Why it matters:
- With beauty sales showing signs of stabilizing after five years of explosive growth, brands and retailers are turning to men to sustain momentum.
- Younger men, inspired by social media, are expanding their routines beyond basic shaving and soap to embrace skin care and other grooming categories.
- From indie challengers to global giants, brands are rolling out a wave of new products designed specifically for male consumers.
Men’s grooming is finally having its glow-up.
After decades of relying on just soap and a splash of aftershave, men are finally ready to expand their grooming routines — or at least stop borrowing from their wives’, moms’, girlfriends’, or sisters’ stashes.
The global men’s grooming products market is projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 8% to $276 billion in 2030, according to Grand View Research.
The influence of social media, the self-care movement, sports stars, and celebrities like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are all mentioned as giving men permission to try skin care, fragrances, and even nail polish. Johnson’s brand Papatui, launched at Target in 2025, spans skin, hair, body, and tattoo care, and was created in response to ongoing questions about his grooming regimen.
The timing for men to broaden their grooming horizons couldn’t be better. After five robust years, overall beauty sales — while still healthy — are slowing.
Like their female counterparts, men now view caring for their skin as part of their wellness journey and are approaching their wellness and grooming routines with intent and purpose.
“Sixty-three percent of men agree that taking care of their appearance is an integral part of their overall well-being,” said Larissa Jensen, Senior Vice President, Global Beauty Advisor at Circana, citing the firm’s data. “When they look at their top goals in terms of their beauty and grooming routine, it's to support their physical health, to be presentable to others, and to feel more confident,” she told CO—.
Marketing to men is not new. For years, retailers and marketers have tested strategies to ignite men’s sales with mixed results. Now, there are signs that the long-anticipated shift may finally be underway.
[Read more: How AI is Leveling the Beauty Industry Playing Field for Small Brands]
Like their female counterparts, men now view caring for their skin as part of their wellness journey and are approaching their wellness and grooming routines with intent and purpose.
Kiehl’s exec: The keys to drawing more men into the beauty category are storytelling, education, and access
“Searches for men’s skin care are up almost 5,000% year over year,” said Lamarr Shand, Head of YouTube and Digital Video Strategy at Google. “Searches for men’s skin care routines are up 500%, and men’s concealer searches are up 100%. Men are looking for routines, and this creates an opportunity for brands and retailers to speak to that consumer,” he told CO—.
And engage them, they are. “There’s no stigma anymore for guys to say they are interested in grooming,” John M. Reed, General Manager of Kiehl’s Since 1851, told CO—.
Currently, about half of U.S. men actively use skin care. “But here’s the good news — half of that other half are interested in skin care, and usage is going to go from just water on their face to a sophisticated luxury or derm product. There is so much room for improvement,” he said.
The keys to drawing more men into the category are storytelling, education, and access, he added. Kiehl’s 174-year history as an apothecary positions the brand as a trusted resource for information and quality products. Beyond its loyal followers who purchase in its stores or through prestige distribution channels, Kiehl’s saw an opening to attract younger shoppers, including men, who are accustomed to buying online by expanding availability to Amazon. Early results produced 50%-plus sales gains.
“We consider ourselves a lifestyle brand — meeting our customers where they are in their skin care journey — where they shop, their product needs, skin care education, and routine building,” Reed said. “We recognize the increasing importance of e-commerce, and Amazon offers convenience to our community and new consumers.”
[Read more: Scents of Change: Generation Z and Men Drive Fragrance Boom]
Men’s fragrance biz sees beauty boom, as brands and celebs launch hair care and makeup lines for males
Beyond skin care, the fragrance category is bursting with opportunity. Men, once associated with drugstore cologne, aftershave, and body sprays, are trading up. The latest Piper Sandler Taking Stock With Teens survey, which polled over 13,500 teens, found that fragrance was the fastest-growing beauty category, rising 25% year over year. Notably, teen boys increased their spending on fragrances by 26% compared to the previous year.
Brands are reacting. Harry’s, best known for its shaving products, unveiled its first line of colognes in October. Fine’ry, one of Target’s top-selling fragrances, expanded its assortment with nine men’s scents in January, and a Champion men’s fragrance is set to launch in 2027 under a licensing deal with Revlon Consumer Products.
Meanwhile, content creators AMP (Any Means Possible), known for their videos on YouTube and live streaming on Twitch, collaborated with Target for a line of scented men’s grooming products called Tone. The collection dovetails with the growing interest from men in fragrance, according to Amanda Nusz, Target’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. She added that select Target stores have curated areas for men called Men’s World.
Even hair care brands are creating items for men. Suave's new product drop included two lines specifically for men: its Stress Relief Collection, including hair products, body and face wash, and deodorant, and a Barber Essentials Collection of styling products.
Industry experts don’t rule out an uptick in men’s makeup next, with online chatter and influencers promoting category growth. Celebrities such as MGK (formerly Machine Gun Kelly) and Harry Styles wear and have nail polish brands. French TikToker Bach Buquen uses his platform to move men’s makeup into the mainstream for his 9 million followers and deals with MAC and Charlotte Tilbury.
Be it makeup, fragrance, or skin care, men’s rising interest in the product category points to their heightened focus on self-care, said Circana’s Jensen. “You're seeing that theme of the mental and the physical connection to beauty and grooming products,” she said.
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