The boys are dominating an increasing proportion of the cosmetics market as they get smart on looking good.
Oh for the days when the well-groomed man about town could get away with a quick shave and a few splashes of Polo. The days before pretty-boy David Beckham encouraged an entire generation of metrosexual males to invest in blonde highlights, man moisturiser and designer undergarments. Battle of the sexes is now taking domain in the bathroom as we jostle for shelf space and prime position in front of the mirror.
The past few years has seen so many big-name beauty companies launch their male ranges, heralding a new phase in men’s beautification. But where `guy liner’ maintains its slightly grungy niche, getting a perfectly polished look has become the status quo – boys want to look more beautiful.
Personal care products for men are flooding the shelves, and launches are becoming increasingly adventurous as the market matures. Research firm Mintel says this is marked by an explosion in the number of sophisticated and advanced grooming products.
‘Beauty manufacturers are trying to stay one step ahead of men’s evolving grooming habits,’ says Mintel beauty analyst Taya Tomasello. ‘New personal care products launched for men today step beyond the basics of showering, shaving and deodorising. At both the high and low ends of the market, new men’s grooming products try to provide tangible benefits based on appearance, specific body needs and ethical concerns.’
Mintel identified four areas of male grooming that are experiencing rapid growth. Firstly, brands are offering products that target specific areas of the body such as eyes, lips and hands. The self-tanning market for men has caught on, as has the anti-aging trend with new lines highlighting exfoliating and wrinkle-fighting ingredients. Lastly, organic, natural and ethical are feeding growth in the male market as they are in other areas.
In an age where looks have a mounting importance in the social sphere, it is hardly surprising that men are paying more attention to their appearance. Where cosmetic procedures used to be a female-dominated domain, more and more guys are growing tired of accepting the looks lot they were given – no longer are they happy to settle for the pesky love handles they just can’t snuff out despite workouts at the gym and those telltale crow’s feet around their eyes. They are increasingly turning to cosmetic procedures to fix their physical flaws.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cosmetic surgery among males has seen a steady tide roll in over the past six years, increasing by eight per cent. In 2008, men underwent a record 1.1 million cosmetic procedures, ranging from muscle relaxant injections to liposuction, which is one of the most popular procedures for men. So why is male cosmetic surgery consuming an increasing portion of multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry?
Nipped. Tucked. Me?
Ask any man, and you’ll find he admits that when he looks at himself in the mirror, he is as critical as we women are on ourselves and he doesn’t always like what he sees. Even if they are by no means overweight, their bodies respond to exercise in the same way women’s do – selectively. They may still find is difficult to become defined, feel a little bit chunky around the middle or be self-conscious of the signs of age displayed on their faces.
‘I worked out hard, but no matter what I did I couldn’t get rid of the love handles,’ says 36 year-old marketing manager John. ‘I’d simply reached a fitness plateau.’ John turned to the solution women across the world have been opting for, a bit of medical intervention. ‘I had liposuction on my love handles, which my surgeon told me is an increasingly popular procedure among men looking for a way to sculpt away their flab,’ he says.
John isn’t the only one. Surgery seems to be going hand in hand with the rising trend of improving health and fitness – a sign of the shift that we want to look as good as we feel. ‘The old myth about plastic surgery was that it was a lazy person’s substitute for diet and exercise. Nothing could be further from the truth. The best use of plastic surgery is for it to be part of a healthy lifestyle that is life-long,’ says Richard A D’Amico, MD, president-elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
For men in their 20s and 30s, body contouring has never been more coveted, especially with the normalising of discussion about the common problem of the ‘moob’ (that’s man boob to those not in the know – excess breast tissue, which doctors call gynaecomastia). Cam, a 39-year-old stockbroker, decided to turn to surgery after a two-year battle with the problem he realised was unfixable. ‘Male breast-reduction surgery made sense, because no matter how hard I worked out or dieted, this was the only way I’d ever have a more masculine and flat chest.’
Cam’s doctor explained that men’s problems with their bodies isn’t always the result of poor lifestyle or bad diet. While both can contribute to breast growth and obesity, the issue may simply be genetic. All men have breast tissue and adipose tissue (fat): for many it goes away after puberty and for others it’s barely noticeable. But for some, it’s a problem that only gets worse with age and building of fat and muscle mass. No wonder, then, that breast reduction surgery is the fifth-most popular surgical procedure in the books for men.
Whether you’re unhappy with your body shape, coming to terms with the body you’ve been given can be a lifelong struggle. But should you jump on the table and go under the knife to fix your frets? The jury on that one’s still out. Those who’ve done it typically argue that the surgery has changed their life for the better. However, as with all procedures, it’s important to keep realistic expectations. Surgery involves real wounds and real healing time.
Less invasive cosmetic treatments have also become commonplace for men, who claim one of the reasons they are undergoing procedures is to boost success in business and personal lives. The most common skin problems they’re seeking to remedy include acne and acne scarring, scars and pigmentation, which can be successfully tended to with topical treatments and laser technology. Anti-wrinkle injections are also on the rise, as is hair removal for men for those who want permanent solutions to unwanted back rugs.
In a world where there are ever-blurring gender lines, men are understandably adjusting to a cosmetically focused society. The classic ‘man’s man’ who relies on his stalwart natural appeal alone is endangered. While most women have already comfortably resigned to this strange new reality, my take on it is this: as long as my boyfriend doesn’t start taking up the shelf space in the bathroom, it’s fine by me.
