Natural products likely to boost men’s grooming market in 2011
The UK-based natural brand Bulldog claims to bethe fastest growing male skin care brand in the UK, growing 86.2 per cent between November 2009 and November 2010, with 60 per cent of this growth coming from new category arrivals.
“Natural products are undoubtedly a growing trend for men,” Bulldog’s Co-founder, Simon Duffy, told CosmeticsDesign.com USA, adding that men are increasingly looking for something different from their male skin care brands.
Benefit of natural ingredients
In addition to the claimed benefits of using natural products on the skin, switching to natural products means avoiding harsh ingredientssuch as sodium laureth that may cause irritation, according to Bulldog,
“Once men swap to natural formulations they seldom return to conventional products,” said Duffy.
The founder of US-based brand Organic Male OM4, Michael Bruggeman, says that companies that manufacture natural products tend to have a more ethical image, which can help attract environmentally conscious consumers.
“Younger men like natural because the ingredients and companies that use them are often greener and more socially responsible,” he said.
Bruggeman states that in the US, 62 per cent of women purchase grooming products for the men in their lives, which may help to explain the growing trend for natural products as an extension of the trend in the women’s skin care segment.
Men’s naturals market catching up to female market
The trend for natural men’s skin care products has long been behind that of the women’s market, which Bulldog attributes to the small number of natural brands aimed at men.
“Before Bulldog launched in 2007 there just weren’t any natural skin care brands for men available in the UK, so it wasn't really an option,” said Duffy, adding that while natural skin care certainly has a greater history in the female market, the men’s market is catching up.
Strong demand for natural men’s skin care in Scandinavia
In addition to the UK, Bulldog’s products are available in the US and Japan, and the brand has reported strong sales of its products in Scandinavia where it launched in January 2010.
“We have been amazed at how well the range has done over there. There is definitely a great demand for natural products in Scandinavia,” said Duffy, adding that export now amounts for 10 percent of Bulldog’s overall sales
