It seems men are increasingly putting down their razors and electric shavers and embracing their inner caveman. Not since the 70s perhaps has there been so much facial hair on display, as a glance down any busy high street in any major city across Europe and the USA can attest.
According to researcher Khalid Peerbaccus, whatever the true reason, many companies have taken an 'if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em' philosophy and are now offering products that capitalize on this trend.
Products like the Bearded Man Co.’s natural beard oil in the UK, offerings from global brands such as L’Oreal Men Expert, and smaller, more exclusive brands like Murdock of London are all getting into the act of helping men take care of their facial fuzz.
"We have also recently seen the launch of Balea Men’s 3 day beard conditioning gel in Germany, which shows that even the private label sector is keen to keep up with the growing trend," Peerbaccus tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.
Consumers opting for simpler products
According to this analyst, in today’s world consumers often opt for simple products that perform a multitude of tasks leaving them time to concentrate on other life demands.
However, Khalid reports that for many manufacturers a simple shaving gel will not suffice; a man must consider his skin type before selecting a gel, foam or cream, and must not neglect aftercare add-ons to avoid all the nicks, ingrown hairs and other hassles associated with dragging a sharp object across his skin each morning.
"If companies want to entice men across Europe and the USA back to shaving then they perhaps need to look no further than to the recent launch from King of Shaves," says Peerbaccus.
"The shave + shield combines both elements of shaving preparation and aftercare in one product, with no need to rinse. This time-saving product is more than just that; the promise of a simplified shaving routine may be one concept that could encourage some to reconsider their bearded selves in the mirror," he concludes.