Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao, Malée, Founder12.01.21
Like so many other personal care categories, the men’s grooming sector faced uncertainty at the start of 2021. Marketing departments were under pressure to perform with lower budgets. Supply chains, manufacturing output and distribution channels were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic was at its worst in Africa, men’s grooming sales were declining sharply in salons and mass markets. Brand managers scrambled to reach customers through digital experimentation and personalization. Digital beauty consultants, advisers and social selling were some of the alternatives implemented.
With 2021 winding down, marketers are optimistically looking forward to 2022 and beyond. The technological advances made through experimentation with digital connectivity is paying off. These moves kept the global cosmetics industry afloat and allowed new categories and new customers to emerge.
Beyond Shaving Creams & Razors
The African men’s grooming sector has historically been comprised of shaving products. But a shift in consumer behavior, perception and lifestyle is creating growth and diversity in the category. According to the United Nations, “Africa has the youngest population in the world with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30.”
A growing population, an expanding middle class and globalization fueled by the internet, brings market opportunities for brand owners. Mordor Intelligence predicts the Middle Eastern and African market for men’s grooming products will have a CAGR of nearly 6.5% through 2025. Men’s grooming in Africa is segmented by product type like razors and blades. NPD is focused on pre- and post-shaving activities. A once globally-static category is getting a makeover. Launches include oils and balms that sooth razor-burned skin or moisturize skin. At the same time, there is growing demand for thickening creams.
Men’s shaving product sales fell due to COVID-19 and the ensuing closure of non-essential retail that included barber shops and salons. Closures put a dent in sales of premium grooming products available only in salons. Moreover, the “COVID beard” became the norm as men eschewed shaving.
A Facial Focus
Consequently, facial skin care is on the rise for even more men. Brand owners are meeting this demand by not only creating unisex and androgenous ranges of products, but male consumer-centric solutions, too.
“We are seeing more men come into our store asking for specific products and advice on skin care and products that can address issues like hyper pigmentation, acne and uneven skin tone,” reports Tutuwa Ahwoi, founder of Nokware Skincare, Ghana.
African men are getting married later and have higher disposable incomes. They are investing in quality products to improve personal hygiene and wellbeing. It is well-documented that Generation Z men care for their appearance more than previous generations. Good grooming habits can pay off. Insurance policies from companies such a Discovery Health in South Africa include lifestyle and well-being discounts, for the new generation of African males, who prioritize their health and general well-being. The main market players, Procter & Gamble, Beiersdorf, Bic Group, Dorco Co. Ltd. and Edgewell Personal Care, lead the pack, but do not dominate, this fragmented market. Local brands are focusing on more than haircuts and basic hair care.
At Home in Salons
Successful companies create experiences and make it okay for men to enjoy grooming services in a space designed just for them. Manicures, pedicures, massages and aesthetic treatments are increasingly becoming popular among male African consumers. South African service salon chain Sorbet added Sorbet Man in more than 20 franchise stores in the country. Traditional haircuts come with brow threading, nose waxes and sit alongside offerings such as keratin hair smoothing, facials, Hollywood waxes and massages. They’re all a far cry from merely a shave and a haircut.
Mass brands, through distribution in supermarkets, drug stores and hypermarkets, are the market leaders. But mass retailers are creating their own in-house brands to reach guys looking for lower price points. Woolworths in South Africa launched a seven-item line in 2017. Longmarket Barber includes shaving cream, aftershave balm, beard oil, hair and body wash, shave and body soap, hair wax and exfoliating face wash.
E-commerce makes it possible for local and smaller brands to reach the consumer with digital retail environments. One is Nubian Nature in South Africa.
“We are a primarily an e-commerce brand with distribution in natural hair salons and barbers,” explained Shereen Makhanye, founder, Nubian Nature.
The macroeconomic environment in Africa remains volatile, marked by events such as the End SARS riots in Nigeria, riots over ex-President Jacob Zuma in South Africa and, most recently, the coup in Sudan. Despite this volatility, the market remains desirable. That’s because there is a growing young male consumer base with disposable income that cares about their appearance well beyond a simple haircut and shave.
As noted in a recent Euromonitor International report, “While Africa is a smaller market for hair care products compared to other regions, it offers great opportunity, particularly due to its growing population.”
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Malée, Founder
office@maleeonline.com
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao is an entrepreneur, influential speaker, sought-after brand consultant and freelance columnist with a focus on Innovation, sustainability and leadership in the cosmetics, luxury goods and start-up industries. As the founder of Malée, Africa’s first global luxury fragrance and body care brand, an advisory board member at Innocos, the world beauty innovations summit, Oriaikhi-Sao has established herself as a leader in the African-made luxury goods market. She has been featured on CNN, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail. She hosts the podcast Third Culture Africans, and inspires a vast audience with entrepreneurial and lifestyle Insights at zezeonline.
With 2021 winding down, marketers are optimistically looking forward to 2022 and beyond. The technological advances made through experimentation with digital connectivity is paying off. These moves kept the global cosmetics industry afloat and allowed new categories and new customers to emerge.
Beyond Shaving Creams & Razors
The African men’s grooming sector has historically been comprised of shaving products. But a shift in consumer behavior, perception and lifestyle is creating growth and diversity in the category. According to the United Nations, “Africa has the youngest population in the world with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30.”
A growing population, an expanding middle class and globalization fueled by the internet, brings market opportunities for brand owners. Mordor Intelligence predicts the Middle Eastern and African market for men’s grooming products will have a CAGR of nearly 6.5% through 2025. Men’s grooming in Africa is segmented by product type like razors and blades. NPD is focused on pre- and post-shaving activities. A once globally-static category is getting a makeover. Launches include oils and balms that sooth razor-burned skin or moisturize skin. At the same time, there is growing demand for thickening creams.
Men’s shaving product sales fell due to COVID-19 and the ensuing closure of non-essential retail that included barber shops and salons. Closures put a dent in sales of premium grooming products available only in salons. Moreover, the “COVID beard” became the norm as men eschewed shaving.
A Facial Focus
Consequently, facial skin care is on the rise for even more men. Brand owners are meeting this demand by not only creating unisex and androgenous ranges of products, but male consumer-centric solutions, too.
“We are seeing more men come into our store asking for specific products and advice on skin care and products that can address issues like hyper pigmentation, acne and uneven skin tone,” reports Tutuwa Ahwoi, founder of Nokware Skincare, Ghana.
African men are getting married later and have higher disposable incomes. They are investing in quality products to improve personal hygiene and wellbeing. It is well-documented that Generation Z men care for their appearance more than previous generations. Good grooming habits can pay off. Insurance policies from companies such a Discovery Health in South Africa include lifestyle and well-being discounts, for the new generation of African males, who prioritize their health and general well-being. The main market players, Procter & Gamble, Beiersdorf, Bic Group, Dorco Co. Ltd. and Edgewell Personal Care, lead the pack, but do not dominate, this fragmented market. Local brands are focusing on more than haircuts and basic hair care.
At Home in Salons
Successful companies create experiences and make it okay for men to enjoy grooming services in a space designed just for them. Manicures, pedicures, massages and aesthetic treatments are increasingly becoming popular among male African consumers. South African service salon chain Sorbet added Sorbet Man in more than 20 franchise stores in the country. Traditional haircuts come with brow threading, nose waxes and sit alongside offerings such as keratin hair smoothing, facials, Hollywood waxes and massages. They’re all a far cry from merely a shave and a haircut.
Mass brands, through distribution in supermarkets, drug stores and hypermarkets, are the market leaders. But mass retailers are creating their own in-house brands to reach guys looking for lower price points. Woolworths in South Africa launched a seven-item line in 2017. Longmarket Barber includes shaving cream, aftershave balm, beard oil, hair and body wash, shave and body soap, hair wax and exfoliating face wash.
E-commerce makes it possible for local and smaller brands to reach the consumer with digital retail environments. One is Nubian Nature in South Africa.
“We are a primarily an e-commerce brand with distribution in natural hair salons and barbers,” explained Shereen Makhanye, founder, Nubian Nature.
The macroeconomic environment in Africa remains volatile, marked by events such as the End SARS riots in Nigeria, riots over ex-President Jacob Zuma in South Africa and, most recently, the coup in Sudan. Despite this volatility, the market remains desirable. That’s because there is a growing young male consumer base with disposable income that cares about their appearance well beyond a simple haircut and shave.
As noted in a recent Euromonitor International report, “While Africa is a smaller market for hair care products compared to other regions, it offers great opportunity, particularly due to its growing population.”
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Malée, Founder
office@maleeonline.com
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao is an entrepreneur, influential speaker, sought-after brand consultant and freelance columnist with a focus on Innovation, sustainability and leadership in the cosmetics, luxury goods and start-up industries. As the founder of Malée, Africa’s first global luxury fragrance and body care brand, an advisory board member at Innocos, the world beauty innovations summit, Oriaikhi-Sao has established herself as a leader in the African-made luxury goods market. She has been featured on CNN, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail. She hosts the podcast Third Culture Africans, and inspires a vast audience with entrepreneurial and lifestyle Insights at zezeonline.