Current Trends in China's Male Cosmetics Market

The cosmetics market shows evident differences based on the gender of the target market. The vast majority of cosmetic products sold to guys are face products and "fixing products", aimed at correcting facial flaws like acne, eye bags, etc.

However, males attach more and more importance to their appearance and we can't ignore the potential of this market. Some studies (HKTDC) forecast an increase in the volume of male cosmetics sold in China of 13.5 % by 2019 (1.9 billion $), much more than the overall world growth of 5.8%.

What influences male cosmetic purchases?

Advertisement Methods

One of the main characteristics of this market is the rather traditional way customers get information about products: most males declared that TV advertisement still plays a consistent role in their decision making process, with online videos and in-shop product display following closely. Higher income people also indicated magazines as a source of info. Unlike female consumers, it is not very common for males to exchange information about cosmetics.

Another difference compared to women is that men will only purchase another product when the first is finished and they are not likely to buy a product in advance for storage. Also, most men already have a product in mind before purchase, but a consistent percentage declared that they can be easily persuaded if a professional promoter approaches them to advertise something new. The proportion of planned purchase versus unplanned purchase is approximately 6 to 4, and it is subject to income difference: wealthier buyers are more willing to buy instantly because of their higher spending capacity (HKTDC).

Purchasing Channels
The most common purchasing channel is undoubtedly the internet which accounts for 55% of total purchases. Flagship stores come in second accounting for 44%, followed by key account purchasing and household and cosmetic products shops (HKTDC).

The main reason for people to choose internet purchasing is lower price and delivery, with a good percentage of younger customers stating that buying from the internet provides a bigger choice of products.

In Beijing, Nanjing and Qingdao online purchases exceed brick and mortar ones and in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Chongqing, Qingdao, Changzhou and Wuxi the average expense for male cosmetics exceeds the national average.

On the other side, the main reason for people to still choose brick and mortar over online purchases is that this way they can see the real product and also because of the presence of trained professional sellers. This is why the proportion of purchasers most willing to try a product in brick and mortar stores before buying it is higher among mature customers.

Brand
Brand is one of the most important factors to consider when analyzing customer preferences in this market; products especially designed and marketed for guys are generally favored over "gender neutral" ones and brand loyalty is much higher in males than in female customers, with a huge 30% of males usually buying only 1-2 brands (HKTDC). This is due to two different factors: first of all, male-specific brands are fewer in number and secondly as we said word of mouth, which is one of the most common reasons for a customer to change a long time used product for another is not common among guys. Customers often know no alternatives to the product they purchase often, and this is why this kind of brand loyalty is commonly referred to as "Passive Brand Loyalty". 

Which cosmetics do males buy?

Male cosmetic products, previously confined to the cramped world of grooming products and simple cleansing lotions have expanded into a wide array of toners, body lotions, facial masks, moisturizing creams and perfumes. Skin cleansing creams and masks are the most widely purchased. Besides skin care products, younger generations are starting to use make-ups such as BB Cream and Skin Color Correctors.

Skin care products

63% of males surveyed only use face wash, lotion or cream while 37% of them enjoy a whole skin protection process, using toner or facial mask. On average, males in China use 3-4 kinds of skin care product per day, but the family income greatly influences the variety and quantity of purchased skin products.

In line with the above data from HKTDC, we can conclude that daily care products like cleansing agent are staple commodities for the male market in China and that importing products like that offers good potential for profit. Middle Class men in China are willing to devote more energy and money for skin care and accept more specialized products such as hand care and skin care essence. 

Make up for men

Different from cosmetic for women, men in China do not generally use mascara or lipsticks. Generally male make are confined to facial correctors, like "fixing products", aimed at correcting facial flaws like acne, eye bags, etc. 

Statistics show younger generations are more tolerant of men using make up (HKTDC):

• Ages 20-30: 6% use make up every day; 33% use make up occasionally; 61% never use make up

• Ages 31-45: 3% use make up every day; 26% use make up occasionally; 72% never use make up

Male make ups include foundations, among which 36% are sunscreen protection products and 30% are BB cream. Also 16% of male will further use remover as well. 
Compared with skin care product, make-up for men is a new area; importers can take advantage of the lack of market competition. "Male Only" promotion method would be an attraction.

Quick compliance overview for male grooming products

The majority of male grooming products are subject to non-special use cosmetic regulations in China (exception: e.g. Whitening face wash, whitening mask are special use cosmetics, but whitening functions are not frequently applied to male consumers). For non-special cosmetics, manufacturing domestically in China only requires an online filing procedure and does not require a certificate before marketing. Imported cosmetics are subject to registration or the filing system available through Shanghai's Pudong district (For details, you may refer to "Cosmetic Products" from Cosmepedia China).
 
Alternatively, if an importer ships raw materials or semi-finished products into the mainland and packages the product here, it is subject to domestic filing management. Importers who desire to develop a Chinese market for these products can select a suitable market entry strategy but should pay careful attention to regulatory requirements. For more info you can email us at: [email protected]. 

Conclusion

The male skin products market is valued at 100 million pounds in England and 230 million dollars in the US (ZGHZP). Using male skin care products is now habitual for many European and US males while China's market is still underdeveloped with forecasts suggesting the market offers considerable potential.

Kline & Company forecasted that by the end of 2017 the global male skin care products market will reach 15 billion dollars. Male cosmetics are the fastest growing cosmetic product category in China and ZGHZP data shows that at the moment 80% of Chinese males are willing to spend more than 25 minutes daily using skincare products.

Reference Link

All data cited in the article comes from the following sources:

ZGHZP Male Consumers of Cosmetics: do they lag behind or will they become a new hot point ? (Chinese)

HKTDC Characteristics of Chinese men 's demand for cosmetic products (Chinese)

HKTDC Characteristics of Chinese men 's demand for skin care products (Chinese)

HKTDC Chinese men skin care products and cosmetics information and purchase channels (Chinese)