For as long as we can remember, women have spent hours preening in front of mirrors and having treatments at their local spa or clinic. Whilst this is still the case, it is becoming apparent that men are now taking more time than ever to groom themselves before they leave the house for work or an evening out on the town. And in a time where we’re being told – even from corporations such as the BBC – that we’re increasingly “time poor”, it perhaps seems strange that men are finding the time to spend longer on their beauty regimes and habits. But this is indeed the case, and here’s how we know…
A Shift in TV Advertising?
If you’ve ever sat and watched a game of football on ITV or Sky Sports, you’ll likely have seen the adverts too (unless you’ve retreated to the toilet or the solace of your smartphone). If you have, you may have caught on to the fact that the marketing isn’t solely saying “drink beer” or “gamble lots of money”, there is another message too, saying “look after your skin and hair”. And these advertisements are directed straight towards the male market instead of showing male products to a female audience base in the hope that they will buy something for their son or partner.
Men Now Watch TOWIE
The Only Way is Essex has – without a doubt – taken the UK by storm. Marketing expert OmaidHiwaizi recently told The Sun that; “The ‘TOWIE effect’ is having a bigger impact than the Duchess of Cambridge – because men are also buying into it.” This is of massive importance to companies selling beauty products and services to men as the knock-on effects should lead to a rise in business and sales.
In TOWIE there are characters such as Joey Essex who are clearly having an impact on young males. One mother said to The Sun, “I think it’s great that young guys want to look good and aren’t afraid of being open about it. I think the guys on TOWIE encourage it. Like Joey [my son] cuts his clothes to customise them and goes to the gym to work on his muscles. Ever since the show started, Jack has become really fussy about his appearance.”
Treatments Just For Men
As we’ve just read first-hand about the aspirations of young males in the UK, it isn’t surprising that there are now more beauty treatments that are aimed specifically for that market. In fact, the New York Laser Clinic in London is catering to this male market by publishing banners on their website specifically for men – I recently saw one for men’s laser hair removal. It isn’t just here though, as hair removal, massages and facials seem to be growing in favour of the male market across the board. And it doesn’t seem like the demand is decreasing, so expect to see the male grooming sector grow even more in the coming years.
About The Author :Jessica Shaw is a beauty blogger from London, UK. She would like to acknowledge the following sources and companies that were referenced in this post: Sky, ITV, The Sun, The BBC, and the New York Laser Clinic.
