South Korea is an increasingly receptive market, thanks in part to the wildly popular K-pop bands
From an eye shadow that opens with the flick of a thumb, Zippo-style, to a barely-there foundation in subtle blue-grey packaging: men’s make-up is getting a makeover as manufacturers bid to take it more mainstream.
France’s Chanel and Japan’s Pola Orbis are among firms launching new ranges to exploit signs of rising demand for cosmetics among men, especially in Asia, betting the tide is finally turning in a segment that has long underwhelmed.
Beyond show business circles or the limited realm of beauty bloggers, the brands have other clients – such as image-conscious executives – in their sights, as they emphasise the undetectable aspects of some products.
“Giving off a sense of cleanliness is becoming a kind of business skill,” said Akira Gogo, president of Pola Orbis subsidiary Acro, which launched a men’s make-up range in September that includes foundation in 15 different skin tones given names like “Crispin” or “Joaquin”.
With some previous experiments in this field flopping, and dominant players such as France’s L’Oreal on the fence, it’s a gamble the companies are reticent to hype up too much.
“We don’t expect to see sales suddenly jump – we’re trying to create a new culture,” Gogo added.
But an increasingly receptive audience in markets such as South Korea – where wildly popular “K-pop” boy bands and their cute, flawless looks have helped redefine ideas of the comely male – points to growing potential for this niche.
That is partly down to consumers such as Lee Ho-June, a 28-year-old who runs his own company as a fashion designer. He says he draws the line at a full face of make-up, unlike some acquaintances who paint their eyebrows, but has got used to using tinted moisturisers like BB creams – and visiting beauty stores with growing men’s counters.
“For me as a guy, it had been embarrassing and awkward to walk into a cosmetics shop,” Ho-June said, as he browsed with a female friend in downtown Seoul. “Now I enter a shop without hesitation.”
Asia’s male grooming market is still a relative minnow, accounting for under a fifth of the US$49.5 billion industry globally in 2017, according to data from market research firm Euromonitor.
