Men on facial hairstyles: A cut above the rest

NEW YORK Men may not like to be labeled as high-maintenance, but here’s a little secret: Many men care a great deal about their appearance, especially their facial hair.

A lot of guys today are sporting facial hair, whether it is a beard or a goatee, so it is important to better understand what tools guys can't live without and where they turn to for grooming tips and advice.

Men’s grooming is a big business and by many accounts there are significant opportunities for further growth. In fact, recent research suggests that male-specific shaving cream, razors, deodorant, body wash, moisturizer, etc., constitute one of those markets that now outpace the overall beauty/ grooming retail markets in many countries of the world, despite an economic recession.

According to Packaged Facts’ new report titled “Men’s Grooming Products: A Global Analysis,” the male-specific grooming products market is valued at $19.7 billion worldwide for 2009 and is expected to mushroom to $28 billion by 2014.

Those are some impressive numbers and it underscores the fact that manufacturers and retailers should explore how best to tap the unmined men’s grooming dollars because the potential is staggering.