Male beauty buzz as almost a quarter of men want to 'prioritise wellbeing'
The male beauty industry is having a moment, with men increasingly turning to cosmetic and beauty treatments partly spurred on by the impact of lockdown.
According to data from Euromonitor International, the men's grooming market is on the rise, with 2.2% predicted growth for 2022 as more men begin incorporating wellness into their everyday routines.
Experts believe this rise is in part due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has played a role in inspiring almost a quarter of men to start prioritising their wellbeing.
The survey, by Champneys, found more than one in five (22%) plan to start taking care of themselves - so much so that two in five (40%) of Gen Z men would love to be gifted a spa day.
Proving spas and beauty salons are no longer female-only zones, more than one in five (22%) men favour a massage as their go-to treatment, while almost one in ten (9%) 16-24-year-olds claim to love a manicure and more than one in ten (11%) of 25-34-year-olds favour a facial.
It seems younger men in particular are feeling more comfortable than ever with booking into spas and having beauty treatments, with over two-fifths (42%) of Gen Z-ers and almost half (47%) of millennials claiming to be way more open to visiting a spa than the older males they know.
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The figures follow a further survey, by Uvence cosmetics which revealed nearly two million British males are considering a cosmetic enhancement this year.
Dubbed 'Brotox', experts say male tweakments have become a much more common demand in the beauty industry, with research from Uvence revealing that 11% of British men feel that they look at least five years older as a result of the stress and anxiety brought about by lockdown and the pandemic.
But despite more men getting in on the self-care act, over a third of men still believe there is a stigma surrounding males going to the spa, with 33% of not currently feeling comfortable donning their robe and sliders.
Reasons included feeling the spa is still a female-first environment, over a third of respondents (36%) said that they felt spas were too feminine, while 29% felt that spas don’t currently cater enough for men.
A quarter (25%) of men explained that they would like to see more male-specific treatments on the pamper menu.
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Commenting on the findings, Laura Tatlow, Group Spa Director at Champneys says visiting the spa is a great way for both women and men to prioritise self care and wellness.
"Although we’ve already started to see a shift in stereotypes in the wellness industry being broken down for men, our research has highlighted that there is still work to be done," she explains.
"Not only do wellness treatments help rejuvenate, heal and re-energise our bodies, but they are also seen to improve mental health.
“Although this shift is gradual, we look forward to seeing many more men feeling comfortable to enjoy their time at a spa and continue to prioritise their own wellbeing, with the help of the wellness industry making it more accessible to them and their needs.”
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In recent years strides have been made to tackle the taboos surrounding men and cosmetics and increase male inclusivity within the beauty industry.
Male beauty is a growing sector fuelled by Instagram stars and vloggers aiming to show that make-up isn’t just for girls.
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And back in 2017 mega beauty brand L'Oreal UK snapped up Jake-Jamie Ward – known on YouTube as The Beauty Boy – to help the drive to diversify their audience and appeal to more men.
The YouTuber came to the cosmetics giant’s attention after launching the viral #MakeupIsGenderless campaign.
Believing that all genders have a right to have fun with their face, Ward became L’Oreal’s first male spokesperson with the task of promoting products to everyone.
Ward believes that this is just the start of the male beauty revolution, telling Mic: “Awareness is the key. I think we’ll look back in five years and say, ‘I can’t believe that was ever an issue.'”
