Why Men Use Skin Care Products and How They Perceive the Market
1. Introduction
The global male skincare market is growing rapidly due to the changing attitudes of men towards their appearance and an increase in the number of office-bound metrosexual consumers. In sales revenue, facial exfoliators come in second due to the fact that men are now beginning to take care of their skins past merely washing it with bar soap (Mintel, 2017). However, there is a lack of market research on the subject of skin care products specifically for men. The purpose of this research is to understand what motivates men to purchase skin care products, what kind of skin care products they are looking for, and what their concerns are when it comes to using them. Furthermore, this research will also look at how male consumers perceive the current market landscape for skin care products.
2. Literature Review
There is a lack of literature discussing why men use skin care products and how they differ from women in their choice of product. Some studies have found that men use skin care products for similar reasons as women, such as to improve their appearance, feel more confident, and attract mates (Pappas, 2012; Derenne & Herpin, 2011). However, there are some key differences between the way men and women select and use skin care products. Women tend to be more concerned with the ingredients in a product and its effect on their skin, while men are more concerned with the simplicity and multi-purpose nature of the product (Pappas, 2012). Moreover, women are more likely to seek out advice from friends or family when purchasing skin care products, while men are more likely to seek out advice from professionals such as dermatologists (Derenne & Herpin, 2011). These findings suggest that there is a need for further research on how best to market skin care products to male consumers.
3. Methodology
This research will use a qualitative methodology involving in-depth interviews with 20 male consumers aged 18-40 years old. The interviewees will be recruited through purposive sampling and will be asked about their current skin care routine, what motivates them to use skin care products, what kind of products they are looking for, and their concerns about using them. The interviews will be audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data will be analysed using thematic analysis.
4. Findings
The findings from this research will be presented in two parts: firstly, an exploration of why men use skin care products; secondly, an exploration of how male consumers perceive the current market landscape for skin care products.
5. Conclusion
This research will contribute to our understanding of the male skincare market by providing insights into the motivations and concerns of male consumers. This information can be used by marketers to better target their advertising and promotion of skin care products to this growing consumer group.