Japanese men investing in anti-ageing products

Whilst this is still a small segment in the whole beauty picture, good media coverage, wider adoption of male-specific products, and greater availability has kept the category in the spotlight and in Asia there is potential for a further boost.

As they enter middle and old age, Japanese men are paying more attention to anti-ageing care. Consumers are reported to be not only in their 20s and 30s, but also in their 40s, 50s and even 70s.

According to a recent survey by Kantar Worldpanel on 5,300 Asian men across eight countries, women were revealed to NOT be men’s main motivation for grooming.

"Eight out of 10 men interviewed revealed they were conscious about their appearance and to achieve this goal 60% said they would do exercises, 49% would take vitamin supplement while 36% chose diet​," it reports.

Thus, as a result of this demand, innovation in wrinkle-prevention targeting this demographic has been stepped up and the products are starting to dominate the shelves, according to regional publication 'Asiaone'.

Brands currently catering to this trend the publication says, is the likes of Shiseido with its for men range, which grew 10% last fiscal year from the year before.

The personal care giant reports expensive products, including a facial cream priced at between ¥7,000 and ¥8,000, do well among men in their 40s to 60s.

Areas brands may also want to invest in..​

For brands looking to tap into the "for men" personal care categories in Asia, Kantar suggests starting with facial care products as 31% of men were found to use cleansers specially designed for them, while 24% men are using male shampoo and deodorant.

Other products included blades & razors which 92% of men revealed to use, followed by shampoo (91%), bar soap (72%), facial cleansing (56%) and shower gel (55%).

"Quite surprisingly whilst 55% men are using shower gel, only 11% of the total respondents are using for men gels, and only 7% use eye care," ​the survey states.

To cater to the growing demand, companies focused on male skin care have launched an array of products that target problems ranging from anti-ageing and eliminating blemishes to skin brightening.