Engaging The Modern Man: Marketing Strategies For Men's Skincare
The men's skincare boom is here. At least according to data.
Due in part to shifting perceptions of conventional masculinity, as well as the low-maintenance masculine type no longer set as the standard, men are being encouraged to indulge in self-care. This has led the male beauty market to experience a major boom.
The far year of 2013 marked the first time in history, when men's toiletries outsold shaving products. Nearly ten years later, in 2022, the men's skincare market size was valued at $17.9 billion. And if you like to put your beliefs in numbers, then the market projections for year 2032 are set around $30.5 billion.
If you're considering starting a skincare brand or expanding your existing one, you ought to look into men's skincare products. Luckily for you, Selfnamed already offers certain products for men, so we're here to help you learn more about how to sell them.
Let's start off by looking at the overall men's skincare market growth and trends over the last few years. Then let's dive into the best men's skincare products and skincare routines, as well as look at successful men's skincare brands for inspiration! Finally, we have prepared suggestions on how to market your skincare products to men.
Men are saying no to “toxic masculinity” and yes to self-care
The days of “real men don't wear moisturiser” are over. With information being more accessible than ever before – thanks, Internet – people are becoming more aware of the benefits of a good self-care routine. And that includes men. Just take a look at the ads during any major sporting event – men looking after themselves, albeit in a minimalist way, are all over the place.
There's no one definitive answer as to what exactly has caused this major boom in men's skincare. The best guess is probably a little bit of everything: increase in information about the long-term health benefits of skincare; the shift in societal norms; increased marketing trends for men's grooming; increase in the skincare product offer for men…
If we have to pinpoint one specific moment in time, when men's attitudes towards self-care changed, it's the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, there was an increased interest in beauty products. Skincare brands believe, that working from home allowed men to experiment with skincare and cosmetics in ways they hadn't before. Since confinement ended, many have continued to stick to their newfound self-care habits.
And it goes hand in hand with social media platforms, particularly TikTok, which has helped stem the growing awareness. Hashtag #menskincare accounts for 704.7 million views, while #mensgrooming has over 2.1 billion views on the app. Majority of the content is tips and tricks on the best grooming techniques. Seeing male influencers sharing such content is further encouraging other men to take better care of themselves, proving that skincare and pampering aren't just reserved for women.
We can't say that it's surprising, that the two main driving demographics in this category are gen z men and successful, middle-aged professionals. Gen z in general are more aware of the long-term benefits of skincare, and they are more interested in organic and natural products than other generations.
Best men's skincare products and skincare routines
According to market insights, the men's skincare market is divided by the following products:
shave care, grooming
creams and moisturisers
sunscreen
cleansers and face wash
others
Men are recognising the importance of hydration and skin protection, especially as a part of their daily grooming routine. Creams and moisturisers cater to these needs by offering hydration, protection from external pollutants, and anti-ageing benefits. More and more skincare brands are acknowledging this and expanding their offerings in this segment to address specific concerns. For example, dryness, dullness, acne prone skin, wrinkles etc.
Here's the harsh truth, though – in most cases, all skincare products are suitable for everyone, regardless of their gender (not to confuse with skin concerns and types). The main difference lies in how products are packaged and merchandised.
For example, men's skincare products usually have dark, woodsy hues for the packaging, with masculine imagery for marketing campaigns. If you pay attention, the main scents in men's skincare products are sandalwood, cedar wood, activated charcoal or fresh, minty scents. All of this is a part of the sexist skincare tropes within the beauty industry, which will one day probably dwindle away.
While all Selfnamed products are suitable for men's skin and hair, we have recently introduced several products specifically for men.
Here's the IDEAL morning skincare routine for men:
Purifying Mousse (normal skin) or Gentle Cleansing Foam (oily skin)
Oil-Free Zinc Face Gel For Men (oily skin) or Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream For Men (normal skin)
Here's the IDEAL evening skincare routine for men:
Ceramide Night Cream or Collagen Night Cream (normal skin) or Oil-Free Zinc Face Gel For Men (oily skin)
Get inspired!
Successful men's toiletry lines, like, Lynx and Gillette have set a strong example in benefit-led cosmetics marketing for men over the decades. However, their focus is on a short-term, tangible benefit.
Packaging that is clean and unadorned is a common thread in higher-end products that appeal to men. Brands like Malin+Goetz, Aesop, Kiehl's usually are among the top lists. All of these brands use simple fonts and pared-down designs that have a unisex appeal. You can read more about these branding and design trends here.
Image source: malinandgoetz.com
Image source: aesop.com
Image source: kiehls.com
There are also brands, like Tom Ford, that use bold fonts, dark colours and traditional shapes to evoke a sense of vintage masculinity.
Image source: tomfordbeauty.com
Celebrities, like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Pharrell Williams and Harry Styles, have launched their own skincare lines in recent years. This further supports the latest trends in growing men's skincare, body care and hair care categories. Not to mention them being strong advocates for men's self-care.
Image source: papatui.com
Image source: humanrace.com
Image source: pleasing.com
How to market your men's skincare line?
While there are endless market categories and sub-categories, there are four leading categories that are useful, when trying to create your own brand:
lifestyle: consumers whose decisions are driven by their quest to align purchases with their own core values, like, sports, arts, or travel.
luxury: affluent buyers that have disposable incomes and seek to boost the quality of their life by purchasing the best money can buy.
efficiency driven: consumers who are more swayed by a direct pitch describing the critical path to optimal results (looking for maximal effect with less effort, like, 3-in-1 type of products or high-tech skincare services).
average Joe: the larger segment of male consumers – with the right prompting, are receptive to uncluttered, simple step skincare solutions.
This doesn't mean that you can't target two or more of these categories. Chances are that some of the same products can appeal to most of these groups if correctly positioned, which is where branding comes in.
Once you have found your niche and defined your target audiences, which are the first steps in creating a skincare brand, you need to develop a strong brand identity. This will make your products more recognisable to consumers.
Your brand identity includes your logo, fonts, colour schemes, style, tone of voice, brand story, and simplicity is often your best friend. You need to also think about your brand statement – what is it, that you want to achieve? Why should people care and use your brand products? How do you want people to feel about your brand? All of these questions can help you solidify your skincare brand.
Remember that a cohesive look makes your brand memorable (and more professional)! Check out 2024 branding and design trends to learn more.
Image source: offcourt.com
When your products are ready to be sold, there are several ways to market them. One of the easiest and leading ones is social media marketing.
Since men tend to shop skincare products on online (perhaps reflecting a reluctance to be seen buying cosmetic-type items in public) it's worthwhile to invest in paid ads. According to latest data, 68% of male smartphone owners are likely to make purchases as a result of ads. So, look into leveraging image and video-centric ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
When creating paid ads, remember – the more marketing dollars you spend, the larger will be your reach and impressions. But that doesn't mean that you can post just anything, your content also has to be good. Impressions and reach will only get your foot in the door, whether the customer chooses to buy your brand, is up to you. Make sure your ad content is short and either speaks to their pain points or gets them excited or engaged.
Consider partnering with influencers, preferably ones who share similar values and tone of voice with your brand. Influencer product endorsements can go a long way in the male grooming space, but it might be tricky to find the right influencer for your products. Don't be scared to work with smaller influencers, because they usually have a more dedicated and loyal audience.
Make sure to secure repeat customers by offering subscription-based kits or special offers. In fact, repeat business should be one of your top priorities. Use email marketing, bundles, discount codes, reward systems or others to create positive experiences and secure your customers keep coming back.
Don't forget about SEO to increase your brand's visibility and drive more traffic to your website. If possible, create blog content with helpful tips to boost your ranking in Google's search results. Research keywords that you can include in your product descriptions, titles, even social media captions and posts to ensure you're driving the right kind of traffic to your site.
Finally, it's important to secure customer satisfaction with both, your business and the product, therefore partner up with pros. Luckily for you, Selfnamed has years of experience in the skincare industry and creating high-quality organic and natural skincare products. By partnering with us, you can focus on branding and marketing, while we do all the heavy lifting – product creation, manufacturing, printing, packaging, and shipping.
Engaging the modern man in the skincare market requires a strategic approach that focuses on quality, authenticity, and personalisation. Incorporating the above described strategies into your marketing efforts will not only help you connect with the male audience, but also position your brand as a strong contender in the men's skincare industry.
How To Start Your Own Skincare Line Using Selfnamed
Selfnamed is here to help create your own skincare line by making the process as simple and seamless as possible. As soon as you decide on your ideal customer and product range, there are only a few simple steps to take:
Select product sample sets. You can choose from more than 30 high-quality, organic or natural certified skincare products made in Northern Europe.
Add your style. Selfnamed offers an easy-to-use design studio to create labels and packaging. You can work with pre-made print-ready templates or create your design from scratch. You can also choose our design service.
Start selling your products. There are no minimum orders, meaning you can easily adjust the volume to your needs.
Before making a custom order, we recommend looking at our sample set selection. These sets contain curated product lines for different skin types, letting you choose the best products for your brand. This way you can test the products — their consistencies, textures, fragrances, as well as packaging quality.
There are the basic steps on how to start a skincare line from the comfort of your home. Best of luck with your new endeavour!
