How important it has become for men to take care of their skin? Dr Nirupama Parwanda, Dermatologist, Founder – Zolie Skin Clinic bring interesting insights about men’s skin care, keeping in mind the new trends in skin care.

Gender roles are so deeply inculcated in us that when we think of a healthy skin or a beauty regime for achieving a healthy skin, women are the first one to hit our mind. The concept of having a beauty regime to attain good skin among men seems unfathomable however, what I personally feel is that a good skin is something which can be yearned by all the genders. In fact, it is important for men to take care of their skin as well to prevent it from looking dull or aged.

Factors governing the rise men’s skin care

There can be a couple of reasons which contribute towards a sudden boom in the rise of men’s skin care. These can be majorly classified into social and personal reasons. Personal reasons such as self-image and ageing concerns are the vital grounds in this scenario.

Self-image plays a very important role since it not only boosts an individual’s confidence when it comes to him but also helps in overcoming their physical insecurities. Ageing concern is another reason as to why we see a sudden boom in this industry; there is nothing bad in wanting to have a clear skin which is free from wrinkles and fine line, regardless of one’s gender. 40s is the new 20s and it sure would be good to look the part.

Social reasons such as lifestyle changes, celebrity endorsements and awareness and acceptance in the society play a crucial role in this growth. Fast and stressful life is going to take a toll on your skin and men in today’s world aren’t shy to admit it.

Celebrity endorsements on the other hand work in the similar way any advertisement on the electronic platform does. With the rise of new concepts like social media marketing, it’s not difficult for the companies to target the audience in order to sell their product. Last but not the least social acceptance and awareness in the present scenario is something which makes the men feel secure that they won’t be mocked for their decisions and that it is okay to take care of your skin like any other human being.

Cosmetology and men

Cosmetology which deals with the concept of beauty had been long associated with females. Half the people get a cringe worthy feeling when they try to associate the concept of beauty with men. With many males You Tubers uploading videos which focus on skin care and cosmetics, it can be safe to say that awareness is being spread along with acceptance.

A lot of people do not want to constrain their imagination in a nutshell and now are willing to accept things around them. There are a lot of beauty treatments for men out there, from face masks to hair removal, BOTOX to Dermal Fillers we have got it all covered.

The other day I had a patient in my clinic who wanted to know more about laser hair reduction treatment, he told me how is profession (modelling) always expected him to be groomed from head to toe, and thus laser treatment seemed like a better option as compared to the regular hassles of waxing.

In fact, it’s not only the models who want to get groomed, any person who wants to take care of his outer appearance should do what makes him happy. We get young lawyers, politicians, marketing professionals, entrepreneurs who are wanting to invest on their looks and want to be a better version of themselves. There are a lot of products in the market which are especially made to fulfil the needs of men’s skin. Grooming yourself and being presentable in a certain way has nothing to do with gender roles.

Innovation and trends in men’s skin care

I think we all know that there are a lot of men out there who are still relying on women’s makeup and skin care products to suit their needs. High end companies like Estee lauder and Chanel have been selling men’s skin care products from years.

However, with recent innovation in line of men’s makeup and skin care there are a lot of products in the market which are solely created to suit the texture of a male skin. When I talk about products, they do not confine to face wash and face scrubs rather extend to eye creams, acne gels, moisturizers, facial hair shampoos and much more. Innovations in this field helps them realize what is best for their skin and does not confine them into using products which are used by females.

It is important to understand that female skin and male skin have a very different texture and thus what might be good for the other person may not be half as beneficial for you. Another important thing to be kept in mind is the skin type, just because a particular face wash says that it is a men’s face wash doesn’t mean that it’s automatically going to suit you. You have to keep in mind some basic factors like the type of skin and reaction to certain products while shopping for the best products for yourself. Thanks to the new trends in the field of skincare which now acknowledges different skin types of men.

‘Koreanification’ can be another interesting term to show the impact of new trends in men’s skincare. There is no denying in the fact that Korean beauty regime is very effective and very popular these days and the fact that now Korean products for men are available in a lot of countries show that trends have an impact on the high or low production of goods.

Challenges faced

A challenge is faced by both the company who is selling the product as well as the man in front of the counter who wants to buy those products. It was shown in a survey that when a company ventures into the field of men’s skin care the biggest predicament on their way is the advertising.

It was also shown that the moment a man feels that an advertisement is emasculating in nature, it’s the end game for them. So, both the company and the buyer must be cautious while walking on this thin line.

The definition of skin care and makeup is different for men as compared to women and thus the companies must make sure that whatever products they are selling aren’t too detectable or visible. Most of the men prefer to use products which shows that they haven’t used anything and thus it is a very difficult situation for the company to strike a balance between quality and marketing.

Men should not try see skincare as a solution but rather like a long journey for a better experience.

Author: Dr. Nirupama Parwanda, who specializes in the field of Dermatology in Anti-Aging treatments like Dermal Fillers and Botulinum Toxin, Lip augmentation, Pigmentation, Acne, etc. Dr. Nirupama Parwanda is trained in Cosmetic and Aesthetic surgery of the face. Please find below few details about her for your kind reference.

She is a gold medalist and distinction holder in MBBS from the University of Mauritius, and then completed MD (Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy) and later Dip. in Practical Dermatology from Cardiff, UK.