Men's Skincare: How a new Generation is redefining the Skincare Market

From Razors to Skincare – a historic Turning Point

For decades, men's grooming followed a clear pattern: grooming meant shaving, deodorant, and hair care. Skincare, if it existed at all, was a functional extension of shaving - designed to combat razor burn, redness, or irritation. This model shaped product development, marketing, and retail placement alike. Shaving served as a culturally accepted entry point into self-care. Michael Gilman, CEO of the US men's brand Grooming Lounge and one of the early pioneers of modern men's grooming, looks back and describes why this model worked so well: shaving was considered a distinctly 'masculine' activity. This allowed brands to introduce related care products without challenging existing gender norms. Skin care was deliberately communicated as a problem solution and not as an 'enhancement,' but as a 'solution.' This strategy normalized basic care, but also set clear boundaries for the category.

A structurally underestimated Market

Today, this pattern is increasingly breaking down. The global market for men's skincare is estimated at around US$20 billion, with forecasts of over US$30 billion in the coming years. The total men's grooming market is already well over US$60 billion worldwide. Nevertheless, the segment often appears underdeveloped compared to the women's beauty category.

According to Madhav Pitaliya, senior analyst at Coresight Research, an international research and analysis institute focusing on retail and consumer trends, this perception is less due to a lack of growth than to a structural mismeasurement. Traditional market benchmarks are heavily based on female consumer behavior and therefore do not accurately capture how men actually shop. Men tend to purchase fewer individual products, buy less frequently, and prefer multifunctional solutions. However, when considering usage situations, cross-category purchases, and household dynamics, the actual market volume becomes much more apparent.

The new men's grooming routine no longer starts with a razor.

Gen Z is bypassing the Razor

Perhaps the most significant change is coming from a new generation. While Gen X and older millennials often started with shaving as part of their skincare routine, Gen Z is approaching the topic directly through skincare. Acne treatment, sun protection, and knowledge of ingredients - often conveyed via social platforms - are now key entry points. Pitaliya describes this development as a shift from a 'corrective' to a 'preventative and expressive' logic. Skincare is understood as preventive, not reactive.

Accordingly, classic shaving categories are stagnating, while men's facial care products such as cleansers, moisturizers, and SPF are growing steadily. Purchasing behavior is also changing. The male population is doing its own research, actively comparing products, and making conscious decisions. Retail data shows a significant increase in searches for functional terms such as “face wash for men” as well as brand-specific product inquiries - an indicator of high purchase intent and informed decision-making processes.

Science instead of stereotypes

It is also striking that men are less interested in products that are explicitly marketed as 'masculine' and more interested in scientific plausibility. Daniel Isaacs, Chief Product Officer of the dermatology-focused brand Medik8, describes many male consumers as solution-oriented. They prefer clear routines, multifunctional products, and visible results. Anti-aging, sebum regulation, and sun protection are among the central issues, often associated with physiological characteristics such as higher sebum production or thicker skin structure.

At the same time, gender-neutral formulations are gaining in appeal. Skincare is increasingly understood as a performance-oriented application - a kind of 'technology for the skin' - rather than an aesthetic ritual. This perspective is changing how products are developed, communicated, and positioned.

Investment, positioning, and strategic consequences

Despite growth, industry experts urge differentiation. Gilman emphasizes that purely male-positioned brands can be more challenging economically, as the addressable market volume remains limited and economies of scale are more difficult to achieve. Platforms that integrate men without addressing them in isolation appear to be more promising in the long term. Investors increasingly prefer gender-inclusive models that serve multiple target groups and leverage cross-category potential.

This has clear implications for retailers and pharmacies. Men's grooming is not developing through loud trends, but through structural behavioral change. Men are looking for solutions, not spectacle. They respond to effectiveness, transparency, and consistency. In this context, expert advice, dermatological expertise, and data-driven personalization are becoming increasingly relevant. Those who offer functional guidance and evidence-based arguments can build lasting customer relationships in this segment.

A quiet but irreversible change

Men's skincare is not growing explosively, but structurally. The category is moving away from its historical entry point of shaving and establishing itself as an independent field between skin health, prevention, and performance. The decisive development lies less in longer routines than in a change in attitude: men are more informed, independent, and conscious in their decisions.

The question is therefore no longer whether men's skincare is relevant, but how brands, retailers, and healthcare providers can strategically shape their role in this redefining category.