British men snub skin care
The average British man spent less than £2.50 on skincare last year, according to new research from Mintel. The report found that just £57m was spent on men’s moisturisers, cleansers and facial scrubs in 2006, a figure dwarfed by the £602m spent by British women on similar products.
The average British man spent less than £2.50 on skincare last year, according to new research from Mintel. The report found that just £57m was spent on men’s moisturisers, cleansers and facial scrubs in 2006, a figure dwarfed by the £602m spent by British women on similar products.
Mintel’s statistics suggest that the solution lies in winning over the mature end of the men’s market. A mere 17% of over 65s think that it is acceptable for men to use skincare products, compared with 45% of younger men. Over three quarters still use soap bars and only 1% buy facial scrubs.
“The key here is that men are clearly creatures of habit and they hold on to their skincare regime. Manufacturers need to focus on simple old-fashioned products that appeal to the growing number of older men,” said Mintel’s senior beauty analyst, Alexandra Richmond.
The scruffy, unshaven look, currently popular among younger men is also cited as a possible reason for skincare’s poor performance in the men’s C&T market.
According to Richmond, the youth market is crucial too: “If skincare is really going to succeed they [manufacturers] will also need to target teenagers with more advanced products that they will then continue to use throughout their adult life.”
Although skincare currently makes up only 7% of men’s toiletries sold, there are some positive results from Mintel’s research; men’s skincare sales increased by 21% between 2005 and 2007.