The growth horizon for the Male Personal Care category in 2022 couldn’t be rosier. The Men’s Personal Care category is forecasted to be a $166 billion market with a 6% annual growth rate predicted through 2027, according to Grand View Research. The market has expanded far beyond the historic male personal care brands like Irish Spring, Old Spice and Gillette which now find themselves competing against Harry’s, Axe, Burt’s Bees, Dollar Shave Club, Fix Your Lid, Every Man Jack, Duke Cannon in-store… among others. This doesn’t include the direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands that are emerging and seeing significant traction in the market such as Hawthorne and Huron.
 
Now that men’s personal care is such a booming market, what can we look forward to seeing? All of the brands mentioned above address traditional issues such as moisturizing and exfoliating. The new crop of men’s personal care is going to have to separate itself by offering solutions to concerns that are not currently being addressed by the category. The brand ‘hims’ separated itself by not only offering skincare but telehealth consultations with medical experts who guide them through supplement solutions for erectile dysfunction, hair loss, referrals to medical professionals for depression and anxiety. DTC brand Roman has a similar offering, in addition to skincare and haircare, the focus is men’s healthcare, addressing issues like hair loss, premature ejaculation, testosterone supplements and erectile dysfunction. Talk about one-stop shopping!
 
Of particular interest and perhaps a forerunner in an emerging trend, Bevel focuses on African American male grooming needs which are very different than their Caucasian counterparts. Bevel brings to life the cultural significance of this male rite of passage in African American Culture. The website shares videos providing insights into the African American Barber Shop and the bond between the barber and his client. The brand has four offerings specifically created for Black hair and skin – hair trimmer and t-blade), shave (razors that promise no bumps), skin (moisturizers and products to address discoloration), as well as body (body wash, soap, moisturizer and exfoliant). This seems like it has been a long time coming and I predict we will see more brands addressing the specific needs of Black men in the next 5 years.
 
Then there are upstarts like Huron, a DTC brand which is pursuing the middle American male. Our “everyday” guy who just wants quality products without fuss or tons of chemicals that get the job done. He knows he needs to do more than shampoo and soap up – he subscribes to their offering for shampoo and conditioner, body wash and skincare. There are no apologies here for taking care of your grooming, just straight talk, clean formulas and a reasonable price point.
 
Perhaps the most interesting development to hit this market and women’s personal care, is the advent of Gen Z’s foray into a genderless product market as self-identification, as non-binary increases. Gen Z consumers continue to seek out gender neutral products or in many cases, give no regard to which gender a product was designed for. Younger consumers do not want to be boxed-in or defined by the beauty and personal care products they use. My 15-year-old daughter buys as much from Old Spice and Harry’s as she does from Maybelline and Kat Von Dee. For instance, she thinks that deodorant for men is much better at fighting odor and perspiration than women’s deodorant is. Her answer to this is simply to buy male deodorant. She prefers Palmer’s for body lotion and loves both male and female fragrances. She has male friends that have no issue buying haircare for women (because “it makes our hair look better…duh”) and using skincare created for teen girls (“they aren’t the only ones who want nice looking skin”).
 
It’s safe to say that the male personal care category will continue to grow and the brands that will see heightened success are those that identify the real desires and needs of not only men, but also have built their brands to recognize gender fluidity and the heightened role it is beginning to play in the category. Speaking to their audience authentically, vs. projecting a stereotype of masculinity (however the brand may be defining it), will create opportunities to bond with consumers.  Additionally, brands that leverage insights for creating products designed for  consumer lifestyles will win, as we continue to expand past current societal definitions.
 
About Elle Morris
 
Ms. Elenita (Elle) Morris is Senior Global Strategy Consultant at Marks, part of SGS & Co. a brand design and experience agency uniquely constructed to enable brands to win in an age of constant change.