'Men-only' sunscreens marketed in India

The rise in Indian consumer awareness and demand for male grooming is being driven by various emerging factors, including rising disposable income, social media, the increasing visibility of metrosexual celebrity men in Indian pop culture, and a rising young consumer base.

The sun care category is seeing the introduction of products targeted at men from brands across the board, including Garnier, L’Oreal and Nivea on the mass market, and Clinque for Men, Laneige Homme and Kiehl’s on the premium market.

India’s sun care​

Market research firm Euromonitor International’s most recent report on the sun care category in India states that the category is growing on the back of recent extreme summers, which encouraged consumers to take up the habit of regular sun protection application.

“​The use of sun protection was no longer limited only to try and avoid tanning, but was for the overall wellbeing of the skin. Sun care products were used by consumers on a regular basis, and incorporated into their daily skin care regime,”​ the firm observes.

Male grooming​

According to a recent Nielsen study on the Indian male grooming segment, there is a rising aspiration among Indian men to purchase a wider range of personal care products.

“A market that was once was limited to shaving foam, deodorant and razors has made way for a dazzling array of products, spanning hair care, skin care and hygiene​,” the firm notes. “As a result, male grooming is one of the fastest growing sectors in India’s personal care segment.”​

The male grooming market in India is expected to grow by a CAGR of 11% to reach Rs 5,300 crore by the end of this year, with the male toiletries market in India is growing steadily in both value and volume terms.

“Contrary to popular belief, men don’t typically use grooming products only to increase their appeal to the opposite sex. Rather, most respondents said they felt the need to improve themselves - evolve their personal hygiene,”​ Nielsen explains.