Future of male cosmetics series: history and our contribution
Male cosmetics – what do we really know about the market and its history? In an industry that never sleeps we want to provide our perspective on what it means to develop a male skin care brand and uncover the future plans of ZEW for men.
From ancient history to influencers
Men have used cosmetics since before the dawn of time. It was not uncommon, however, the cosmetics were used as an artistry or an expression of oneself during a scenic performance. In short, cosmetics played a big role in Ancient cultures, Egyptian culture and later the Japanese culture through the art of Kabuki. In some cultures cosmetics and even bright makeup were used when getting ready for a battle, or for a particular religious ritual. Even though men used make-up, it was rarely a ‘normal’ part of life for the general male population. In case one would use cosmetics it would not be a topic to discuss publicly.
As the times have changed male cosmetics gained a lot of traction, especially in advanced societies where the gender roles are shifting or being redefined. Look at South Korea, where the “generation Z respondents, with 58% of those born after 2000 say they pamper themselves with “lengthy” beauty or grooming treatments at least once per week” (CNN Style, 2020). Due to the fact that in South Korea the modern macho role was transformed into a macho that is self-caring, male cosmetics industry is experiencing continuous expansion. With the help of social media influencers we can expect higher acceptance and standards of self-care to spillover to the West.
Men have to learn that it’s normal to invest in grooming and skin treatments
Gender roles carry positive and negative aspects for all genders. As self-care is heavily feminised, investing in beauty is perceived as a ‘non-manly’ affair. Men have to learn that there is no shame in investing in self-care. Buying a cream that would help with managing exhausted skin or purchasing an oil that will nourish a frizzy, dry beard can easily uplift the spirit and fix the mood. As self-confidence increases so does improve your relationship with your environment and people that surround you.
That’s why we started ZEW for men – we want to help you feel the best self. No matter if you’re a bachelor or a family-centric person, if you like to city-hop or travel to nature, we want you to have access to hassle-free male-cosmetics products.
Self-care is for everyone, it has no gender, or stereotype. ZEW for men is striving to build a brand that goes beyond product. The brand is there to help men build healthy relationships with themselves and their health! The rest will come, as the good mindset follows those who are genuinely excited to live their life to the fullest!
The future of ZEW for men
It’s difficult to determine what exactly the future holds for ZEW for men. One thing we know for sure – we’ll proceed investing and developing skin-care and grooming cosmetics for men. Our goal is to go bigger and reach further than the Polish, German, Icelanding, UK or Dutch markets. We believe that every man should feel that they can afford to have well nourished skin and beard – simply feel good about themselves.
That’s why we are launching our partnership program. It’s a call for all of the skincare enthusiasts, marketplaces, boutiques and barbershops to join us in spreading the word about male cosmetics. ZEW for men, will host a series of blogs with our existing partners and share theirs ideas on the future of male cosmetics industry. We believe that cosmetics is not only a product, it’s a lifestyle, that has to become the new normal. A person of any gender should feel that they have an inherent right to feel great in their own skin.
Join our partner community and make self-care the new normal! If you’re interested in providing your customers with a ZEW for men experience, reach out, and we’ll make sure to share some testers and show you that there’s a true partner in ZEW.
Stay tuned,
ZEW for men team
