DON’T CALL IT MAKEUP: Men’s Grooming Is On The Uptick
Jun 27, 2012 Posted by Corrie Shenigo
The term ‘metro-sexual’ is sooo five minutes ago, and you’d be hard-pressed to find the words in print at present. (‘Cept for here, folks. We’re keeping it real… real old.) The marketing industry, however, is hoping that you’re still in tune with the meaning: a man who happens to take care of himself like a woman does. His skin, his hair, his décolleté — Have I gone to far? Well, the L.A. Times has gone with me.
In a recent LAT article, verbosely titled, “Market booms for men’s cosmetics — but don’t call it makeup”, the paper calls out retailers “angling” (Get it? A “manly” fishing reference. *Wink) to get the men to the beauty counter, and apparently they’re using all sorts of “manly” packaging, terms and scents. You know… cigar boxes, booze and sports references. “Manly” stuff. (Yup, I get it. *Sniff.) All in an effort to attract this guy:
And like rats to cheese — It’s working.
“I want to keep myself up and maintain my looks, but I’d never use anything that looks like it’s made for my girlfriend,” said an anonymous (Really?) 26-year old “who uses skin-care products with names like Kiehl’s Facial Fuel and Lab Series’ Power Brightening Serum.” (Fuel. Power. *Yup.)
Alright… I’ll stop with the sarcasm… but really? My boyfriend likes it when I apply all of my potions to his face before bed… so the shame exhibited by Mr. Anonymous is beyond me. However, marketers are seeing that the big challenge in getting the boys to the beauty counter seems to be the ego. The man-ego. The Mego.
Cosmetics companies are now prepared to change everything, from their packaging, to their scents, to their freakin’ terminology to get you men to pony up the big bucks and spend as much cold, hard cash on cosmetics as us ladies do. The one definitive no-no in marketing cosmetics to men? According to Michele Probst, a co-founder of high-end men’s line Menaji, is this, “We don’t say the ‘M’ word. It’s taboo.” By ’M’ word”, she means ‘makeup’ and not ‘men’ or ‘menses’ or ‘meatloaf'.
Essentially the belief is that men will plunk down $60 for an eye crème, $26 for a concealer, or $35 for a face powder if you rename it something masculine, scent it like tobacco or toss it in a manly leather container. Just don’t call it ‘meatloaf’… I mean ‘makeup’ — even if it is.
Men's grooming is one of the fasted growing areas of the beauty business, with research firms forecasting $3.2 billion in sales of men’s toiletries by 2016. That’s a lot of green… and everyone wants a piece of it.
From Nordstrom shifting its man-scaping products from the beauty department to the men’s furnishings area, to cosmetics chain Ulta’s Men's Shop in-store boutiques, cosmetics companies are taking great pains to make sure men don’t get all queazy and uncomfortable having to belly up to a traditionally pink and girlish make-up counter. (Those men are so darned sensitive.)
Nordstrom’s national merchandise manager of fragrances Jennifer Kovacs told the LAT, “Men are just more comfortable in their own environment.” So roll in the flat-screen TVs and the sports pages, and redub the area the “Men’s Grooming Zone” — which is exactly what Macy's did in San Francisco. Even CVS has created a special Guy Aisle strictly for men’s products.
Beauty analyst at NPD Group Karen Grant breaks it down into demographics, “Mature men [over 50] are trying to be competitive in the workplace, and for those who are online dating, there is a desire to be as vibrant looking as possible. The younger generation [under 35] has grown up with Mom slathering sunblock on their faces, so they are coming up aware of facial skin care.”
*Cue the "masculine come-ons and buzzwords". Menaji calls its concealer Urban Camouflage and packages it to look like chapstick for a quick and manly “touch up” between business meetings. Jack Black men’s grooming brand chose its name because it “doesn’t feel feminine or fussy” and packages its products in bright blue containers designed to evoke motor oil cans. ('Cause dudes love cars. *Wink.) Yes. That how much thought goes into this stuff, folks.
So it seems the days of yore, when if your man slapped on some deodorant and possibly shaved you felt grateful, are long gone. Prepare yourself to find your man reaching for his own anti-aging cream, concealer and tinted-moisturizer. Just don’t call it ‘meatloaf’… er… ‘makeup’.
In a recent LAT article, verbosely titled, “Market booms for men’s cosmetics — but don’t call it makeup”, the paper calls out retailers “angling” (Get it? A “manly” fishing reference. *Wink) to get the men to the beauty counter, and apparently they’re using all sorts of “manly” packaging, terms and scents. You know… cigar boxes, booze and sports references. “Manly” stuff. (Yup, I get it. *Sniff.) All in an effort to attract this guy:
And like rats to cheese — It’s working.
“I want to keep myself up and maintain my looks, but I’d never use anything that looks like it’s made for my girlfriend,” said an anonymous (Really?) 26-year old “who uses skin-care products with names like Kiehl’s Facial Fuel and Lab Series’ Power Brightening Serum.” (Fuel. Power. *Yup.)
Alright… I’ll stop with the sarcasm… but really? My boyfriend likes it when I apply all of my potions to his face before bed… so the shame exhibited by Mr. Anonymous is beyond me. However, marketers are seeing that the big challenge in getting the boys to the beauty counter seems to be the ego. The man-ego. The Mego.
Cosmetics companies are now prepared to change everything, from their packaging, to their scents, to their freakin’ terminology to get you men to pony up the big bucks and spend as much cold, hard cash on cosmetics as us ladies do. The one definitive no-no in marketing cosmetics to men? According to Michele Probst, a co-founder of high-end men’s line Menaji, is this, “We don’t say the ‘M’ word. It’s taboo.” By ’M’ word”, she means ‘makeup’ and not ‘men’ or ‘menses’ or ‘meatloaf'.
Essentially the belief is that men will plunk down $60 for an eye crème, $26 for a concealer, or $35 for a face powder if you rename it something masculine, scent it like tobacco or toss it in a manly leather container. Just don’t call it ‘meatloaf’… I mean ‘makeup’ — even if it is.
Men's grooming is one of the fasted growing areas of the beauty business, with research firms forecasting $3.2 billion in sales of men’s toiletries by 2016. That’s a lot of green… and everyone wants a piece of it.
From Nordstrom shifting its man-scaping products from the beauty department to the men’s furnishings area, to cosmetics chain Ulta’s Men's Shop in-store boutiques, cosmetics companies are taking great pains to make sure men don’t get all queazy and uncomfortable having to belly up to a traditionally pink and girlish make-up counter. (Those men are so darned sensitive.)
Nordstrom’s national merchandise manager of fragrances Jennifer Kovacs told the LAT, “Men are just more comfortable in their own environment.” So roll in the flat-screen TVs and the sports pages, and redub the area the “Men’s Grooming Zone” — which is exactly what Macy's did in San Francisco. Even CVS has created a special Guy Aisle strictly for men’s products.
Beauty analyst at NPD Group Karen Grant breaks it down into demographics, “Mature men [over 50] are trying to be competitive in the workplace, and for those who are online dating, there is a desire to be as vibrant looking as possible. The younger generation [under 35] has grown up with Mom slathering sunblock on their faces, so they are coming up aware of facial skin care.”
*Cue the "masculine come-ons and buzzwords". Menaji calls its concealer Urban Camouflage and packages it to look like chapstick for a quick and manly “touch up” between business meetings. Jack Black men’s grooming brand chose its name because it “doesn’t feel feminine or fussy” and packages its products in bright blue containers designed to evoke motor oil cans. ('Cause dudes love cars. *Wink.) Yes. That how much thought goes into this stuff, folks.
So it seems the days of yore, when if your man slapped on some deodorant and possibly shaved you felt grateful, are long gone. Prepare yourself to find your man reaching for his own anti-aging cream, concealer and tinted-moisturizer. Just don’t call it ‘meatloaf’… er… ‘makeup’.