Malaysian men put value into looking good, with the male grooming market growing

The local skincare and personal grooming industry are paying attention to men’s needs as the market grows. Photo: 123rf.com

With more men interested in grooming and skincare, new beauty brands are ready for a different customer base, in an industry that was previously saturated with products for women.

Take Nateskin, for example, a Malaysian company which sells personal body care and grooming products. The brand says it is witnessing a change in attitude among men in the country.

“The men’s grooming market is growing, because more people are concerned about personal hygiene,” says co-founder Jared Chuah.

“The market growth is not only observed in the United States, United Kingdom or Australia; we are also seeing the same trend in Malaysia, as well as neighbouring countries.”

Nateskin carries a range of electric shavers and trimmers for face and body.

“It is not taboo for men to talk about grooming their body hair anymore,” Chuah points out.

Jared Chuah believes perception about male grooming in Malaysia has liberalised over the years. Photo: Nateskin

“Five years ago, if you approach a guy on the street and ask him about his thoughts on grooming, he would probably just talk about hairstyle or eliminating body odour. Today, men walk into our stores and ask how to ‘manscape’, or trim body hair to improve their appearance. It shows how times have changed.”

Beauty company Deciem’s chief scientific officer Prudvi Mohan Kaka agrees that there is an increased male interest in skincare now.

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“When we look at different market research sources, the predicted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the global male skincare market varies; some predict a double digit growth, while others tell us we’re looking at a rate similar to that of the skincare market as a whole,” he adds.

“The fact that male skincare is at least keeping up with the rest of the market tells us that we’ve come a long way in the cosmetics industry.”

One of the brands under Deciem is The Ordinary. Launched in Canada in 2016, the brand has expanded globally, including into Malaysia.

While The Ordinary does not gender-specify its products, it still pays attention to the buying habits of men.

“A 2021 study on the skincare habits of Malaysian men showed that few consumers purchase products to slow ageing, but in a study in the same year conducted in the US, skin ageing was shown to be one of the main concerns of men,” Kaka says.

“I cannot tell you exactly why this stark difference exists, but the various skin needs of the skincare consumers were what inspired our products in the first place.”

He adds that The Ordinary does not create products for a specific consumer – rather, it seeks to address different skin needs and concerns.

Ultimately, this shows that men are not very different from women.

Men’s skincare is serious business, so brands have to target individual needs within that market, and they can no longer get away with just a generic made-for-men range.

Country-specific issues

According to data gathered by market insight company Statista in September last year, the global male grooming market is predicted to be worth US$115bil (approximately RM544bil) by 2028. This is up from nearly US$80bil (RM378bil) in 2022.

The report states that there has been a “pivotal shift in male pampering culture during the last decade”.

While men’s toilettries back then used to consist of shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream and not much else, male shoppers now fill their baskets with products like moisturiser, facial cleanser, eye serum and even mud mask.

There are some skincare concerns that men can better relate to.

Kaka says one of the biggest differences between genders is the presence of facial hair or beard, and specifically the choice that many men make to shave them.

The Ordinary does not carry a specific line of products for men, but it is not ignoring the fact that more men are now shopping for beauty products. Photo: The Ordinary

“Shaving is essentially a form of exfoliation, and a very harsh one at that too. It can lead to compromised skin barrier, irritation and redness,” he explains.

“When we create a soothing product, our team is always excited to see the results on the skin of our customers who shave, particularly to help with post-shaving irritation.”

In Malaysia specifically, oily skin and body odour are the top two concerns among men. Kaka says that this is something expected in countries with tropical climate and high humidity.

“These can be targeted by appropriate cleansing, while oiliness can be resolved by products containing ingredients that help to either balance sebum production or absorb excess sebum to reduce shine.”

Prudvi Mohan Kaka says that the growth in male skincare is keeping up with the overall market, which is something significant. Photo: The Ordinary

He adds that men should not ignore the risks of UV exposure: “Above all, protection is key so sunscreen should be applied daily by everyone.”

“Beyond that, ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, azelaic acid and alpha arbutin can help tackle uneven tone, while peptides and retinoids are to target signs of ageing,” Kaka advises.

The changing mindset

Chuah, who studied and used to worked in Australia, says that he was initially unsure how Malaysian men would react to shaving products for the body.

“Things like personal grooming are really openly talked about, discussed and advertised in Australia,” he points out.

“The strategy Nateskin uses in communicating with consumers here is to focus on conversational topics. Humour works too.”

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Chuah says Nateskin does not use models for its campaigns.

“We use our customers in social media postings. We want to show that you don’t have to look like Chris Hemsworth to care about grooming. Taking care of your looks should be something every man can relate to.”

Nateskin also aims to send out a message on how men should not feel awkward about grooming themselves – in other words, to normalise the habit.

“Why do you need to have a healthy grooming habit? Or why shave? Firstly, it’s a matter of hygiene,” Chua says.

“Secondly, it’s about comfort. When you live in a high humidity climate, having too much body hair can trap sweat and make us feel hotter than we already are, on any given day.”

He does however, say that this still boils down to personal preference. There is a fine line between advocating healthy grooming habits and creating a false ideal of what a man should look like.

Men should be aware that grooming isn’t about about changing themselves to fit in or be trendy.

“We are not saying guys must shave, but if they want to, then it’s alright – and there are products that will help,” Chuah says.

“In terms of facial hair, even if you want to grow it out, grooming involves maintaining a neat, trimmed beard. it is not about having or not having hair, it is more on removing unwanted hair.”