive, Botanicals at Croda.
Low explained to CosmeticsDesign.com USA that skin maintenance is a key driver in the market as facial hair can cause ingrown hairs, redness and irritation from shaving.
A pan-atlantic trend
He said this trend may extend over several different regions since fashion is a universal language, but sees the greatest interest coming from North America and Europe.
The natural formulations provided by Croda include a natural emulsifier (Natragem E145) and foamer (Phytofoam), a gentle surfactant (Crodasinic LS-30), an active for sebum control (Phytotal OS PS) and exotic botanicals (Crodarom Black Quinoa and Crodarom Violet Rice) that provide essential nutrients that cleanse the skin.
These formulations will only be launched initially in the US, but Croda informed CosmeticsDesign.com USA that future formulations will be promoted globally.
Men go natural
According to market researcher Mintel, botanical and herbal are the leading product claims of new launches in the men’s care market as men are increasingly looking to seek out natural formulations, something which Croda has also picked up on.
“Men are most interested in product efficacy. They want their product to function as promoted. Natural ingredients can help meet male needs by providing botanically derived efficacy,” added Low.