Key Points of the Article
Male Hair Removal: "Hair removal is not gender-specific; freedom to hair removal" reflects the demand for hair removal among men. There is a gap in the market for male-specific hair removal products and devices, and brands can pilot products by combining consumer needs with social media feedback.
Color Makeup and Skincare: Male makeup needs are focused on foundation, and the lazy application method of bare skin creams aligns with user habits. However, single shades diverge from the natural makeup look consumers desire. Brands could introduce more shade options tailored to users' skin tones.
Body Care: Changing the dominance of female aesthetics in bath products and capturing the psychological need of men for exquisite pleasure, an olfactory marketing approach that plays on synesthesia can effectively attract male consumers.
Intimate Care: Intimate areas are no longer a "hidden corner." Everyday packaging conveys the notion that intimate care is as routine as facial cleansing, increasing the public's willingness to explore and hence turning intimate care into a breakthrough point for brands to enter the market of male consumption.
Male grooming trends towards refinement, with niche segments becoming a breakthrough for brand entry; product demand moves towards specialization, with ingredients and effects becoming a focus of brand communication; marketing outreach becomes diversified, with multi-platform influencers becoming the preferred choice for brand promotion.
Recently, the popularity of Zhang Dada's "Listening Live Room" has not waned, where a male netizen shared his hair removal woes, worrying about being disliked by his girlfriend, and Zhang Dada expressed that he also does hair removal, advocating the view of "freedom to hair removal," and subsequently gifted a hair removal device to the male netizen. This may have been a sincere sharing of troubles or a creative brand marketing move, but both successfully conveyed the declaration "Hair removal is not gender-specific; freedom to hair removal" to the public. This trend makes it clear that men's awareness of their appearance and desire to enhance attractiveness is growing, driving the male "beauty economy" market to heat up.
According to the "2022 Men's Consumption Insight Report," the scale of active male internet users in China continues to grow, with deepened app usage behavior, displaying a tremendous consumption willingness. The often overlooked value of male consumption has become prominent. Compared to female consumers, male consumption is usually more straightforward and simpler. A successful initial interest can largely lock in future consumption decisions, and males demonstrate higher brand loyalty. For brands, this represents a market opportunity filled with potential.
Beauty and personal care are often thought of as synonymous with "female," and there is even a stereotype that men must exude masculinity. The strength of such "prejudice" is often correlated with the level of economic development in the area. The more developed the economy, the higher the public's acceptance and tolerance for new things. Social media also plays a crucial role as the pursuit of high attractiveness becomes a universal demand, and the gender bias within it gradually diminishes.
The beauty and personal care market has long been dominated by female consumers. However, the male consumer base is significant, and several international brands have introduced male skincare and makeup products, relying mainly on their high brand awareness to educate some male consumers. But the bottleneck in market development is that it remains challenging to promote male beauty education. Unlike female consumers who like to share skincare tips on social platforms, male consumers do not actively seek skincare knowledge as frequently, and there’s also the embarrassment of experiencing products at offline counters.
The emergence of Li Jiaqi has made people realize that men can look good wearing lipstick; the appearance of male makeup KOLs has let people know that makeup for men can be clear and not vulgar; the emergence of male skincare KOLs has reduced the time cost for men to learn about skincare. Taking the Xiaohongshu platform as an example, the topic of "men's skincare" has over 240,000+ posts, and the topic of "men's makeup" has over 280,000+ posts. The significant amount of shared posts and the presence of male KOLs enhance the acceptance and curiosity of male consumers towards beauty and personal care products. Being exquisite and delighting oneself is not exclusively for women; the male group's attitude towards skincare and refined enjoyment is constantly changing, and their demand is gradually growing.
In general perception, "men + hairy" seems to signify masculinity. However, as the push to break "gender bias" suggests, we allow some to feel that hairiness has a manly appeal while also allowing men to like hairless skin. "Cosmopolitan" magazine once interviewed several professional hair removal technicians, who stated that hair removal behavior does not directly relate to sexual orientation, and many straight men also become addicted to hair removal.
It is reported that in Japan, where the beauty industry is relatively developed, the beauty salon TBC provided permanent beard removal services to 220,000 people in 2017. Interestingly, in 2019, Osaka Metro in Japan enforced a policy requiring employees to shave their beards. Refusal resulted in dismissal, reflecting the widespread acceptance of male hair removal in Japan, where a clean-shaven appearance is considered an act of etiquette.
Coming back to the domestic market, a search for "male + hair removal device" on mainstream shopping platforms like Tmall and JD.com did not yield many relevant products. The majority of hair removal device listings do not mention men and are even marked for women’s use, with product designs catering more to female aesthetics. Searching for male hair removal-related content on the Xiaohongshu platform reveals that most posts contain keywords like "want to try, should I, or is it feminine." The domestic male group remains cautious about hair removal, with platform posts appealing more to male curiosity and concerns, using them as a starting point for hair removal sharing and education.
The desire for beauty is inherent in all humans, and there certainly is a demand for hair removal among men. Looking at the gender distribution of users in hair removal-related topics on social platforms, from July to December 2022, the proportion of males increased by 25.2% month-on-month. The growing interest of the male group in hair removal topics and their needs are also drivers for the specialization of the men's hair removal market. However, in recent years, the call for "armpit hair freedom" has risen, reflecting a more diverse and inclusive attitude towards body hair, which has also become one of the obstacles to the growth of the male hair removal group.
Whether to remove hair or not is an individual's free choice, and the demand for male hair removal indeed exists. There are few males-specific hair removal products on the market, mainly consisting of razors and a few male-specific hair removal creams. For permanent hair removal, men primarily rely on in-store experiences or use hair removal devices. Hair removal devices on the market cater mainly to women, and compared to this, male hair removal requires higher energy from the device and covers a larger area.
For brands, how significant is the consumption potential of male hair removal, and whether it is necessary to launch male-specific hair removal devices are issues worth exploring. Just like the phrase "Hair removal is not gender-specific; freedom to hair removal" from Zhang Dada's live broadcast, the promotion on social platforms will also encourage some men to confront their hair removal needs. With the current aesthetic diversity, how to promote among the male group and how to create a hair removal product that deeply resonates with male consumers' needs and gains their affection is also a considerable challenge for brands.
Male consumers are now an indispensable part of the current beauty market. In Moojing's historical article "Crossing the Beauty Industry's Low Ebb, Capital Sees a Spark in the Cold," several professionally branded beauty brands that focus on men's beauty were noted.
From March 2022 to February 2023, the sales value of male facial care categories on Tmall and Taobao platforms was 4.27 billion yuan, showing an overall upward trend but with a decline at the beginning of 2023. Key categories included male facial cleansers, male care sets, and male facial creams, with the primary need of male consumers still focusing on facial cleansing. Care set products cover the full skincare routine, and are very user-friendly for male skincare beginners. Looking at the top brands in major categories, L'Oreal sits at the top in each category, with its high brand recognition making it the first choice for many male consumers.
From March 2022 to February 2023, the sales value of the male makeup category on Tmall and Taobao platforms was 230 million yuan, with overall stable sales. In the detailed sub-categories, men's BB cream sales reached 160 million yuan, leading the category by a significant margin, while sales in other categories were modest, indicating that the demand for male makeup remains focused on foundation. In the top brands within this category, Zuoyan Youse comes in first.
Looking at the best-selling men's BB creams, their core selling points focus on quick application, concealing and brightening, targeting common male skin issues such as acne-prone and problematic skin. Brands emphasize the "nourishing" properties of the products. The "ingredient party" is not just a female demographic; many products have added familiar ingredients for women, such as niacinamide, ceramide, and allantoin, which male consumers can more quickly perceive the skincare effects. In product scene marketing, most brands target scenarios like couples dating, business socializing, and job interviews, attracting potential male consumers by promising enhanced charm, confidence, and focus post-application.
According to Moojing Market Intelligence, from March 2022 to February 2023, the Natural as True men's BB cream from the LeftFace RightColor brand achieved sales of 35.483 million yuan on the Tmall and Taobao platforms. Consumer feedback shows that the product's natural makeup effect, tactilely pleasing design, and whitening effectiveness have been effectively perceived and affirmed by consumers. Among the negative feedback, the most mentioned issue was the makeup look, which consumers considered unnatural and somewhat artificially white. Men's requirements for makeup focus on pursuing a natural look, and BB cream products, unlike liquid foundations, struggle to meet the diverse skin tone needs of male consumers. Subsequently, LeftFace RightColor launched a complexion cream suited for darker skin tones. To cater to male consumer habits, a quick-application BB cream indeed hits the mark, but the pain point of a single shade offering is becoming more apparent. Brands should introduce multiple shades based on the skin color characteristics of the male demographic to meet the needs of consumers with different skin tones.
In terms of marketing, the LeftFace RightColor brand has set an excellent example for male skincare brands. Early on, the brand focused its marketing efforts on the Dewu platform, whose core users highly overlap with the brand's target customers: post-'90s and Generation Z males with significant consumption potential. The brand collaborated with numerous KOLs and KOCs on the Dewu platform, tying in content with branded gift boxes and using the concept of "boyfriend gifts" as a core persuasive factor for promotions. The promotion of product gift boxes reflects LeftFace RightColor's "big product strategy, bundling sales to create a one-stop shopping" marketing approach. LeftFace RightColor has established a relatively complete product system, covering men’s skincare, makeup, bathing, and other life scenarios, bundling the star product BB cream with skincare items to sell as a gift box. From the consumer's perspective, one-stop shopping for skincare and makeup saves time and hassle; from the brand's perspective, leveraging the fame of popular products increases exposure for other categories, covering multiple life scenarios, and capturing consumer mindshare.
The refinement of the male group is not limited to the face but focuses on the overall personal image. In less visible details, distinctive personal tags are created through different meaningful fragrances. From March 2022 to February 2023, the sales of men's body care products on the Tmall Taobao platform reached 840 million yuan, a year-over-year growth of 59.1%, with body care gradually becoming a focus for male consumers.
The category mainly consists of men's body wash products. Looking at best-selling items, besides the common core selling point of refreshing cleanliness, there is a new attribute—fragrance. Scented body wash isn't a new concept; there are countless floral and fruity scents for female consumers, but the options for men are few and far between, leading men to often opt for no body wash or sports-type body washes. However, as men's self-awareness increases and the concept of self-pleasure takes root, they are gradually seeking out body wash products with scents that cater to male preferences.
The Reason brand Skin Tonic Body Wash is one of the brand’s explosive products, using synesthetic marketing with the taglines "special tonic" and "skin experience beyond taste buds" to convey the product features to consumers. Cross-over marketing has been a powerful tool for Reason to quickly establish multi-level brand recognition, with collaborative launches such as Vita Lemon Tea co-branded gift boxes inspired by "what you love to drink, your skin loves too" and OTALY co-branded gift boxes with topics like "coffee you can wash with, oatmeal you can drink." Reason has established itself as a collaboration enthusiast, engaging in bi-annual co-branded releases to keep the brand fresh and active, and achieving marketing synergy where 1+1>2.
Just as girls can't escape Li Jiaqi, boys can't avoid Luo Yonghao. With Luo Yonghao's live stream sales boosting its presence, Reason further opened up its visibility among male consumers, collaborating with numerous well-known KOLs and striking a chord with the irresistible appeal of appealing scents to attract the opposite sex.
Speaking of men's body wash, one cannot overlook the Cherish Boyfriend brand's Lingering Fragrance Body Wash, which won the 2022 Tmall Men's Sophisticated Care Award. This product features "mite removal + fragrance" , satisfying men's needs for oil control and relief from redness, swelling, and itching with a 99.8% high mite driving rate. The product's scents aim to "enhance attraction," conveying the charm of body fragrance and attracting the opposite sex through the pheromone effect.
If the explosive popularity of the body wash became the key to unlocking consumer awareness for the Cherish Boyfriend brand, then perfume became the cornerstone that supports the brand's tone and mindshare. After widespread customer acquisition made the body wash a hit, the brand subsequently launched Pilot Perfume, thoroughly differentiating itself in design and scent. Because perfume has a richer flavor, it allows consumers to project many spiritual and value-related imaginings based on the product, thereby strengthening brand mindshare.
From the Cherish Boyfriend brand perspective, its popularity firstly stems from capturing the pain points of male users, rapidly opening up brand recognition through social media placements, and achieving new customer acquisition. It accurately captures the pain point of the limited fragrances and female-oriented aesthetics of male shower products. By digging deeply into the male psyche and addressing their desire to attract the opposite sex, the brand effectively reaches consumers. Secondly, leveraging the popularity of the explosive products, the brand continues its success by launching perfume, establishing a mental connection with consumers. Thirdly, by offering a variety of men’s personal care products, the brand solidifies its customer base while achieving repeat purchases across categories.
In the native cultural atmosphere, intimate care has always been a sensitive and taboo topic, seldom openly discussed. As the concept of self-pleasure takes deeper root, the topic of intimacy is no longer a "hidden corner," and male consumers increasingly value intimate health. According to Moojing Market Intelligence data, from March 2022 to February 2023, sales of men’s intimate care liquid on the Tmall Taobao platform reached 120 million yuan, with a generally stable trend, dipping significantly in January 2023 before quickly climbing again.
Looking at the products, cleansing and odor removal are key benefits. The marketing angle targets men's acidic pH unbalance due to shower gel and soap usage, focusing on intimate issues like sweat and stickiness upon heat exposure and the easy breeding of bacteria. Unlike traditional intimate care brands with bold logos and exaggerated designs that can deter user interest, emerging brands like His Secret and Reason adopt designs for their products that resemble facial cleansers, conveying to the public that intimate care is as routine as facial cleansing, thus increasing public willingness to try.
Looking at social media marketing, brands not only promote through content forms like sharing men’s favorite goods and empty bottles, but also address women's influence on men's intimate health and thereby reach female consumers, starting with partners to educate and promote to male consumers.
His Secret entered the male personal care market via the niche track of intimate care. The brand's intimate care liquid has surpassed one million bottles in cumulative sales on the Tmall platform. Continuously innovating in the intimate care field, the brand introduced an intimate care J-mask, which sold nearly 708,000 yuan within a rolling year. This product extends the concept of a facial mask to intimate regions, combining antibacterial and health-promoting functions to meet male consumers’ dual needs for cleanliness and invigorated intimate muscles.
Looking at the brand's current product lines, His Secret nearly achieves full coverage across male personal care, skincare, and makeup. With successful intimate care products, they've sequentially launched shower and haircare, beauty skincare, perfumes, BB creams, and other makeup items. With a unique brand language system and a unified design style, they interact with consumers in all life scenarios. However, using intimate care to build brand recognition may cause consumers to strongly associate the brand only with the intimate care category, affecting the reception of other categories. His Secret's makeup product line is still in a hibernation phase; how to prove product effectiveness and achieve cross-category repurchases remain future challenges for the brand.
The "She Economy" has been dominating the market for years, but the rapid rise of the "He Economy" signifies that the male demographic is gradually gaining more influence in the consumer market. The scope of male consumption is continuously expanding, and for brands, the male group remains an untapped goldmine ready for exploration. Looking across many categories of male consumer goods and emerging brands, Moojing Market Intelligence provides three key insights into the male consumer market.
Male grooming is becoming more sophisticated, and niche segments are the breakthrough points for brand entries. Unlike the past traditional lifestyle of "one soap for the whole body," the concept of self-enjoyment is gradually infiltrating the male group, with more detailed attention to personal care and an increasing sophistication in grooming. With changing consumer perceptions and habits, the demand for various niche segments keeps growing, becoming the prime choice for brand debuts, such as "Loyal Boyfriend" with shower products, and "His Secret" with intimate care products, both capturing the overlooked niche market for the male demographic and filling a gap with product choices by turning user pain points into selling points. Due to the higher brand loyalty among male consumers, brands are deploying multi-category strategies to encourage cross-category repurchases, enhance user stickiness, and build a more solid consumer base.
Product demand is leaning towards specialization, with ingredients and efficacy becoming key communication points for brands. "Ingredient-enthusiast" includes male consumers, and due to long-term neglect of skincare, many male consumers have various skin issues, making them more considerate of ingredients and effects when choosing products. Compared to female consumers, male consumers tend to have a "delayed perception" of ingredients. For example, ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramide are already well-known and not fresh to the female market, but due to sufficient consumer education, they are better perceived by the male group.
Marketing reach tends to diversify, and multi-platform influencers are the preferred choice for brand promotion. Generation Z males are the primary target audience for brands, and their active platforms are more diverse. Brands should consider male-user-heavy social media platforms such as Dewu and Hupu when investing in marketing. In terms of influencer selection, male KOLs can better inspire the purchasing power of male consumers, such as Luo Yonghao, who has more than 80% male followers; female KOLs can promote more as boyfriend gifts and good male product content types, reaching out to both the male demographic and their partners.
