The connection between men and cosmetics often begins subtly. Perhaps it's a concealer, a tinted moisturizer, or even borrowed eyebrow gel. For many men, including 24-year-old New York advertising agent Daniel Rankin, makeup has completely shed its taboo label, becoming a practical tool for improving tired complexions and boosting confidence. "I remember thinking, 'Am I really going to do this?'" Rankin, a frequent Sephora shopper, told the media. "But once I tried it, I realized it was all perfectly normal."
Industry experts reveal that more and more men are now using cosmetics in front of their bathroom mirrors and in gym locker rooms. The men's cosmetics market has become one of the most profitable and yet underdeveloped growth opportunities in the beauty industry, with professional retailers like Ulta Beauty and Sephora, as well as large chains like Target and Walmart, all sensing the potential. Delphine Horvath, a professor of cosmetics and fragrance marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, stated, "Men's grooming is one of the last categories where brands can easily achieve double-digit growth potential simply by proactively investing."
Market data confirms this growth momentum: NielsenIQ data shows that US men's grooming product sales will exceed $7.1 billion in 2025, a 6.9% year-on-year increase; Fortune Business Insights data shows that the global men's grooming product market reached $61.6 billion in 2024 and is expected to exceed $85 billion by 2032, with skincare becoming the core growth engine.
This wave of growth is largely driven by Generation Z. Data from market intelligence company Mintel shows that as of 2024, 68% of Gen Z men aged 18 to 27 in the US use facial skincare products, a significant increase from 42% two years prior. “This is no longer a niche market,” said Linda Deng, CEO of Canadian Asian beauty retailer Sukoshi. “Men are building their own daily skincare routines, usually starting with basic skincare and gradually expanding to other categories. They are no longer just buying individual products haphazardly, which is the core reason why this market is so valuable.”
Unlike disposable personal care products, cosmetics are more likely to cultivate repeat purchases and experimentation habits among users. Farah Jemai, Global Marketing Assistant Manager at beauty brand Unleashia, pointed out that men often start with concealer, and as they develop their usage habits, they typically gradually add products such as primers, setting powders, or tinted sunscreens. “Once men find cosmetics that suit them, they won't just use them once and then give up; they will continue to repurchase,” Jemai added.
Ipsos research data shows that in 2022, approximately 15% of heterosexual men aged 18 to 65 in the United States had started using cosmetics, and another 17% expressed willingness to try them; industry experts predict that these figures will further increase by 2026. At the same time, men's acceptance of cosmetics is continuously increasing. Statista's survey shows that the percentage of American men who explicitly stated they "never wear makeup" has decreased from over 90% in 2019 to around 75% in 2024.
Retailers Are Proactively Adapting: Breaking Down Gender Barriers and Expanding Product Matrices
Facing the surge in the men's beauty market, both beauty industry giants and startup brands are actively responding. Professional retailers such as Ulta Beauty and Sephora have adjusted their display strategies, integrating men's skincare products into gender-neutral display areas focused on skincare, rather than setting up separate "men's sections." Horvath explained that traditional gendered display methods might make some men feel uncomfortable or even discriminated against.
Large chain retailers such as Walmart and Target are also continuously expanding their product lines of men's cosmetics and personal care products. Taking Target as an example, in 2025, it partnered with the online live streaming group AMP (Any Means Possible) to launch TONE, a personal care brand for men. The brand officially debuted in Target stores nationwide in July of that year, leveraging AMP's large Gen Z male fan base on YouTube and Twitch to quickly gain traction.
Online channels have become the core scene for growth and product discovery, and many beauty brands are increasing their investment in influencer marketing to improve engagement and sales on platforms like TikTok Shop and Amazon. "Many brands are now allocating a large portion of their marketing budget to influencer marketing, allowing them to directly reach users in active online environments and making the 'buy' process more convenient," said Janet Kim, Vice President of the Korean beauty brand Neogen.
Other brands are choosing to lower the barrier to entry for men through digital education. For example, the men's makeup brand War Paint prints QR codes on the packaging of its products, such as concealer pens, tinted moisturizers, and oil-control powders. Users can scan the codes to watch video tutorials, intuitively learning about the efficacy and usage of each product without the awkwardness of asking in-store. "The biggest obstacle in the current market is not price, but user uncertainty," Linda Dunton admitted. "Men want to know the functions and usage of the products, but they don't want to feel embarrassed."
However, the widespread adoption of men's cosmetics is not without its challenges. Industry analysts warn that societal biases still exist, and inflation may curb consumer spending on experimental, non-essential products; retailers also face a significant learning curve – if the core customer base doesn't understand how to use the products, expanding the market will be difficult.
The Past and Present of Men's Makeup: From Historical Origins to Modern Rise
The history of men's makeup can be traced back centuries, with evidence of men wearing makeup found from ancient Egypt to Elizabethan England. However, the modern trend of men's makeup in a commercial context originated in the mid-2010s. In 2016, the beauty brand CoverGirl made history by appointing then 17-year-old YouTuber James Charles as its first "Cover Boy," marking the first time a mass-market cosmetics brand used a male face as its core brand ambassador. Linda Deng of Sukoshi stated that, despite this, the core target audience for beauty groups remained primarily female until recently. Meanwhile, Horvath of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York pointed out that a broad cultural reshaping of masculinity is currently underway, and major companies are vying to capitalize on this market opportunity. Social media is considered the biggest accelerating factor in this process.
On platforms like TikTok and Instagram, male creators frequently post step-by-step makeup tutorials, product reviews, and before-and-after comparisons, mostly emphasizing "subtle enhancements" rather than dramatic looks. Hashtags related to men's grooming and makeup have accumulated billions of views; the #mensgrooming hashtag alone on TikTok has over 26 billion views. "TikTok has democratized 'makeup tutorials'," Deng said. "You don't have to ask your sister anymore, or guess blindly; you can just swipe through and see someone similar to you covering up blemishes in 30 seconds, and then click 'buy' directly. It has completely broken down previous industry barriers."
Horvath added that Gen Z men are more willing to break down rigid gender classifications and are skeptical of marketing that labels products as "men's only" or "women's only." At the same time, makeup is gradually integrating into a broader culture of health optimization – often referred to as "appearance enhancement" – which encompasses areas such as fitness tracking, dietary supplements, hair loss treatment, and longevity-focused daily habits.
"Many men are starting to view grooming, and for some, even makeup, as part of their daily self-care routine, rather than a sign of vanity. This shift in perception effectively eliminates prejudice and further drives consumer growth," Horvath said.
The celebrity effect has further accelerated the popularity of men's skincare and cosmetics. Celebrities like Harry Styles, Brad Pitt, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have launched their own skincare or cosmetics brands, a trend that mirrors the prevalent celebrity crossover trend in the spirits industry. For example, Johnson & Johnson's skincare brand Papatui launched at Target in 2024, offering products for skin, hair, body, and tattoo care, and was founded based on consumer interest in the founder's personal grooming routine. Today, Papatui is directly competing with established skincare brands like Clinique, L'Oréal, and Kiehl's.
Future Outlook: The Breakdown of Gender Dichotomy, Cosmetics Return to Their Essence
As the men's cosmetics market matures, a debate about market positioning is emerging: do men truly need "men's-specific cosmetics," or simply cosmetics that suit them? Horvath states that there are significant "disagreements" among brands regarding product marketing strategies.
Brands like War Paint and Stryx believe that men's skin is thicker and oilier, requiring specially designed skincare products, and that product packaging should use masculine, tool-like containers for easy carrying in gym bags. However, Gen Z consumers prefer gender-neutral brands like those under LVMH. Horvath points out that consumers of brands like Fenty Beauty, The Ordinary, and Haus Labs believe that the "men's-specific" label is not only outdated but also condescending.
"Ten years from now, we probably won't be talking about the concept of 'men's cosmetics' anymore," Horvath predicts. "We'll only be talking about cosmetics themselves. The gender dichotomy in the beauty industry is gradually breaking down, and sales data will eventually catch up with cultural development."
