• by Aaron Baar , December 19, 2008

Personal care and beauty products for men are on the increase. Mintel Beauty Innovation reports that so far in 2008, more than 500 new men's personal care products were introduced in 2008, up from 375 in 2007.

"Metrosexual [fashion] is on its way out, but the grooming habits have stuck around," Mintel senior beauty analyst Taya Tomasello tells Marketing Daily. "Men have gotten into a routine of caring for their skin like women and [they are] seeing results."

Like women, men are interested in covering up their "imperfections"--particularly as they age, Tomasello says. Many of the growth areas in men's grooming include lip-, eye- and hand-specific products, especially those with anti-aging and exfoliating ingredients, she says. "Women are doing a lot to improve their looks as they age; now men are starting to catch on to that," she says. "And women are tired of men using their products."

Even make-up products such as foundation and eyeliner are gaining some traction with men, she says. Regardless, men are still not comfortable applying make-up with their basketball buddies. One make-up product in the United Kingdom is fashioned to look like a ballpoint pen to better conceal its real purpose around the office, Tomasello says.

Marketers that are developing male grooming products should also keep in mind that men take a far different view toward their grooming products than women. First of all, there is a learning curve. "Men are a lot like younger women consumers," she says. "This is all new to them."

Men are also less concerned about the stories behind the products or their histories, she says. "Male consumers want you to get to the point: 'Tell me what's in it, why I want it and how to use it,'" Tomasello says.

And finally, men are not necessarily looking to hide anything. The old adage that men get more distinguished as they age still holds true. "It's very much a different way of targeting [beauty product] consumers," she says. "Men want to look distinguished; women want to avoid aging."