MALE GROOMING
Understand the needs of male skin Both store staff and consumers need to understand the specific needs of male skin in order to recommend the right products. For example, men tend to require more soothing and revitalising properties than anti-ageing when it comes to their skincare, with anti-irritation properties to combat the after effects of shaving. Caroline Frazer, Simple skincare expert and celebrity make up artist, says: “Male skin differs from female skin as it tends to have a thicker epidural layer with larger pores that can become clogged with dirt and oil. Also, men lose collagen, a protein that provides firmness and strength to cell tissues, at a slower rate than women, giving men plumper and younger looking skin for longer. And finally, a very obvious difference is that men have thick and coarse facial hair, which they shave on a regular basis. Shaving can scrape and damage the top layer of skin, resulting in skin feeling irritated. For these reasons it’s important that men use male-specific products, designed to care for their particular skincare needs.”
Ask the right questions Asking questions is the easiest way to determine male customers’ grooming concerns and therefore recommend the right products to solve them. Asim Akhtar, founder of Kyoku for Men, says: “Sales staff should be determining whether the
customer has any particular skin issues that they might need help dealing with or whether they are just looking for a general range of products to maintain healthy skin. The key is knowing the products really well to be able to advise which is most suitable and which active ingredients give the products its effectiveness. They should also be asking whether the customer has sensitive skin or not, as certain products have been specifically designed for a gentler regime.” When it comes to shaving, Mark Sproston, male grooming expert and founder of The Shave Doctor Company, suggests asking the following questions to determine men’s needs: “How often do you shave? How do you normally shave, wet or electric? What do you normally shave with - gel, foam etc? Do you experience a shaving rash or razor burn during or after shaving? Do you use any pre - and post - shaving products? And what is your skin type? This sort of questioning will determine what products should be advised and if they should be increasing their number of shaves per week.”
Determine the main grooming problems men suffer from and how these can be solved
There are a number of common grooming- related problems that can stop men from looking their best – if you can explain how to solve them with the right products, they are more likely to purchase. Jason Shankey,
CEO of Jason Shankey Male Grooming, says: “Razor burn, ingrown hairs and itchiness are the most prevalent problems and can be avoided by using quality products. Shaving in the same direction as the hair growth is even more important, as this stops the razor pulling the hairs out of the skin, which can cause ingrown hairs.” Mark Sproston adds: “Since men produce more oil, they will have larger pores and be more prone to blackheads and spots in their teenage years than women, so using a facial scrub every day will heavily reduce these problems.” Carmelo Guastella, barber and men’s grooming expert, says: “The most common skin problems men suffer from are irritation, ingrown hairs and dry skin. Irritation and ingrown hairs are, in most cases, caused by lack of skin preparation techniques. Dry skin can be tackled with regular use of a gentle face wash or scrub and moisturiser.” Asim Akhtar concludes: “Men are especially susceptible to the build up of oil due to testosterone production. Conditions that can occur due to oil build up are blackheads or acne and clogged pores. By following the Cleanse, Scrub, Fuel routine, oil production should be controlled but also leave the skin hydrated. “
Recommend the right daily skincare routine
The key to avoiding skin issues is to encourage men to follow a daily skincare routine. Jason Shankey says: “Persuading
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Pure Beauty March 2012
*IRI data to 24 Dec 2011 (value sales).
www.purebeauty.co.uk
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