British Men Warm to Skin Care

Groomed beards? Sure. Groomed brows? Why not? Over half of men in the UK (55%) say they have bought or would buy skin care products according to new research conducted by the UK’s biggest survey of product innovation. In a market traditionally dominated by women, interest in products tailored to men is on the rise.
 
Conducted online in November 2020, UK consumers were asked which male grooming products they had bought in the past six months or would buy in the future. Beard care products landed in second place, with nearly a third (32%) revealing these products were part of their grooming routine. Beard care is a thriving market in today’s beauty industry, according to the Product of the Year survey, which notes that in the space of a few short years, coiffed, sculpted and styled beards have made a return, becoming a stylish feature of the modern man. Beard shampoos, oils and trimmers were once considered the secret weapon of well-kempt, millennial men but today the appeal reaches across the generations with middle-aged celebrities, including: George Clooney, David Beckham and Idris Elba, taking the groomed beard to the mainstream.
 
Makeup for men is another area that’s steadily gaining pace. Just over a fifth of those surveyed (13%) had bought or plan to buy male-specific make-up products. War Paint’s pioneering ‘make-up for men’ range was created in response to a dearth of products that suited the unique skin care needs of their target consumers. Following the launch of a successful pop-up in London, War Paint rolled out stores across the UK as demand grew, earlier in the year. Luxury brands have since joined the ‘make-up revolution’ with Chanel, Clinique and Givenchy, all launching their own makeup for men ranges.  
 
This Christmas, male grooming gift sets are big business. Latest in Beauty’s Men’s Grooming Christmas Edition Box makes a gift out of the daily personal care routine. Bulldog has given the ‘Original Moisturiser’ a festive makeover, packaged in a cardoard Christmas cracker. And every year, Gillette launches a range of shaving kits for men at Christmas.
 
“Every year, beauty, skin care and grooming products pick up awards at Product of the Year, with men’s products making up a growing number of those winners.” says Helga Slater, MD, Product of the Year “We’re excited to see which products have made the biggest impact this time round as we anticipate the results of the 2021 awards.”
 
Now in its 17th year, Product of the Year’s winning products are chosen by more than 10,000 UK consumers (conducted in partnership with Kantar) making it the nation’s biggest annual survey of product innovation. Men’s grooming brands, including: ManCave Micellar Cleansing Water, Gillette Fusion Aftershave Gel & Balm and Nivea for Men Active Firming Moisturiser, are just a few products that have won awards in the past. Winners will be announced next month.