Because he's worth it: Meet the modern skincare brands for men
Direct-to-consumer skincare brands are paying more attention to the needs of male consumers
Launched in late 2019, Disco's range features a collection of simple skincare products aimed at men
BRAND ROUNDUP
First there were the subscription shaving brands, then there were the friendly on-demand viagra companies. Following the success of these businesses in targeting the specific health and wellness needs of men, skincare companies that target blokes are now also seeing a boost.
Reportlinker estimates that by 2026, the global men's skincare market will be valued at $16.6bn. China alone is expected to account for at least $2.8bn of sales in this market by 2025, according to Mintel, while Reuters reports that at least 10 new men’s skincare brands launched on Alibaba and JD.com’s platforms in 2020.
Raphael Babalola, the co-founder of Temple, a skincare and supplements brand for men of colour launched in October 2020, says men are now actively seeking out information on skincare routines for themselves. “That initially started with men being more conscious about what they do when it comes to shaving – that's why we saw companies like Dollar Shave Club and Harry's explode,” he says. “It’s then trickled down. [Men] are realising it’s all good and well having a really nice beard or a clean shave, but the quality of your skin and what’s happening under the beard is important, too.”
Temple joins the men’s skincare market alongside other young brands such as Ceylon (launched 2018), Hetime (launched 2020), Huron (2019) and Disco. Compared to skincare brands targeting women, this crop of companies tends to lean towards more playful, humorous branding, while messaging typically emphasises affordability, simplicity and assurances that the products do what they say they will.
Raphael says the pandemic, and the fact many people are spending a lot more time at home, has helped to shine further light on this category. “It's forced everyone to take a step back. People are more conscious about their health, and that can be the health of their skin, and what we’re doing with our bodies.”
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