09.28.12
• Is today’s man more concerned with looking good from head to toe—and, more importantly, is he willing to invest in high-end skin care products to achieve that goal?
Are more men willing to invest in products designed to treat and care for their skin? |
“The growth in men’s skin care sales echoes the strong performance in the overall prestige beauty market,” said Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst, The NPD Group.“As seen in many beauty departments, products like facial moisturizers and eye treatments can be found next to the basic bar soap and shaving cream.”
All men’s segments posted increases in dollars in the first seven months of the year, versus January through July of 2011, with four exceeding the overall category performance: Sets & Kits (+11%), Body (+14%), Sun (+27%), and Hair (+8%). Face was the only category that did not outperform the total, but captured the lion’s share of the men’s business, accounting for an 81% dollar share, according to NPD. Specifically, the face segment generated $36.7 million and increased 5% year-to-date 2012.
“Many men are catching up to women with embracing the routine of a facial skin care regimen. The double-digit increase in sets and kits, which are often introductory products, is quite promising leading us to believe that more and more men are conquering the facial skin care frontier,” said Grant.
Clinique’s Skin Supplies for Men Face Scrub is the best selling product in the category, according to NPD. |
But for the first time in the past four years, the sub-segment of “Age Specialist” declined in both dollar (-21%) and unit growth (-25%).
Clinique’s men’s line is resonating with users, according to NPD’s analysis. The overall best-selling men’s skin care products for year-to-date 2012 were Clinique’s Skin Supplies for Men Face Scrub 3.4 oz., followed by Skin Supplies for Men: Lotion tube, another Clinique best seller.
“With substantial growth in a number of smaller categories, it seems that men are stepping out of their comfort zone even further to try the latest skin care innovations,” said Grant. “Men are purchasing toners and clarifiers to brightening specialists and ‘In Sun’ protection products making it quite an interesting time for men’s grooming product.”
More info: www.npdgroup.com