“Products that can easily uplift appearance or charisma like hairstyling products and perfume still obtained men’s majority affinity while leaving facial skincare products with lower usage penetration and usage frequency. But the continuous market cultivation and accumulated skincare knowledge have gradually allowed them to build up a habit of checking ingredients and buying highly effective products. Thus, they’d like to share skincare products with their spouse and prefer less men-specific brands. All the facts demonstrate the necessity of blurring men-specific positioning and catering to their true skincare needs especially that their needs are fragmented and prefer choosing their own product combinations and targeting different skin types, rather than treating men as a separate group.”
– Jane Chai, Senior Research Analyst
Key issues covered in this Report
- Market overview and forecast of the men’s facial skincare market in China.
- Competitive landscape and new product trends in men’s facial skincare market.
- Key influencers for the men’s grooming market.
- Men’s beauty and grooming frequency in the last six months.
- Most frequently used facial skincare brands among males.
- Price acceptance for different facial skincare and makeup products.
- Ideal features for men’s facial skincare sets.
- Men’s attitudes towards the seeding, usage and purchase of BPC products.
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definitions
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Executive Summary
- The market
- A slow recovery after pandemic era
- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of retail value of men’s facial skincare market, China, 2018-28
- Companies and brands
- Leading manufacturers competed against the odds
- Figure 2: Leading manufacturers’ share in value sales of men’s facial skincare market, China, 2021 and 2022
- Anti-ageing and botanical/herbal claims have great potential
- The consumer
- Women remain a significant purchasing power in the men’s grooming market
- Figure 3: Purchase decision-maker, by selected demographics, 2023
- Nearly 30% of men are makeup users, with half of them being new starters
- Figure 4: Attitudes towards colour cosmetics, by selected demographics, 2023
- Only 17% of men are daily users of facial skincare products
- Figure 5: Beauty and grooming frequency, 2023
- International brands dominate men’s facial skincare market
- Figure 6: Skincare brands used, 2023
- The main price for facial skincare and makeup products is RMB101-200
- Figure 7: Price range, 2023
- 2-3 products, including a facial cleanser, are ideal combinations for a men’s facial skincare set
- Figure 8: The most popular facial skincare sets including two products, 2023
- Differentiations for skin types are the most attractive feature of a facial skincare set
- Figure 9: Features willing to buy, 2023
- Near half of males have built up the habit of checking ingredients and efficacy when choosing beauty and personal care products
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care, 2023
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Create an ideal facial skincare set for men
- Figure 11: Example of men’s facial skincare set containing sunscreen products, China, 2023
- Figure 12: Examples of men’s facial skincare sets for different skin types and usage occasions, China, 2023
- How to engage male makeup users
- Figure 13: Examples of men-specific colour cosmetics providing information about ingredients and efficacy, China, 2022
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- Figure 14: Examples of product testing/recommendations on social media, China, 2023
- Leverage females’ impact on the men’s grooming market
- Figure 15: Example of men-specific brand conducting market education, China, 2022
- Create an ideal facial skincare set for men
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Market Size and Forecast
- The market is at a standstill
- Figure 16: Sales value and growth rate of total men’s facial skincare market, China, 2018-23
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- Figure 17: Best- and worst-case forecast of retail value of men’s facial skincare market, China, 2018-28
- The market is at a standstill
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Market Factors
- Intentional spending is mainstream in the current market
- Men-specific skincare products also face competition from unisex skincare products
- Skincare and makeup remain low-frequency habits
- Beauty and personal care products can bring positive emotions for men
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Market Share
- L’Oréal Group defended its market position
- Figure 18: Leading manufacturers’ share in value sales of men’s facial skincare market, China, 2021 and 2022
- Renhe Group rose rapidly in a unique pattern
- Shiseido transferred its personal care business
- Smaller brands showed noteworthy performance
- Figure 19: Word cloud on social media channels*** that associate with ‘Make Sense (理然)*’, 2022
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- Figure 20: Word cloud on social media channels** that associate with ‘Refresh (珂岸)’*, 2022
- L’Oréal Group defended its market position
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Marketing Activities
- Leveraging gifting scenarios to trigger female decision-makers
- Figure 21: Examples of men-specific products marketing to women, China, 2022-23
- Cross-boundary collaborations remain effective
- Figure 22: Examples of cross-boundary collaborations in men’s grooming market, China, 2022-23
- Building linkage with various daily life occasions
- Figure 23: Examples of promotions linking with daily life occasions, China, 2022-23
- Innovating channel distributions to drive traffic
- Figure 24: Examples of men-specific products collaborating with emerging channels, China, 2022-23
- Taking responsibility for market education to help long-run development
- Figure 25: Example of men-specific brand conducting market education, China, 2022
- Leveraging gifting scenarios to trigger female decision-makers
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New Product Trends
- China places more emphasis on men-specific products than other markets till 2022
- Figure 26: Share of new men’s facial skincare launches in total facial skincare, China, Japan, South Korea, UK and US, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
- More new variety/range extensions and new formulations in China in 2023
- Figure 27: New product launches in men’s facial skincare market, by launch type, China, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
- Figure 28: L’Oréal Men Expert’s new Hydra Power series, China, 2023
- Face/neck care makes up more than half of new launches
- Figure 29: New product launches in men’s facial skincare market, by sub-category, China, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
- Figure 30: Examples of new men’s suncare launches, China, 2022-23
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- Figure 31: Example of men’s suncare launches that is easy to use, UK, 2023
- Essence is the hero in the first half of 2023
- Figure 32: New product launches in men’s facial skincare market, by format and texture, China, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
- Figure 33: Examples of essence in men’s facial skincare launches, China, 2023
- Anti-ageing claim lags behind in men’s facial skincare launches
- Figure 34: Top claims in men’s facial skincare product launches, China, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
- Figure 35: Share of anti-ageing claim in men’s facial skincare launches, China, Japan, South Korea, UK and US, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
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- Figure 36: Examples of anti-ageing men’s facial skincare launches, South Korea and UK, 2023
- Botanical/herbal claims grow quickly in 2023 in China
- Figure 37: Examples of men’s facial skincare launches with botanical/herbal claims, China, 2023
- Figure 38: Examples of men’s facial skincare launches with botanical claims, Japan and UK, 2022-23
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- Figure 39: Top-growing claims in men’s facial skincare product launches, China, 2020-23 (Jan-Jun)
- Beginner-friendly colour cosmetics make greater inroads
- Figure 40: Examples of men’s colour cosmetics that are easy to apply, Japan and Korea, 2022
- China places more emphasis on men-specific products than other markets till 2022
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Purchase Decision Maker
- More than a third of men’s beauty and personal care products are purchased by women
- Figure 41: Purchase decision-maker, 2022 vs 2023
- Relying on female decision-makers increases with age and income
- Figure 42: Purchase decision-maker, by selected demographics, 2023
- More than a third of men’s beauty and personal care products are purchased by women
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Attitudes towards Colour Cosmetics
- Nearly 30% of men are makeup users and half of them are new users
- Figure 43: Attitudes towards colour cosmetics, by selected demographics, 2023
- Nearly 30% of men are makeup users and half of them are new users
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Beauty and Grooming Frequency
- Hairstyling products and perfume/fragrance weight more important than facial cleanser for men
- Figure 44: Beauty and grooming frequency, 2023
- Young men focus on haircare, mid-aged males have more hairstyling needs
- Figure 45: Beauty and grooming frequency – Haircare and hairstyling products, by age, 2023
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- Figure 46: Price range – Shampoo, by age, 2022
- Although penetration is lower than other facial skincare products, sunscreen products have more daily users
- Figure 47: Beauty and grooming frequency – Facial skincare products, by age, 2023
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- Figure 48: Skin issues, by age, 2022
- 30-39s have more daily users of perfume/fragrance, 18-29s have more light users
- Figure 49: Reasons for buying perfume for personal use, by age, 2023
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- Figure 50: Beauty and grooming frequency – Perfume/fragrance, by age, 2023
- Hairstyling products and perfume/fragrance weight more important than facial cleanser for men
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Skincare Brands Used
- International brands dominate men’s facial skincare
- Figure 51: Skincare brands used, 2023
- L’Oréal Paris is particularly popular among young men
- Figure 52: Skincare brands used, by age, 2023
- Men who purchase BPC products by themselves prefer unisex facial skincare brands with weaker female characteristics
- Figure 53: Skincare brands used, by purchase decision-maker, 2023
- Daily facial skincare users prefer L’Oréal Paris and NIVEA
- Figure 54: Skincare brands used, by usage frequency of facial skincare products, 2023
- International brands dominate men’s facial skincare
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Price Range
- Men’s budget for face base makeup products is close to that for facial moisturisers/emulsions/lotions
- Figure 55: Price range, 2023
- Men in their 30s spend the most on facial skincare and makeup products
- Figure 56: Price range, by age, 2023
- New makeup users have a slightly higher cap price point for base makeup products
- Figure 57: Price range – face base makeup products, by attitudes towards colour cosmetics, 2023
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- Figure 58: Price range – facial skincare products, by attitudes towards colour cosmetics, 2023
- Men’s budget for face base makeup products is close to that for facial moisturisers/emulsions/lotions
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Facial Skincare Sets
- Facial cleanser is an essential for men’s facial skincare sets
- Figure 59: Products to be included in a facial skincare set, 2023
- Two products is ideal for a facial skincare set but preference for the combinations is fragmented
- Figure 60: Number of products to be included in a facial skincare set, by age, 2023
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- Figure 61: The most popular facial skincare sets including two products, 2023
- Facial cleanser is an essential for men’s facial skincare sets
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Features Willing to Buy
- Segmentation for different skin types is an attractive feature for a facial skincare set
- Figure 62: Features willing to buy, 2023
- Diversified skincare efficacy is better than single efficacy
- Figure 63: Used functions of facial skincare, 2022
- 30-49s value customised experience when choosing a facial skincare set
- Figure 64: Features willing to buy, by age, 2023
- Segmentation for different skin types is an attractive feature for a facial skincare set
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Attitudes towards Beauty and Personal Care
- Ingredients and efficacy are also the most important factors to male consumers as to females
- Figure 65: Purchase factors of BPC products – Facial skincare products, by gender, 2023
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- Figure 66: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care, 2023
- Celebrities and IPs are capable of driving sales
- Figure 67: Preference of spokesperson – Facial skincare products, 2022
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- Figure 68: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care – Purchasing behaviour, by age, 2023
- 30-39s care more about efficacy and young men focus more on skin feel
- Figure 69: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care – Seeding and use, by age, 2023
- Affluent men pay more attention to efficacy and ingredients
- Figure 70: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care, by monthly personal income, 2023
- Lancôme and Estée Lauder are popular among men who share facial skincare products with spouse
- Figure 71: Skincare brands used, by whether sharing facial skincare products with their spouse, 2023
- Male makeup followers are interested in product recommendations and testing
- Figure 72: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care – Seeding and use, by attitudes towards colour cosmetics, 2023
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- Figure 73: Attitudes towards beauty and personal care – Purchasing behaviour, by attitudes towards colour cosmetics, 2023
- Ingredients and efficacy are also the most important factors to male consumers as to females
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Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 74: Sales value and growth rate of total men’s facial skincare market, China, 2018-28
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- Abbreviations
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