Personal Care brands should consider setting their sights on male grooming - potentially the next big frontier in the beauty industry. When companies move into male-oriented personal care products, they need to update custom packaging to reflect the new consumer base.

The male grooming market

There has always been a market for men's personal care, but up until recently, the market was centered mostly around facial hair grooming. However, this is changing slowly but surely. According to Euromonitor Research Analyst Rob Walker in an article for GCI Magazine, 2013 marked the first year men worldwide spent more money on toiletries than shaving products. Skin care was a particularly popular category that year. Now men are branching out in other directions, from hair care to nail care.

A recent cosmetics packaging market forecast from Report Linker also highlighted this trend. The company noted male grooming is one of the segments driving the increased need for cosmetics packaging between 2015 and 2025.

Beauty businesses

As more men begin to tap into personal care at home, more businesses will begin to cater to their interests. Beauty Packaging recently profiled Los Angeles-based business Hammer & Nails, the first all-male nail salon in the city. Owner Michael Elliot is already prepared to provide franchise licenses across the country.

"The stigma against men getting manicures and pedicures is disappearing, and more and more men are realizing that hand and foot care isn't a question of masculinity but a matter of health, wellness and good grooming," Elliot told Beauty Packaging.

Marketing considerations

While men are increasingly open-minded about engaging in grooming practices, some potential customers might still be wary of jumping on the bandwagon. In many cases, men need to be convinced that Personal Care products are right for them.

One way Hammer & Nails targets men is to create a male-centered environment where men can be comfortable engaging in grooming routines without entering traditional salons, which cater to women. Hammer & Nails strove to create a "man cave," with large leather chairs and dark wood, complemented by personal televisions and remotes for each seat.

Adweek also pointed out marketing male beauty products tends to be more successful when companies choose a sports star rather than an actor to endorse the brand. Professional athletes are perceived as strong and virile, which is an ideal most men look up to. On the other hand, not all brands take this approach.

"When Dove Men+Care brings athletes to life, it's not to talk about their prowess in the sport, it's to show these guys' authentic back stories and that they're real men, not just athletes," Matthew McCarthy, senior director of brand development at Unilever, told Adweek.

Packaging strategy

One of the first marketing considerations brands need to make is for packaging. How can you create packaging that appeals to men? It's important not to pigeonhole male customers and assume they are all the same, but a few guidelines may help.

Given how the shape and feel of packaging influences customer perceptions of the brand, companies will need to put some thought into the tactility of packaging. A heavy box with hard lines could convey strength and value. Colors and design also play into the way a brand is perceived by the buyer.

Companies that choose to implement endorsement deals may want to consider how their packaging could expand this relationship. Augmented reality could connect customers to a digital experience that increases brand value and engagement.

Brands may need to develop their packaging alongside new products to increase speed to market. To achieve success in this industry, companies should to partner with a vendor who can help them develop the right packaging to be competitive.