South African men spending billions on grooming

This was originally published in Weekend Witness on May 11, 2019.

Move over women. South African men are upping their style and grooming game, and are spending billions doing so.

In keeping with worldwide trends, more South African men are plucking their eyebrows, getting their nails done and investing in expensive skin treatments in the name of putting more effort into their appearance.

Quality grooming and fashion are no longer just for snobs: the average Joe now finds himself more into the idea of looking better and adopting top skincare and hair-care routines, and younger men are now found to be spending a small fortune on style and grooming.

The growing interest in men’s fashion is reflected on the Internet, with more metrosexual ideas of men’s grooming and style, or more cleaned-up and professional styles becoming very popular.

There are dozens of YouTube channels dedicated to providing advice on men’s grooming and fashion, with many of them having millions of channel subscribers, while Instagram and Pinterest are awash with men’s fashion outfit ideas.

Reddit has dedicated “men’s fashion” forums with millions of forum threads and there’s one

Market research provider Euromonitor said South Africans spent R6,6 billion on men’s grooming products in 2017, and that is expected to increase to R8,8 billion by 2022.

“A decade ago, men’s grooming was a niche and placed on shelves alongside women’s products, as women tended to shop for the males in the household,” Euromonitor’s senior analyst for beauty and fashion, Rubab Abdoolla, told Weekend Witness.

“The situation has now changed, with men’s grooming having its own dedicated aisle in retailers. With a change in spending patterns, and men showing a greater interest in purchasing their own products, as well as actively sharing this on social media, it represents a lucrative opportunity for manufacturers.”

Euromonitor’s research shows that people spent more on men’s shaving, toiletry and fragrance products from 2017 to 2018.

“Men are attaching greater importance to beauty and personal care designed specifically for their skin type to maintain a youthful and attractive appearance,” explained Abdoolla.

“Metrosexual men who have active social lives, both online and offline, are paying attention to the different ways they can care for their skin and looking for high-quality products to achieve this.”

She said men-only salons were on the increase, with major brands like Sorbet opening salons which offer a range of beauty treatments only for men, and facial hair removal and facial massages being very popular among men.

“Men are spending more on skin treatments when traditionally they used to spend money only on having their hair cut and styled.

“To maintain their skin after such treatments they often turn to salon experts for advice on which brands and products to use. This is how they are introduced to new brands that may not necessarily be accessible through their local retailers, although this is more common among high-income males.

“Such a trend proves that there is a move away from gender stereotypes, although it is more noticeable among the younger generation of consumers who are open to adopting new products,” Abdoolla said.

The Sorbet Man salon has 20 stores worldwide despite launching its first one just five years ago - a testament to the popularity of men’s grooming.

“We saw a massive gap in the market,” Sorbet Man’s chief executive officer for Sorbet Man, Natalie Hesketh-Mare, told Weekend Witness. “Men are more aware of grooming habits now, and they get into it now.”

Hesketh-Mare said men on average spend between R350 and R400 per session at their salons.

“The bread and butter stuff like a haircut and hot towel shave is still the most popular sellers, but the second biggest is packages like a mani-pedi or a facial along with a haircut.”

She said Sorbet was also seeing its men’s facial grooming products to be top sellers. “Men also understand that they have to use home care routines in addition to getting a facial.”

Hesketh-Mare added: “Our salons are not traditional barbershops; they’re grooming bars for men to get that overall experience, and that’s very popular.”

Want to be better groomed?

Here are some tips to enhance your handsome

Skincare: wash your face twice daily with a face wash instead of using soap. Use a face scrub about twice a week. Use a moisturiser with an SPF in the morning, and a night moisturiser before bed. Go for an eye serum if you want to avoid wrinkling. Use a face mask every so often, if you dare

Haircuts: An easy rule of thumb is to go for a more structured haircut the rounder your face is, and a more relaxed one the more stronger your facial features. Try to get your hairstyle neatened at least once a month

Hair styling: Use a leave-in conditioner when wanting to have healthy-looking without really styling it. Decide on using a wax, cream, pomade or gel depending on what hairstyle you’re going for. Remember: when using a hairdryer on high heat or a hair iron use a heat protection spray

Fragrance: No more has the adage “less is more” been more appropriate. Spray one shot of cologne on “pulse points” - either side of the neck and on either wrist

So you want to start dressing better

There are a few rules any man can follow to begin to dress well, regardless of age or body type

Focus on fit: how something fits your body type is the most important thing. Avoid baggy or too tight clothing. Don’t be afraid to consider tailoring shirts, pants or suits to get the perfect fit

Build a foundation: stick to basic wardrobe essentials (see below) in neutral or muted colours. That will make each item easy to pair with the rest of your wardrobe

Quality over quantity: Fewer items that are made of quality materials is the way to go - but in a similar vein, don’t confuse “name brand” with “quality”

Don’t neglect the accessories: Use a watch, necklaces, rings or bands to inject personality into your outfit. Try to ensure that your accessories match colours and compliment each other

Don’t be afraid to try new styles: or be the best dressed man in the room.

10 wardrobe essentials (for any age range)

Here are 10 wardrobe staples for any man, regardless of age

- T-shirts: Stick to solid colours like white, grey, navy and black

- Shirts: Get dress shirts and also oxford cotton button down shirts. White and light blue are the most versatile colours

- Polo shirts: for warmer days when you still need to look presentable

-Sweaters: a crew neck or v-neck sweater in solid colours make for great layering pieces

- Jackets a sports coat or a navy blazer for more smart casual situations; leather jackets or a bomber jackets for more casual looks

- Winter coat: Depending on the weather around you, opt for a pea coat or top coat

- Dark denim jeans: possibly the most versatile pants, it can be dressed up or down

- Chinos and trousers: for a look more professional than jeans. Also available in a variety of colours

- White sneakers: seen as the most versatile shoe, it can be dressed up or down and the neutral colour allows it to be paired with anything

- Leather shoes: black oxfords and brown brogues are the safest choices for starting out. Buy the best you can afford

Five common style and grooming misconceptions

You need a big wardrobe with a lot of expensive clothes to be considered stylish: What matters more is that you have items which are good quality, fit well and work with the other items in your wardrobe. You should work on building an interchangeable wardrobe rather than a big one

Your suit should be in black: This is probably the most common misconception. Navy and dark grey are the most versatile suit colours and can handle most formal occasions. Black should be reserved for very formal events, funerals or bank heists

You should wash your hair every day: You should look to wash hair about twice a week with a shampoo and conditioner, and once a week with a stronger shampoo

Body lotion is for the entire body: Not true. It can be used for most of the body but a moisturiser is needed for the face. Ditto for soap - a wash should be used to clean the face and not normal soap

Cartridge razors are the best for shaving: Grooming gurus actually recommend using a safety razor or a straight razor for shaving, saying that it limits razor burn, cuts and ingrown hair

Draw inspiration from these five South African Instagrammers

@rustybeukes, Fashion Director at GQ Style South Africa @GQSouthAfrica. He mixes different styles, but also posts photos of other style icons

@theongobz, creator of the Mr Slimfit brand. Theo is known on the local fashion scene for crafting bespoke suits and shoes. His Instagram page shows simple yet sophisticated compinations

@Reneilwe06, local footballer. In between dominating midfields for Bafana Bafana, Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane posts photos of his dapper style

@handsomengubo, SABC3 programming manager. Picked for South African GQ’s best dressed men for 2018, Hamilton looks like he stepped out of the pages of any fashion magazine

@anelepapu, entrepreneur and photographer. Anele’s exquisite lifestyle is on show, along with his incredible style