Only for men

Russian men's care market is swiftly developing. The sector reports 15% annual growth. Industry watchers anticipate $195.4 mln by results of 2005, not taking into consideration men's fragrances, deodorants, blades and razors. Still, however, shaving products contribute to the major part of cosmetic sales (87%), while hair care and bath products effect 10% of retail malegrooming turnover, and skin care share is negligible.

Premium brands – Shiseido Men, Biotherm Homme, Clarins Men, Decleor, Lancome – fuel the development of skin care and colour cosmetics for men in Russia.

As a rule, premium brands adherents are stylish men at the age of 30-50 years old, working at prestigious and well-paid position.
Though colour cosmetics for men is hardly to report magnificent sales in the next few years, premium brands manage to raise appreciative consumers. If buying makeup products, men choose several articles at once. Selective XXI, exclusive representative of BPI in Russia and distributor of Le Male Tout Beau, claims flatting powder, correcting pencil and lip balm are the most popular products in the range.

No doubt, the development of specialized retail chains, the main distribution channel for premium products, will fuel men's skin care and colour cosmetics consumption growth. Equally indisputably the products will find the majority of their clients in large cities with over one million people population, for these cities provide acceptable infrastructure and income level. Industry players should pay attention to local specialized retail chains in regional cities rather to wait for entrance and development of large national retailers.

Both premium and massmarket brand groups use popularity of shaving products to involve men in pampering process. Brand managers enlarge post and pre shaving lines with hair care, bath care and skin care novelties.

Another popular trick is to target women, who eagerly add in their purchase bag something for their mates. Valex M, a Russian distributor of Cellcosmet, a premium cosmetic line for women, remembers to offer its lady customers products under Cellmen banner. The company claims to appeal conservative men after forty. Massmarket players take the pace. For example, Clinique distributes thousands of men's care testers among women.

Opposite approach is to address men as a special independent group and organize separate trading areas for them. For example, TSUM, the most recognized Moscow department store, opened Only for Men section. The trade zone is closed from unwanted eyes. The assortment is totally composed of over 20 premium brands range of skin care and colour cosmetics. No perfumery is sold.

Winter is the most profitable period for men's cosmetics companies. Women are in a hurry to present men with perfumery or cosmetic sets on New Year, Christmas celebration and especially on February 23 (analogue of Father's Day in Russia). Retailers make 40% of annual turnover in this period.

Ukrainian mail grooming reports extensive growth rate of 20% a year. The segment is envisaged to reach Hr645 mln in 2005. Value growth is more dynamic than volume growth due to men's growing preference towards quality and thus more expensive brands. This has also been stimulated by such premium brands as Clinique becoming more widely available.

The variety of men's grooming products had also become much wider with such offerings as deodorants, hair care products, and bath and shower products, whereas previously men only purchased products necessary for shaving, such as razors, pre-shave products and post-shave products.

Razors and blades lead sales of men's grooming products and also witnessed the highest growth rate. These products have a long presence in Ukraine and are considered as necessities. Furthermore, unlike pre-shave, which still can be substituted with soap by Ukrainians with limited disposable incomes, razors and blades are bought by practically every man. Thus in 2005 sales are expected to reach approximate Hr340 mln.

Ukrainian consumers usually welcome innovations in razors and blades. Shaving systems are the most popular razor format and the popularity of electric shavers has been strongly reduced in recent years. The number of men using Gillette and Schick products had gradually increased in recent years.

Post shave reports dynamic development as novelties regularly appear on retail shelves. Added-value products with skin care properties, such as moisturizing, enjoy increasing demand, particularly amongst the younger generation. Shaving foam remains the most popular pre-shave product although gel and oils are available but have proven far less popular.

Sales of men's hair care and skin care products remain negligible. However, Ukrainian men are increasingly showing an interest in personal grooming and are therefore building demand for male-specific products. A number of new brands are expected to be launched in the near future which should see men's hair and skin care taking off.

Russian men, especially that in the regions, are very susceptible to mass media. Cosmetic companies turn to popular sportsmen and actors to seduce male population. Which star to choose depends on the people in focus.

The “tribe concept” is gaining popularity in Russia and cosmetic companies order researchers to track the profiles of TV star fans. For example, an inquiry showed Lube is the most popular band among men at the age 35-44 years old, while Alexander Abdulov is the most liked actor among married men after forty (ROMIR Monitoring).

Russian companies actively develop low and middle massmarket, offering men a wide choice from bier shampoo at $0.3 to extraordinary packed cosmetic sets at $10. Green Mama redesigned its Severnyi Koeffitsient and put scrub for sensitive skin, hand cream and hair styling gel into a matting sack to create a masculine image.

Aprel, a well known Russian manufacturer of deodorants and other cosmetic products, launched a set of shaving cream, razor and a shaving brush. DeKAROline, a local direct seller, enlarged its assortment with hair strengthening shampoo, shower deodorant gel, shaving foam and after-shave gel, claimed to be developed with taking into close consideration all peculiarities of male skin.

Still the majority of Russian men are not used to spend substantial sums for cosmetics. However, if a man decides to improve its image with cosmetic tools, he very often prefers foreign brands positioned in middle massmarket to nationally made cosmetics at low price. The tendency, clearly seen in other sectors of Russian perfumery and cosmetics market, is expected to determine future development of male grooming as well.

Russian manufacturers faced the necessity to find the way to consumer’s heart. Some experts see an opportunity to compete with foreign brands in contrasting the “metrosexual” and “retrosexual” concepts. As the most of foreign products are promoted on the wave of metrosexual images, Russian companies think about using pictures of “real men” and offer all-in-one products, for real men are considered to have little time to spend it for intricate caring procedures.

At the same time plenty of niches are still undeveloped. Special cosmetic novelties for sports, office and various outdoor activities find the demand of Russian men. Local companies can develop the niches and set their stable position in increasing male grooming market.
29th May 2006.

Source: http://www.cosmeticsinrussia.com/showart.phtm?reg=full&type=m&num=1374