Why ‘appearance anxiety’ is fueling China’s male beauty market

More and more men are open to using makeup these days, according to Shanghai-based makeup artist Han Bingxue. With an increasing number of men requesting natural yet polished looks, she highlights how demand for subtle “date-ready” makeup, once sought mainly by women, is now being driven by male clients. The ripple effect of satisfied clients referring friends has fueled this shift. “First impressions are crucial for success in speed dating (相亲),” says Han. After several failed experiences, some male clients have turned to Han for clean makeup, noting that when presenting themselves with a polished look their chances of sparking a connection with their date increase significantly. China’s expanding pool of single adults has created fertile ground for growth in this category. With over 240 million single adults, data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that men aged 20 to 49 vastly outnumber their female counterparts, driving a unique surge in self-care and beauty spending. Free from traditional family expenses, single men now have the disposable income and time to invest in self-care — a crucial factor contributing to the rapid expansion of men’s beauty and skincare markets. Appearance anxiety Evolving standards of beauty and a broader acceptance of skincare and cosmetics are also reshaping the landscape. Many men are confronting what some call “appearance anxiety” (容貌焦虑) leading to greater acceptance of skincare, makeup, and even cosmetic treatments. “Under the rise of idol culture and male influencers in China, there is a growing emphasis on physical appearance for men, where they pursue more youthful and exquisite looks,” says Lisa Zhang, a project leader at China-based Daxue Consulting. “It created increasing demand in beauty products especially skincare products, as well as cosmetics and hair care products. In recent years, aesthetic medicine is also a growing sector especially ‘light aesthetic medicine’ (轻医美), such as hyaluronic acid boosters and Photon Skin Rejuvenation (a non-invasive LED light therapy for acne, sun damage, and other skin problems), since more male consumers are looking for flawless skin,” she adds. The male beauty economy has thus injected new vitality into the beauty sector, creating new demand and opportunities. Men’s makeup demand has taken off on platforms like Douyin, where men’s cosmetics sales exceeded 1 billion RMB ($140 million) in 2023 — a 235.4% YoY increase, with makeup products up over 362%. Does Gen Z prefer local, or global brands？ “Young males and the working middle class may be experiencing ‘appearance anxiety.’ Especially in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. There is an increasing tendency for male consumers to start using skincare products for pore perfecting, whitening, and spots treatment. Some consumers may consider cosmetics surgery to remove spots or to rejuvenate the skin,” says Davy Huang, director of business development at Azoya, an agency helping international brands expand in China via e-commerce. Demographic shifts are central to the growth of the men’s beauty industry in China. Gen Z – comprising consumers born after 1995 – now making up some 47% of the market, has become the main driver in urban centers. This generational shift accelerated after 2017, with the male grooming and beauty sector growing at an annual rate of over 20% — well above the general beauty market average. During 2022’s 618 shopping festival, sales of male grooming products skyrocketed twentyfold on Tmall, with global brands like L’Oréal Paris Men Expert, Biotherm, Nivea, and Kiehl’s dominating the leaderboard. However, in 2023, Chinese brands for men like Mancodes (左颜右色) and Renhe Jiangxin (仁和匠心) emerged as competitive domestic players during 618, surpassing Nivea and Kiehl’s on Douyin’s male beauty GMV ranking, claiming third and fourth position, respectively. Local brands are successfully catering to China’s unique consumer sentiment, offering budget-friendly, trend-sensitive products that resonate with Gen Z consumers. While luxury global brands dominate the higher end of the market, local brands are quickly gaining market share among younger consumers looking for affordable and relatable options. “It really depends on how well they are exposed to global beauty brands. Most male consumers tend not to pay a premium price for products they can’t see the value of, therefore, they tend to choose science-backed but affordable beauty products,” says Huang. A private environment The evolution of shopping scenarios has unlocked new growth potential for the men’s beauty and skincare market. Online shopping offers a level of privacy that appeals to male consumers, allowing them to select products suited to their needs without bumping up against social barriers. Over the past five years, online spending on men’s beauty has risen steadily, with digital sales comprising 54.1% of the market by 2023. The rise of social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and Kuaishou has also encouraged more men to engage with beauty and personal care content. For instance, Douyin’s #Men’sSkincare videos have enjoyed growing viewership and participation (over 3 billion views), while Xiaohongshu now has over 1.18 million posts focused on male styling, skincare, and makeup — fueled by an increasing number of male beauty influencers. Men’s self-care has expanded from facial grooming to focus on image. In the first quarter of 2023, body care sales on Tmall reached 1.02 million units, a 22% quarter-on-quarter increase, with revenue growing 17% to 94 million RMB ($13 million). Body care is becoming a key focus for male consumers. Men’s makeup is also gaining mainstream traction. In the same period, Tmall recorded nearly 500,000 units of men’s cosmetics sold, with sales up 12% to 45 million RMB ($6.3 million). Increasingly, makeup is being embraced as a fashionable norm among male consumers. Targeted marketing Brands are now tailoring strategies to cater to men’s specific beauty needs, particularly around functional skincare solutions such as deep-cleansing, oil control, and acne care. By leveraging Douyin’s effective “grassroots” (种草) marketing model, encouraging people to purchase a certain product with interesting content. “Douyin is no doubt the most influential channel, followed by Xiaohongshu. A lot of beauty-conscious male consumers also developed habits to research ingredients, and turn to dermatologists for solutions. Male consumers tend to be attracted by well-made short videos, and are more logical and pragmatic when making a purchase decision. However they are also prone to disinformation and exaggerated marketing,” says Huang. Homegrown brands, like Mancode, have achieved substantial growth with sales climbing tenfold in just a year. Men’s interest in short, practical videos on daily grooming routines underscores the importance of this type of content for reaching and engaging male consumers, with topics like #Men’sMakeup reaching 5.57 billion views. “IP collaboration is an important strategy to tap into the male consumer group,” says Zhang, giving the example of Kiehl’s collaboration with the popular sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem in 2023. Kiehl’s incorporated the novel’s themes of space, advanced technology, and survival into the design of its packaging and promotional materials, giving the products a distinct aesthetic that appeals to the label’s large male fan base. The men’s cosmetics market in China grew from 14.5 billion RMB ($2 billion) in 2018 to over 20 billion RMB ($2.8 billion) by 2023. Men’s skincare alone saw steady growth, rising from 5.3 billion RMB ($744 million) in 2017 to 16.5 billion RMB ($2.3 billion) last year. With greater awareness and evolving consumer attitudes, the market is set to continue its upward trajectory.

Why ‘appearance anxiety’ is fueling China’s male beauty market

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Published November 06, 2024

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Why ‘appearance anxiety’ is fueling China’s male beauty market