Lancôme comes out on top with anti-ageing range for men
range aimed at the niche male consumer in a bid to stride ahead of
competing manufacturers keen to capitalise on the growing trend.
A spokesperson for Lancôme, told CosmeticsDesign "The new range, Lancôme Men, brings worldwide anti-ageing know-how to men by using textures adapted to their skin".
"Lancôme designed it as the first range specifically dedicated to male skin concerns, defined by the ageing process" they said.
The range, launched in Europe in March and the US in May, is targeting the premium skin care market focusing on the self conscious male consumer who already uses upscale skin care products, but now looking for a more specific care regime to target anti-ageing.
The company wants to diversify from its status as the leading women's skin care manufacturer by using its expertise to discover the differences between men and women during the ageing process in order to create a skin care range that is specific to the male consumer.
Extensive research was carried out on male volunteers, showing that their skin aged similarly to the female regarding the appearance of enlarged pore sizes and wrinkles for different age groups.
Some 365 volunteers, aged between 20-69, took part in the study to analyse wrinkles, under-eye bags, loss of firmness, large pores and age spots.
As a result of the study findings, the product range has been split into different colour coded sections for the noticeable age gaps - blue for men aged 25 - 30, red aimed at 30 - 40 and orange targeting men aged 40 and up.
Therefore it will be the older generation that will get most benefit from the skin care range, with the Hydrix product, specific to men aged over 30, flagged as a star brand in the Lancôme Men range.
The study found that 89 per cent of the subjects reported that their skin felt noticeably softer and more supple due to the moisturising properties of the key ingredient, Vitamin E. Shea butter, palm oil and coprah oil were also used in the formulation, all key ingredients in the skin care market at present.
Another product highlighted in the range is the Renergy 3D firming complex aimed at men who are approaching the older age range bracket - 40 and over.
This product contains a botanical peptide extract that reactivates collagen production in the dermis, which is said to help to reduce and erase wrinkles commonly found in the older gentleman.
Targeting the older male generation could prove a smart move by the company, with figures showing that the senior consumer group has accounted for the fastest spending growth in the US and European markets. It saw a 3.9 per cent annual growth in personal care consumption over the 2000 to 2005 period, to reach a total of $9.8 bn.
Likewise, the prevalence of male personal care products in Europe is growing, with sales figures rising by 2.7 per cent a year between 2000 and 2005, from $26.3 to $29.7, with expectations of a further rise of 2.3 per cent a year between 2005 and 2010.
