Beauty for Men: The New Skincare Mindset
Since I have worked within the beauty industry for several years now and let’s not forget to mention, married to the same man for almost 10 years, men’s grooming has played a prevalent part in my life. Not only working with men’s grooming brands and testing products as part of my job, but also watching my husband struggle with his own skin issues over the years. I have, witnessed the change in how men have viewed self-care with the on-set of the ‘metro-sexual” label that surfaced during the early 2000s that prompted tight skinny jeans, the man bun, and the acceptance of a previously deemed “femininity” around self-care and grooming that men where not able to embrace in previous years. The beauty industry is witnessing a surge in men’s grooming brands that are changing the way men view and take care of their skin, and I have seen a definite change in the way the men in my life are taking care of their own skin-health and wellbeing in general.
My parents divorced when I was five years old and before I moved out to live with my mother, I stayed with my father for a period of time. My most prominent memory from that time is our morning routine before my father went to work and dropped me off at day care. I watched as he shaved the thick stubble from his red hued beard and expertly sculpted a thick mustache with the skill of a seasoned artisan. My job was to peruse his top drawer full of wide (early eighties style) ties for the one I felt coordinated with his shirt the best, as well as the cologne that would bring the entire outfit together. I took my job very seriously and I can clearly remember the slim glass bottle of Calvin Klein with the thin red line running up the side that I though was the most sophisticated sent a man could wear and that must have meant my father was one class act. We would then go to Dunkin Donuts where I would order a chocolate milk and chocolate glazed while he always had a black coffee and an old fashioned.
Why, do you ask, I bring up this window in my life story? It was my first peak into men’s grooming and it’s a fond one. I understand that the daily monotonous shaving habits of the average civilized man is not that interesting, however, considering that the global market for male grooming products is booming, the subject is getting more prominent within the beauty industry. It is projected to reach $60.7 billion by 2020, according to Euromonitor. No longer are men just shaving and slapping some high alcohol content aftershave on to their face and walking out the door. There are now a wide array of skincare products that address the gamut of skin issues that men are looking to address and I’m excited for what the beauty industry will be developing in the years to come. So go ahead and book that couple’s spa day and maybe even a facial for you and your boyfriend/husband, more than likely he’ll be more than willing to get pampered and may even surprise you with his own recommendation for his favorite treatment!
