Research carried out by Mintel shows that as many as one in two British men are worried about graying hair, with the largest concern coming from those aged over 45.
According to Vivienne Rudd, head of beauty research at Mintel, many men are “unhappy with their new found gravitas and the research has discovered men have become less content with their appearance after the age of 45”.
She continues to state 'whilst men are expected to work into an older age, they will find themselves competing with younger colleagues', and she believes older people may feel the need to maintain their appearance.
Research carried out by Mintel analysing segment performance of male grooming products shows there has been a slight increase in sales value since 2008, and haircare shows the most significant growth with an estimated sales value of £68m in the UK in 2010.
The growing concern over appearance may lead to a future boost to the male grooming market according to Vivienne Rudd, and L’Oreal has also reported a positive start for its Excell 5 Brush-in Men’s Hair Colourant in 2010 thus far.
However, whilst there is increased concern over appearance amongst middle-aged men, there is still a lack of interest in grooming products. Whilst young men are valuable to the market, middle aged men adopt a ‘quick-fix’ approach, Mintel told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.
A recent study shows that – men in general are more likely to purchase a product projecting a ‘no-nonsense’ image, with multi use and combination products also likely to be more popular.
Whilst the men’s concern over hair colour seems apparent in the UK, the rest of Europe does not share this worry. France, Germany and the UK continue to dominate the market in terms of hair products (according to Mintel GNPD), however of all the new hair colourants introduced exclusively for men last year, all were launched in the UK.
Mintel studies show that whilst men are not necessarily uninterested in the results of male grooming products, they are hesitant to purchase and use them. Three quarters of all men in the UK are unengaged with toiletries and grooming products, whilst over half of those are aged 45-54.
Other results from the study revealed hair loss and thinning are the second largest concerns for men, followed by unwanted hair. Being overweight, and oral hygiene make up the biggest concerns, although Mintel was keen to highlight skin care as a growing concern. Its study found that seven in ten men worry about some aspect of their skin whilst a third of men regularly use face creams and lotions.