MEN care about their skin, and they’re spending money on it. Purchases of premium priced ($70 and above) men’s skin-care face products increased by 8 percent in the first half of 2009 compared with the same period last year, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm. Luxury skin-care companies are taking note.
Espa, a spa company, has a men’s line that includes a facial wash; a ShaveMud made with kaolin (a white clay); and a skin tonic that includes essential oils of rosemary, tea tree, lavender and peppermint. When the line was introduced in 2008, “sales took off immediately” and grew by 30 percent from one year to the next, according to Sue Harmsworth, chief executive of Espa.
Kiehl’s, which has 18 men’s products, has recently expanded its offerings. “Recently, we have gotten a lot of requests for men looking to get rid of puffiness and dark circles under their eyes,” said Chris Salgardo, president of Kiehl’s USA. In response, the company added an Eye De-Puffer to its men’s Facial Fuel line this fall.
For his new skin-care line, Kyoku for Men, Asim Akhtar traveled to a Japanese village known for its healthy aging population. The villagers had flawless skin, which seemed to be related to their nature-based skin-care rituals that included the use of local plants and substances like volcanic ash, bamboo and ginseng. Mr. Akhtar combined these ingredients with microparticle technology to create Kyoku. The line has been a hit at high-end retailers in London like Harrods, and will be available this year in the United States.
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