If you were asked to describe your typical luxury beauty customer, your first answer probably wouldn’t start with ‘male, 16-24’. But in Mintel’s UK Prestige Beauty Trend Report (December 2016), it is reported that 31% of men aged 16-24 spent more on “prestige” or luxury brands per month, while 41% of men often buy these luxury products on impulse. As the prestige beauty market has grown 6% in size between 2014 and 2015 to over £2 billion, this presents a massive product opportunity for luxury brands in targeting younger millennial men.
While some female-focused companies are already offering ‘for men’ beauty products, often the range is very limited or unoriginal, and are in danger of losing out to their competitors. Simply adding ‘for men’ to a product and repackaging the product in masculine tones isn’t enough to stand out from the competition. Clarins, Lancôme, Givenchy, Burberry, and Clinique are all examples of companies that have expanded their offering to men, often adding a ‘for men’ twist to products they already offer or extending off of a male fragrance extension.
Burberry’s male beauty range based on their Mr. Burberry cologne includes a beard oil, facial moisturizer, and deodorant (Source: It's a Man's Class)
So what’s the winning formula? An authentic story and product with a sense of masculinity written into the brand DNA sets companies apart from their competition. Offering a complete range that encompasses many different concerns (i.e. anti-aging, fragrance, washing, or moisturizing) is also helpful for creating brand loyalty and repeat purchase. Companies that are getting it terrifically right include Kiehl’s, Aesop, Aqua di Parma, and Tom Ford. They have a unisex appeal that sets itself up perfectly for a masculine counterpart that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.
Aesop’s simple, modern product design and retailing appeals to a unisex customer (Source: Aesop)
So what’s next for luxury men’s beauty? Simply rebranding women’s products with a ‘for men’ won’t be enough for the future of male beauty. Existing luxury brands with unisex branding will have an easier task, able to create an authentic story to extend their product offering into male beauty. While this may present a challenge for companies with strong female brand DNA, it isn’t an impossible task. Burberry has provided a great example of how to create a male extension for their beauty line, seamlessly creating a strong and identifiable masculine brand image. From a retail perspective, there is undoubtedly an opportunity for luxury multi-brand retailers (i.e.Harrods, Selfridge’s) to focus attention on their male clientele, aligning beauty with lifestyle trends like wellness and fitness, and to facilitate sales from the growing male ‘impulse’ purchasers.
References:
Mintel, Prestige Beauty: UK, December 2016
https://www.mrporter.com/journal/maintenance/the-grooming-essentials-for-every-kind-of-trip/1959
https://uk.burberry.com/mr-burberry/
http://www.thefashionglobe.com/kiehl-skin-care
http://www.itsamansclass.com/mrburberry-fragrance/