New Delhi: Low neck-lines, hair bands, bangles, mascaras and face massages ?that's the metrosexual man of today.
As the male species gets serious about beauty and style regimes, the small companies are going where no big boys have gone before ? proving that size doesn't matter in the male grooming market.
Deepak, a media professional, who is pretty regular with his facial and pedicure, happens to be just one of the 18,000 male clients that frequent Kaya Skin Care.
Says Rakesh Pandey, CEO, Kaya Skin Care, "In the last three years our male client list has trebled". He further adds that the metro sexuals contribute around 30 per cent to their revenues.
In a fast evolving market, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies can't be far behind. L?Oreal has added three new products to its international Men's Expert range.
And last month we saw Emami launch the world's very first fairness cream for men- Fair & handsome. Priced at par with market leader, HLL's Fair & lovely, the gender bender has sold Rs.4 cr of fairness in just one month. Informs Sarita Jaysingh, Sales Rep, Suryodaya Store, "The pieces that we had were sold out in just two weeks."
Of the 'male grooming' market of Rs.800 crore, the bulk comes in from regular shaving products, hair dyes, deos and styling gels. But with the beauty products now concentrating on the males, things are likely to change.
Even though the consumer adaptations maybe a little slow, Mumbai based Elder pharmaceuticals will be soon joining the others with 4 of its 9 personal care products targeting men.
With the biggies like HLL and Godrej playing safe and still sitting on the fence, its the smaller ones that are stepping in, albeit cautiously. Marico's parachute after shower hair cream is a one off and Emami says Fair & Handsome is a handful right now.
Emami has no plans of adding anything in the male grooming range for at least one year now, informed Director Emami, Mohan Goenka. "With Fair and Handsome just one month old, we will continue to focus on it for the time being", he added.
Meanwhile, other FMCG are pushing unisex grooming products like shampoos and hair colours. Metrosexuality maybe too new a market for big attention as yet, but for many smaller players this gender bender holds enough interest for experimentation. Clearly size doesn't matter in the male grooming market.
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