Cosmetics for men

Men have become aware that their grooming and appearance play a major role in personal and professional success. A masculine routine in the morning automatically includes the classics like shampoo; shower gel and after-shave balm – which should be tailored to a man´s skin and hair- . Increasingly this routine is also complemented by a number of specially developed and innovative cosmetics for men. In the forefront are the cosmetics that clearly address a problem, and to be really attractive to men, sound “technical”.

A man´s skin is about 30% thicker than a woman´s. The Epidermis has more cellular layers and the dermis more collagen. A man´s skin is coarser and more robust meaning that it can deal better with typical environmental stress like dry air and UV rays. It also benefits from a very stable hydro lipid surface film and thus a better ability to retain moisture. Masculine skin tends to contain more melanin and consequently have a darker tonality.

However, from about 30 years old, this masculine advantage levels out. The ageing process sets in and cell production slows down, moisture retention is reduced and the wrinkles appear. This means that men also need targeted cosmetics for men with anti-ageing properties.

Mens` skin has over 50% more sebum ducts which in turn produce 50% more sebum in comparison to womens´skin. Sebum production is controlled by testosterone and the active hormone form di-hydro-testosterone. The sebum levels stay the same from puberty into old age. The consequence is that men have a higher likelihood of acne, blackheads and general problems caused by impurities. These problems can be readily addressed by good cosmetics developed especially for men. On top of this come greasy looking skin, enlarged pores and an unhealthy looking skin tone. There are several inappropriately formulated cosmetics for men that contain excess levels of fats and oils. These products only make the problem worse.

The beard area is often a real problem zone on a man´s face. Daily shaving is a great stress for the skin and it also removes the protective hydro lipid film. The razor causes the skin to dry out and leaves micro injuries on the epidermis leaving the skin red and irritated. Most men suffer from dry, angry and irritated skin after shaving known as “shaving rash” (pseudofolliculitis barbae) and some even suffer from small painful cuts. The burning, taut and itchy area can also develop small red “shaving spots” that take several days to heal – exacerbated by further shaving.

The above problems illustrate clearly why it is critical that cosmetics for men should be developed for and tested on men, and be just as targeted to specific problems and sensitivities as cosmetics for women.

Our team has the experience and knowledge to advise you how to develop your own effective range of cosmetics for men or to improve your existing products. Call us for a first discussion.