Men’s cosmetics: what they want

It’s a fact. There are more and more men who care about looking good. According to specialists, this behavior is linked to one of the predominant consumer trends worldwide: search for well-being. In harmony, caring for a manly appearance is no longer limited to the use of basics such as a good perfume or shaving cream, but rather to the incorporation of products that offer tangible benefits, such as improving the health of the skin and hair. as well as options that integrate easily into your daily facial and body care routines.

Another of the guidelines that are imposed is focused on simplicity. “Men are leaning toward multifunctional products that simplify their skin care routine. We notice a strong demand for allies that help them have luminous skin, minimize pores and expression lines, for example. They also do not hesitate when buying a good broad-spectrum sunscreen or an anti-aging emulsion,” says Mariela Tappa, head of New Business at Mia Colors, Perfumerías Pigmento.

Greater awareness and perseverance are also the keys of the moment. “Facial cleansing followed by good hydration and sun protection are already part of daily cleansing. Of course, with products that adapt to each skin type and age. For both the face and the bodymen have become fans of formulations that have a fluid consistencywithout oiliness and with anti-age components. Hands and nails are also added to male self-care, which is crucial for some,” says María Valeria Vagnoni, specialist in Dermatology, medical director at Dermes, Skin and Comprehensive Health Center, and advisor to the team of health professionals in Algabo.

From a few years ago until today, men are also the protagonists in perfumeries and do not hesitate to ask for advice to show off healthy skin and share their concerns about the passage of time.

“It is remarkable how they knew how to incorporate the hygiene routine both day and night. For this stage, the most chosen products are those formulated with water, such as foam or cleansing gel, depending on the type of skin they have.. Another of the products that added, due to the benefits and light texture, are the essences, also adopted for tidying the beard. Antioxidant and moisturizing serums are gaining ground in the men’s toiletry bag.or, as well as the eye contour, and even more so if it is one that is used to treat bags, dark circles and expression lines. The creams with the most output are moisturizing ones for the day and some prefer mattifying textures,” reveals Sabrina Malz, skincare, make-up and fragrance trainer at Diffupar Argentina.

The latter is related to another of the main trends, which is specialized skin care. “In general, men’s skin is more prone to generating excess sebum, which can lead to dilation and clogging of pores. Here is the predilection for active ingredients that reduce and calm the shine of oily skin. The increase in the adoption of skincare products not only reflects a greater awareness of the importance of self-carebut also drives the demand for unisex products that meet the needs of everyone. Men are often excluded from trends when it comes to cosmetics, so it is an important step towards more inclusive skin care,” reflects Karla Vasconcel, cosmetic technician and trainer at Lidherma.

For her part, Sabrina Nahon, Marketing Director of Idraet Group confirms that men’s beauty routines have been expanding, but they began with skin care in general. “Now they also pay a lot of attention to the eye contour area and are focused on minimizing forehead wrinkles. The for him cosmetic lines have been developed as a consequence of the needs of a skin that is neither the same nor responds to the same stimuli as the dermis of women. In summary, the most recurrent problems have to do with the regulation of fat, cleansing, hydration and “wrinkle care.”

The great news is that a new male generation that uses makeup grows every day. “Just as beauty routines stopped being taboo for them, so did makeup. In general, adopters pursue a natural look by using the right products in the right amount. For the majority, Makeup does not represent a fashion but the possibility of looking betterand they not only seek to correct, but also obtain greater expressiveness and highlight features such as lips, cheekbones, eyes, choosing what to highlight. For example, the use of dark circle concealers and light foundations to unify the skin tone is very common, and the most daring resort to using eyeliner and lips,” Nahon explains.

Verónica Mendoza, Natura’s official makeup artist, comments that it is essential that makeup is a tool of expression available for both men and women. “Among the products that men usually use are primers to even out and mattify the skin; dark circle concealers, light foundations, eyebrow pencils to define and fill them, lip balms, eye shadows and eyeliners. As for the occasions when they choose to wear makeup? There are no limits, they use it when they want.”

Although cosmetics are gaining acceptance and are increasingly being incorporated into men’s personal care routine, experts clarify that it is a niche market. “The trend is clear. There was a cultural change driven by social media, acceptance and diversity. Regarding this trend, we see a predilection for those products whose purpose is to correct – dark circle concealers, very light foundations that seek to even out the skin tone, translucent powders to reduce shine – rather than a decorative make-up. In turn, cosmetics aimed at eyebrows, such as transparent mascaras with brushes, are in high demand, and the youngest and most daring people are encouraged to use enamels”concludes Tappa.

Besides, Beard care (grooming) continues to boom sustained by the barbershop boom and has men looking for products that not only keep their beards clean and soft, but also care for the skin underneath.

“It happens that skin with a beard – long or short – must have special care, especially during adolescence, which is when youthful acne appears. This pathology requires topical treatments and periodic facial cleansing at home and in the office, so the presence of a beard makes skin hygiene difficult and predisposes to the presence of folliculitis, sebaceous cysts and/or boils. Many teenagers grow beards to hide acne without knowing that it exacerbates and increases it. In adults with seborrheic skin it is similar to that of adolescence,” explains Dr. Marlen Bustillos, a specialist in plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery with experience in burns and complex wounds.

A good routine involves washing daily with warm water and beard shampoo or neutral soap, and then continuing to moisturize the area. “In this step it is advisable to apply jojoba, almond, argan oil or specific products found in barbershops or perfumeries. It is important that the skin absorbs and spreads the product along the length of the beard, which should be brushed often if it is long,” recommends Bustillos.

But there is more to it when choosing a product. Men’s skin has particular characteristics that must be paid attention to: it is thicker, with more prominent and dilated pores and a greater number of sebaceous glands that generate a tendency toward oiliness.

“That is why it is advisable to use a cleansing gel for skin hygiene, followed by moisturizing aftershave. If your daily activity includes sun exposure, it is essential to finish the routine with a light-textured SPF 50 facial sunscreen (spray or emulsion are the most friendly for this area),” prescribes María Inés Hernández, dermatologist and Dermaglós advisor.