What’s driving men’s grooming trends?
Have you met grooming enthusiasts? The origin of grooming comes from grooms, or stable hands, brushing and cleaning the coat of a horse, and it often refers to the practice of brushing and cleaning animal hair. Nowadays, however, grooming has become a beauty trend associated with men who are enthusiastic about their fashion and beauty. As more and more men show interest in grooming, the cosmetics, fashion and beauty industry is developing and launching highly specialized men’s grooming products. Let’s find out why men’s grooming is trending, what are recent grooming trends, and what products you can sell at beauty supplies.
Black men are moving on from masculine styles
Buzz cut and fade were the go-to style for many years, but more men are trying delicate and high-maintenance styles. These trends are somewhat distanced from masculinity. Especially among African American communities, society has demanded men a masculine look. However, the gender neutrality movement of late has seemingly reduced the social pressure for gender-specific appearance. Many men are sharing their grooming routines and tips on TikTok with #Mensgrooming.
Gender neutrality, also known as gender-neutralism or the gender neutrality movement, is an idea that policies, language, and other social institutions should avoid distinguishing roles based on sex or gender.
Curly top with burst fade cut
An NFL star player Odell Beckham Jr. is famous for his signature hairstyle. While being a football player, his hairstyle and colorful accessories often go the opposite ways with machoism.
@nfl.com
Taper fade cut with bun
A style with short length on the sides with fade. Man bun (men’s hairstyle where top hair is tied high) is becoming a mainstream in the U.S.
@londonschoolofbarbering
Knotless boxbraid
A fashion icon A$AP Rocky, a rapper popular among the Millennials and Generation Zs, is known for his love for knotless boxbraid, which he sometimes wear tied-up. He wore a pearl necklace and other accessories to complete the look. Pearl necklace is a popular trend item since last year.
@asaprocky
Overcoming hair loss with styles
Hair units can look just like your own hair
It is a new trend that first appeared in barber shops. You can glue hair unit pieces on the scalp and trim the hair for a decade-younger look. Mickey, a barber and business owner in California, has 520k followers on YouTube. Despite the hefty price tag and being a short lasting style, typically 2-3 weeks, a lot of customers visit his shop for the procedure. In addition, men’s wigs are also rising in popularity, and the market is welcoming new styles and products.
Hair unit styling before and after
In the middle of the procedure
Half-wig targeting Black men listed on Amazon
A screenshot from a YouTube clip on men’s half wig tutorial
Products for hair loss
Hair volume mousse and spray can add volume in many cases, but they don’t work particularly well on textured, curly hair. In this case, hair fibers can be applied for a short-lasting style. These fibers look like powder but made of keratin, a fibrous protein, and they temporarily cling to hair and cover the area affected by hair loss. For a long lasting solution, you can try hair growth oil, moisture shampoos, and conditioners. Aside from medicated products, you can simply recommend products that are popular among women. Note, products containing minoxidil, a popular active ingredient for hair loss products, come in different potencies for men (5%) and women (2%).
Toppik Hair building fibers
Facial hair grooming is a top spending category in grooming market
Beard shavers and trimmers
A typical man pays more attention to their shaving and trimming than any other grooming. As a proof, according to a market research conducted by Procter & Gamble, shaving accounts for the biggest proportion of men’s spending on grooming. The recent grooming trend has caused more male consumers to opt for longer lasting electric shavers and trimmers instead of razors.
Beard conditioner
Facial hair tends to be rougher and drier than hair on your head, so you need a special conditioner. Regular hair shampoos can clog the pores and eventually cause ingrown hair and acne. Although you can find 2-in-1 products combining beard cleanser and conditioner, it is better to purchase one for each.
Beard oil
It is an easy recommendation for customers who have long and full beards. Beard oil can not only moisturize the hair but the skin underneath. Beard oils are typically made of lighter ingredients, such as argan oil, jojoba oil, and oatmeal extracts. Strongly scented oils can irritate skin, so they should be avoided.
The future of men’s fashion and beauty is gender neutral
Fashion and beauty industries are among the most gender-divided. You can easily see the “For Him” label on products sold at beauty supplies, groceries, and pharmacies, but things are changing lately. In a recent survey, over two-thirds of American men aged 16 to 24 reported having used or having an interest in gender-less beauty products, and an analyst at Forrester, a professional research firm, said although marketing campaigns specifically for men will not wholly disappear, the showing of extreme masculinity will decline. In coming years, consumers will start to prefer a product that is effective instead of being specifically marketed for their gender.
Kid Cudi wears a pearl necklace and nail art.
Colorful outfit of Black men
