Men’s Cosmetics: A Growing Gateway for Medical Group Marketing & Advertising?

By Stewart Gandolf, Chief Executive Officer

Appearance-conscious men are buying skin-care products big time.

Nonshaving products is the fastest growing men's segment

There’s a boom in cosmetic products for men. Not just deodorant and aftershave stuff, we’re talking about eye gel, concealer, and an anti-shine powder that comes in a compact…it’s a bull market, according to the New York Times.

Cosmetic products for men are not new, of course. They can be found in medical, aesthetic, dermatology and plastic surgery practices that serve appearance-conscious male and female patients. But medical group marketing and advertising planners take note: cosmetic products for men are moving from hard-to-find specialty item toward mainstream.

The Times article cites market data from Euromonitor International indicating that American consumers spent twice as much on men’s grooming products in 2009 than in 1997—up from $2.4 billion to $4.8 billion. The nonshaving products—facial cleansers, moisturizers, exfoliants—were the fastest growing men’s segment, up fivefold (from $40.9 million to $217 million).

And that’s only part of the growth picture. “While the data suggests more mirror time for men, it doesn’t give the full picture. By and large, men’s cosmetics are sold online by companies that fly under the radar of researchers,” the Times reports.

For medical group marketing & advertising, plastic & cosmetic surgery marketing and other practices with aesthetic services—keep the men in mind. This could be a new opportunity to consider. And if your product lineup already includes men’s cosmetics, your competition is growing.