BRIEFINGS

TIMING IS EVERYTHING BRIEFING 1: MALE BEAUTY protection, are emphasised. Skincare for men has been on the up WHY ASIA IS Then men will rationalise for a while. Makeup is also starting to SO FAR AHEAD a way to use these products.’ gain some traction. Why now? In Asia, products that exclusively JX/SCX: ‘In Asia, male beauty has Boys to men LK: ‘Estée Lauder launched a men’s target men make up 10% of beauty been completely redefined, makeup range 20 years ago that sales. China’s market for men’s makeup thanks to the massive social it discontinued after a year. The is forecast to double in size by 2025 influences from K-pop and Is the male beauty industry finally all grown-up and ready to move beyond basic grooming? men’s makeup industry has and, in South , 58% of men born Mandopop bands, as well never really taken off until now. after 2000 indulge in ‘lengthy’ beauty as the rise of the xiao xian rou It’s partly because we [now] lead treatments once a week, according to – that translates to “little fresh Ranges like Tony & lives that are largely on screen. a survey by GlobalData. Compare that meat”, which refers to a growing Munro’s three-step with 34% of South Korean men overall. set (below) and Whether it’s social media posts, group of androgynous young Shakeup’s tinted dating profiles or Zoom calls, When UK brand MMUK Man launched male celebrities and influencers products (overleaf) we all want to present ourselves a in 2019, it racked up $100,000 with boyish looks and flawless, provide makeup well online. And we’re essentially of orders from China and Korea. glass-like skin. According to options for men. all our own brands now, and ‘Male beauty brands rely on social Tmall sales data, the bestselling men want to make their brand media channels like Douyin [Tiktok product by far among men in look the best they can.’ in China], content-sharing platform China is tinted moisturiser. Since Looking at the man in the mirror Xiaohongshu and video-sharing our launch in China, we’ve seen Google searches for ‘male makeup looks’ increased by nearly EB/TT: ‘Over the past 30 years, platform Bilibili to educate male sales of our tinted moisturiser 80% between 2019 and 2020, according to analytics company Moz. there has been a gradual shift. consumers, as well as Taobao,’ says grow tenfold in just four months.’ Men started wearing fragrance, Siyuan Meng, a writer at RADII, which then hair products and then reports on youth culture in China. BRAND POSITIONING Male beauty brands are finally going beyond the stereotypical skincare and moisturiser became ‘While basic skincare is still the most Male beauty can be a difficult sell. ‘masculine’ packaging and messaging we’ve become so used popular. We know now that popular category, , eyeliners, How have brands positioned themselves to. What’s more, you’re just as likely to find a teenage TikTok men, especially in Asia and Europe, eyebrow pencils, foundations and to appeal specifically to men? star endorsing a new male beauty brand as you are an athlete. are going beyond traditional perfumes are also on the rise.’ Thanks to less rigid gender boundaries, the younger skincare to look after themselves.’ Siyuan says popular brands in HFC: ‘Introducing a new or relatively generation are blowing open the market for men’s makeup China, like Soul Man and DearBoyfriend, rare practice – like makeup and colour . And companies are starting to target JX/SCX: ‘More people are embracing will increasingly use live streaming for men – that challenges a them more intelligently. The market in China alone is booming. gender neutrality and fluidity. and influencer marketing to educate social norm requires brands Influencer Li Jiaqi, also known as the ‘lipstick queen’, tests out But despite their best intentions, and communicate with consumers. to test the waters on social lipstick shades on a live stream, and has reportedly sold 15,000 gender-neutral brands haven’t acceptance. Gradually, brands lipsticks in five minutes through online shopping platform managed to effectively engage have broken down the gender Taobao. Alibaba also had to call in 3,000% more men’s beauty a male target audience. There to makeup. In Asia, since barrier bit by bit. In Malaysia, products between 2019 and 2020 for an annual shopping is a real need to cater to men, the use of cosmetics is more men’s skincare ranges initially festival, Jing Daily reports. And while China steams ahead, and it’s a necessary step towards mainstream, foundations and tackled oily and dry skin, and other countries are now looking to close the gap. more inclusivity in beauty.’ BB creams are more prominent.’ eventually shifted towards With so much room for innovation, we speak to industry ageing skin, which is typically experts, from brand owners to beauty consultants in Australia, WHO’S USING WHAT? EB/TT: ‘Australians are maybe a little a feminine preoccupation.’ Malaysia, the UK and China, to get their take on what’s next. Which male beauty products are the late to adopt new cultures and most popular in your regions? technologies, but we wanted JX/SCX: ‘The overall trend is to jump ahead of the curve and subtlety. Men want to look fit, THE PANEL FG: ‘Within Europe, the most put Australian-made cosmetics fresh and healthy, as naturally popular product is concealer, on the map. We do this by and undetectably as possible. which illustrates that European leveraging south-east Asian Many of them feel overwhelmed men have a targeted approach communities and men who and confused by the vast live in Australia and are used to wearing cosmetics. So we’ve started with the more simple products: an eye gel and a BB cream in three different shades that is positioned as a moisturiser.’

EB/TT FG HFC JX/SCX LK HFC: ‘What is more interesting Ewan Belsey and Fiona Glen works Huey Fen Cheong Jake Xu and Lee Kynaston between the UK and Malaysia Tony Tsianakas are at The Red Tree, is a researcher at the Shane Carnell-Xu is a journalist and is the way that products are the co-founders of a beauty and cosmetics University of Malaya are the founders brand consultant. perceived in each region. Tony & Munro, an consultancy firm in Kuala Lumpur, of Shakeup Cosmetics, He runs The Grooming In the UK, products need Australian beauty that works with focusing on gender a UK-based men’s Guru blog and to appeal to individual consumers brand fusing skincare both established representation and makeup and beauty recently started as “men” whereas in Malaysia, and makeup products and new brands language in marketing. brand. Shakeup an Instagram account makeup is still seen as a product for men. They founded on product development In particular, she looks has recently expanded focused on skincare for women. So the functional the brand in 2019. and global expansion. at male grooming. into China. products for men. benefits, like skin health and

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BRANDS TO WATCH

A number of brands that cater specifically to men’s skincare needs are popping up. Here are a few to keep an eye on around the world.

è Japan: Fiveism x Three houses a range of base layer makeup and enhancing products, such as nail paints and mascaras, as well as application tools. Mr, a brand by skincare company Orbis, has developed a combination beard-and-eyebrow pencil, as well as colour control tools. @fiveismofficial @orbis_mr

needing to for much longer. è Europe: Sweden-based brand Younger men are not only not Recipe for Men has been producing bothered by products explicitly men’s skincare since 2002, for men, but are actually quite including an anti-blemish cover hostile to that branding.’ stick and bronzing gel. It has since expanded into the US and Brazil. JX/SCX: ‘For us, it’s about actively War Paint – stocked in high-end raising awareness of the retailers like Mr Porter and Harvey product that didn’t necessarily LK: ‘Multifunctional approaches benefits of using cosmetics Nichols – was founded by Danny exclude women. But the more will mean that men will buy to boost self-esteem and mental Gray with the aim of destigmatising we researched, the more we found less, but be more inclined to wellbeing. Our packaging is makeup for men. @recipeformen that men’s skin is very different. buy better. Makeup will eventually classy and gender-neutral. We @warpaintformen It’s 25% thicker and more oily. settle into being a product that don’t drown in the sea of black, Men also have larger pores, is integrated into a normal white, silver and blue elsewhere è USA: Formen’s corrective makeup which leads to more acne and daily routine, rather than being in the men’s skincare aisles.’ is focused on removing under-eye shine. So, while women’s makeup seen as an exotic product. bags, concealing acne or getting favours a dewy, translucent look, Men will also be looking more EB/TT: ‘We want to give men rid of excess oil. Stryx’s curated men would prefer a matt finish for the superhero ingredients in something they can own from makeup kits are accompanied and a non-greasy formula.’ mainstream skincare, like retinol.’ both a rational and emotional by a YouTube channel of tutorials standpoint. Men won’t use a for men who are new to makeup. FUTURE INNOVATION product that looks ‘feminine’, @houseofformen @stryx_official What sort of product innovations should #GuyBeauty which is why we’ve settled we look out for in the male beauty space? on neutral colours. That way, Late teenage and young adult House of Formen’s under-eye product ranges on the market, men won’t feel afraid to take FG: ‘Trends that are driving innovation influencers are taking to social media concealer and mask (left) so simplicity and efficacy are key.’ it to the gym. We also position in women’s beauty – clean to showcase makeup tutorials and defy BRANDING brighten skin; War Paint’s our products as fusion cosmetics wide product range (below) beauty, hybrid makeup and conventional definitions of masculinity. LK: ‘Men are still after products BY REGION – it makes for an easy transition has something for everyone. multifunctional makeup – have That’s increasingly the case in India: that solve “problems”. If you can for the market to expand into.’ yet to be fully explored in the well-known Indian influencers such explain to men that a concealer Male beauty brands in Asia tend to men’s makeup industry. SPF and as Siddharth Batra, Shakti Yadav can mask the signs of a hangover, keep their packaging concepts simple, GENDER DIFFERENCES blue light are also interesting and Ankush Bahuguna are taking or that you can use a makeup with gender-neutral colours. This adds Does makeup for men differ much spaces to watch – LifeJacket is to Instagram to challenge male beauty product to cover up spots, that to their positioning as easy-to-use from makeup for women? starting to champion SPF for men.’ norms using the hashtag #GuyBeauty. will help them to understand.’ products, as well as signalling that A report by Mintel found that they are somewhat subverting the JX/SCX: ‘We don’t believe one size JX/SCX: ‘In terms of year-on- more than a fifth of men between BRAND PRESENTATION mainstream narrative of masculinity. fits all. Male consumers deserve year growth, lip and brow the ages of 18 and 34 in India followed What about the brand names, messaging, Brands in Europe and North products designed specifically products have seen a huge these content creators, who are putting communications and packaging? How America, on the other hand, often take for men’s skin and concerns. Yes, uplift. And in terms of product on makeup and grooming tutorials. do you convince men to try makeup? the opposite approach, turning up the makeup doesn’t have a gender, design, a customer survey It also found that the average Indian cues of conventional masculinity but skin does. On a general level, showed that customers are man spends 42 minutes every day LK: ‘We’re still in a transition period. across their packaging. For instance, there are major physiological seeking instant gratification on grooming, rising to more than Brands producing men’s makeup War Paint – a name with macho differences between men’s from their products, looking an hour in urban areas. In late 2020, are still very careful about connotations – has chosen all-black and women’s skin.’ for multipurpose and Nykaa, one of India’s largest online the language they use and will packaging, as has New York-based multi-functional solutions. retailers of beauty and wellness often reframe products by using Stryx and London-based Benny EB/TT: ‘When we started developing They are savvy consumers products, launched Nykaa Man, explicitly masculine language. Hancock for Men. the products, we wondered who care about ingredients a dedicated men’s beauty sales portal. But we’re on the cusp of not whether we could do a unisex and long-term skin health.’

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