Men's fragrance, skin care products see major growth
While young girls were flocking to expensive skin care, Ian Ginsberg, president at C.O. Bigelow Chemists in New York City, noticed something else. “We saw young men shopping for fragrances,” he said.
Ginsberg is not the only one noticing the trend. Piyush Jain, CEO at Maesa, is building out its brands of all ages of men. “There is great interest among men to use products designed exclusively for them. The men’s category is where a lot of growth is coming from.” His company is adding men’s scents to its Fine’ry range, which has been a strong performer, bringing more customers to mass fragrances. “We’ve heard a lot of demand from influencers and our community for men’s products.”
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Target commits prime real estate to men’s lines such as Papatui, Harry’s, Bevel, Scotch Porter, Mando, Dr. Squatch, Duke Cannon, Every Man Jack, Native and Old Spice.
Prospects of a robust men’s market never really reached fruition in the past. Sales have ebbed and flowed. This time men are exposed to social media influencers giving them “permission” to use scents and skin care.
Retailers predict more men’s items are in the works. At the recent Cosmoprof North American Miami exhibition, the team from C.O. Bigelow saw a concentration of new lines for men—especially products in the mass market price range.
Men’s grooming sales last year grew 6% over the year before to topple $57 billion, according to Euromonitor. The rise in interest in men’s personal care, according to Calvin Quallis, founder and CEO of Scotch Porter, is having an impact on how brands think about serving the consumer, especially because social media has a significant effect.
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Fragrance is leading the charge. Heightened interest from men, according to Larissa Jensen, SVP, global beauty industry advisor to Circana, made up a third of the fragrance business and grew faster than the overall category in 2024. The addition of Fine’ry for men will deliver on that demand, said Jain.
The investment bank Piper Sandler estimates men’s spending on fragrance increased 26% last year.
The popularity of dupe fragrances ushers in an avenue for mass merchants to get a piece of the men’s fragrance action. Dossier, sold at Walmart, offers its versions of men’s brands including Dior’s Sauvage, Creed’s Aventus and YSL’s L’Homme. The smell-alikes smell for a fraction of the originals—mostly under $30.
Walgreens sells the Instyle lineup of high-end dupes, while CVS stocks the Perfect Scents Platinum Collection. Walgreens also embraces the dupe culture with its own versions of popular skin care.
Men are also getting into skin care, propelled by famous names getting into the game. Papatui from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one brand using a manly image to attract guys. The brand just added eye patches, which can be a gateway to moisturizers and other regimen products.
Walmart has an exclusive line with boxer Jake Paul, which consists of body wash, body spray, and deodorant. The prices are all under $10.
Men need a different lineup than women, experts said. Simple and manly are terms that emerge.
The men’s products catching attention, retailers say, are not mimics of women’s. And despite some men wearing makeup and nail polish, mass market male shoppers are drawn to masculine images.
That’s helped brands like Duke Cannon, Every Man Jack and Dr. Squatch. The latter appeals to men with its manly graphics and positioning. To hit the right note with its target audience, the brand tapped actress Sydney Sweeney to introduce its body wash.
Dr. Squatch is in line with the “better for you” ingredients young guys seek, according to the brand. Dr. Squatch focuses on ensuring its products are 98% natural, according to John Ludeke, VP of marketing.
Duke Cannon is all in on macho messaging with product names like Big Ass Brick of Soap.
JBScrub, created by actress Julie Bowen and beauty executive Jill Biren, was designed specifically for young boys. According to Biren, many of the skin care items on the market were more feminine in appearance.
With younger men on board, marketers also expect a halo effect on older men.
“We continue to see opportunities in men’s grooming. We are developing a men’s line for introduction at the end of Q1 2025,” said Deborah Dixon, owner of Precious Mineralz. “It will be a limited line of products that make skin care grooming easy and simple for men, especially mature men.”
Hair care marketers also make a pitch for why men need their own brands in the shower.
Juan Morillo at Okay Pure Naturals said the brand addresses the needs of men with curls or waves. “Finding the right products has been a challenge, but that’s changing,” he said. “Products like Okay Men’s Curls & Waves collection are designed just for men who want to show off their natural texture. Right now, there’s a huge movement toward embracing natural hair, and this product line is perfect for guys who want to keep their curls looking soft, defined and frizz-free without a ton of effort.”
He added that men’s hair care is driven by using the right products to match individual needs. “More men are realizing that textured hair needs special care, and brands like Okay are stepping up to meet that demand,” he said of the new lineup that makes it easy to manage curls. Okay’s men’s Curls and Waves collection includes shampoo, conditioner, mousse and styling creams.
Hair is a big topic for men—especially hot to keep their tresses. Retailers are expanding space for brands associated with men’s hair health.
BosleyMD is now in 25,000 points of distribution for its hair care solutions. The brand takes an omnichannel approach with products in physical stores, online and in professional beauty outlets. Bosley has new items in the pipeline including a new Revive+Hair Regrowth Serum.
“Men are recognizing that healthy hair doesn’t require a prescription. Men want straightforward, multi-functional products that fit seamlessly into their daily lives,” said Amber Carter, AVP of marketing for Scientific Hair Research. “To capture these consumers, Carter suggests featuring three-step routines (such as cleansing, conditioning and regrowing) for thinning hair solutions. Store signage and promoting hair health with wellness can help build baskets.
“Men are becoming more proactive about hair loss, with searches for scalp care growing year-over-year,” Carter continued. “Scalp health is now part of the larger self-care movement, with men seeing hair care as an extension of skin care and overall wellness.”
Firstline Brands brings innovation to the men’s business with plenty of launches in the works. The company’s focus on men’s grooming is reflected in the expansion of its WavEnforcer line, which now includes the Satin Prince Cap and the Satin King Cap. These caps offer overnight protection for braids, waves, twists, locs and other textured styles, combining breathable fabrics with a secure fit for comfortability and preservation. The rising popularity of men’s grooming products positions these items as essential additions to men’s modern grooming toolkits, the company said.
Merchandising men’s products remains a challenge, especially since women buy a hefty portion of products for males. Target and CVS have culled out a clear “men’s cave,” with delineated sections containing men’s items. Other retailers integrate men into respective categories.
No matter where and how products are merchandised, brands and retailers are betting on men this year.