Image: Sahil Behal
There's a popular meme you've likely double-tapped, shared or commented on that captures the vast differences between men and women's skincare routines. The woman is double cleansing, patting on serums, smoothing in moisturisers and massaging in an eye cream, while the man is lathering up with a shampoo-conditioner-face wash 3-in-1. The former is still struggling with fine lines, acne and dullness, while the latter has a big grin and a lit-from-within complexion. "My man used the same towel to clean his car to wipe his face, and it's still flawless," read one comment. "Are men's lies the secret to their perfect skin because it's definitely not that old soap?" said another. There's always been a major contrast, and that's thanks to the restrictive portrayals of gender that the beauty and advertising industries traded in in the past, making it easy to see why men had a more challenging time accepting that they could enjoy a face mask or chat about acne over a round of beers. Advertisements (think: Old Spice and Nivea) let men know that they could use a simple bar of soap or spritz on a musky perfume, and then they'd be good to go—no other steps necessary.
"WE HAVE HAD MEN TELL US THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN TRYING NEW PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SKIN ISSUES THEY WANT TO FIX, BUT IT'S A GIRLY THING TO DO. IT'S ON US THEN TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE BY TALKING ABOUT IT."Sainath Jain
But in 2021, the landscape looks different. According to Grand View Research, the global men's personal care market was valued at $47.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.0 per cent from 2020 to 2027. The same kind of projections exists for India. According to Research and Markets, the Indian male grooming market clocked in at $643 million in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 11 per cent to cross $1.2 billion by 2024. Men's skincare brands—both from beauty behemoths and niche digitally-native offerings—are cropping up, shifting the dialogue to make it so that men are no longer stuck with just unscented lotions and shaving cream. Instead, men are treated as the plugged-in, savvy beauty customers that they are now. In India, The Man Company, for example, offers a Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid-enriched face mask in sleek black and white packaging. Direct-to-consumer line Hivado brings men into the fold with a pore-purifying gel cleanser, while Qraa Men offers a range of skincare products across skin types and concerns—if you have oily skin, there's a cleanser that'll mattify, and dudes that are dry can pick a moisturiser that'll soothe and calm. This is a huge difference from the one-size-fits-all approach brands used to take, just offering one cleanser or moisturiser that would work for all men across the board. Nykaa Man, which launched in 2018, considered this when designing their website. Within the skincare section, customers can search by concern, as well as by product—if they need a sunscreen that'll work for their dry, itchy skin, they can find one that'll work for them.
Compare the dark blue disposable razors vs the slim pink ones, the musk-scented deodorant sticks vs the floral spray cans, the thick block-lettered font on the jar vs the swirly, lower-cased writing on the glass bottle. In some cases, even though the products aren't all that different—both razors work the same—a lot of the difference between men's and women's personal care products comes down to how it is marketed, presented and packaged. But with skincare, there might be merit to formulating the products slightly differently. According to Dr Geetika Mittal, medical head, ISAAC Luxe, a man's skin is likely thicker and oilier than a woman's (due to testosterone levels), so a light, non-lathering cleanser might not always cut it for a man.
For a brand looking to enter India's men's skincare market, it is essential to note that you must go where your customer can accept you. Sainath Jain, the co-founder of HIVADO, knows this well. "You have to invest in a major educational drive. You have to teach your consumer how—and why—they should use your product because the information isn't always already there," he says. "We have had men tell us that they're interested in trying new products because they have skin issues they want to fix, but it's a girly thing to do. It's on us then to change that narrative by talking about it," he says. It helps shape the strategy around what men want and what they're comfortable with. While Kiehl's—a brand with straightforward formulations, apothecary-style finishes and bottles that'll fit onto any bathroom shelf—has always strived to be unisex, it still has a marked difference between the products they make for men and women. It's in the names—Facial Fuel vs Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, the packaging—blue tubes with block letters vs white tubs with green writing and the scents—the former smells like eucalyptus, while the latter has an ultra-light floral finish. "We recognise that skincare is often branded using overly feminine themes, and that can lead men to shy away from exploring and purchasing those products," confirms Shikhee Agarwal, AVP, Kiehl's India.
According to Claire Varga, head of beauty, WGSN, brands in the men's skincare space that make product usage as straightforward and convenient will thrive—think: extra light concentrated skincare fluids that don't cling to facial hair and are easily absorbed. "Products that slot easily into everyday lifestyles and protect against urban air pollution and travel-induced irritation will be in demand, along with skincare-cosmetic hybrids that tackle issues like tiredness and stress," she says. "Most of the communication regarding self-care is currently targeted towards women, making it less relevant for men to adopt this approach. Brands can promote men's skincare along the same lines of the global holistic health and self-care approach but bridging the relevancy gap by using male influencers to illustrate the simple, yet highly emotional rewarding of using skincare," says Pongpera Mitradarmbidhaks, associate director—Consumer Reports South APAC—Beauty & Personal Care, Mintel.
Speaking of influencers, Varga thinks they're a significant factor for the growth of men's skincare in India. "Social media is playing a huge and vital part in the shift, with influencers and content creators including Abhinav Mathur, Shakti Singh and Riaan George normalising what was once considered a taboo," she says. These influencers are modern 'skintellectuals'—they bring their followers along as they discuss double cleansing, multi-masking, and sunscreen's importance. Matt Woodcox—a skincare influencer with the handle @dirtyboysgetclean—agrees. "My male followers just want to know how to take care of their skin like anyone else. We all feel more comfortable with who we are and who we want to be," he says.