Understand the needs of male skin
Both store staff and consumers need to understand the specific needs of male skin in order to recommend the right products. For example, men tend to require more soothing and revitalising properties than anti-ageing when it comes to their skincare, with anti-irritation properties to combat the after effects of shaving.
Caroline Frazer, Simple skincare expert and celebrity make up artist, says: “Male skin differs from female skin as it tends to t have a thicker epidural layer with larger pores that can become clogged with dirt and oil. Also, men lose collagen, a protein that provides firmness and strength to cell tissues, at a slower rate than women, giving men plumper and younger looking skin for longer. And finally, a very obvious difference is that men have thick and coarse facial hair, which they shave on a regular basis. Shaving can scrape and damage the top layer of skin resulting in skin leaving skin feeling irritated. For these reasons it’s important that men use male-specific products, designed to care for their particular skincare needs.”
Ask the right questions
Asking questions is the easiest way to determine male customers’ grooming concerns and therefore recommend the right products to solve them. Asim Akhtar, founder of Kyoku for Men, says: “Sales staff should be determining whether the customer has any particular skin issues that they might need help dealing with or whether they are just looking for a general range of products to maintain healthy skin. The key is knowing the products really well to be able to advise which is most suitable and which active ingredients give the products its effectiveness. They should also be asking whether the customer has sensitive skin or not, as certain products have been specifically designed for a gentler regime.” When it comes to shaving, Mark Sproston, male grooming expert and founder of The Shave Doctor Company, suggests asking the following questions to determine men’s needs: “How often do you shave? How do you normally shave, wet or electric? What do you normally shave with – gel, foam etc..? Do you experience a shaving rash or razor burn during or after shaving? Do you use any pre and post shaving products? And what is your skin type? This sort of questioning will determine what products should be advised and if they should be increasing their number of shaves per week.”
Determine the main grooming problems men suffer from and how these can be solved
There are a number of common grooming-related problems that can stop men from looking their best – if you can explain how to solve them with the right products, they are more likely to purchase. Jason Shankey, CEO Jason Shankey Male Grooming, says: “Razor burn, ingrown hairs and itchiness are the most prevalent problems and can be avoided by using quality products. Shaving in the same direction as the hair growth is even more important, as this stops the razor pulling the hairs out of the skin, which can cause ingrown hairs.” Mark Sproston adds: “Since men produce more oil, they will have larger pores and be more probe to blackheads and spots in their teenage years than women, so using a facial scrub every day will heavily reduce these problems.” Carmelo Guastella, barber and mane’s grooming expert, says: “The most common skin problems men suffer from are irritation, ingrown hairs and dry skin. Irritation and ingrown hairs are, in moist cases, caused by lack of skin preparation techniques. Dry skin can be tackled with regular use of a gentle face wash or scrub and moisturiser.” Asim Akhtar concludes: “Men are especially susceptible to the build up of oil due to testosterone production. Conditions that can occur do to oil build up are blackheads or acne and clogged pores. By following the Cleanse, Scrub, Fuel routine, oil production should be controlled but also leave the skin hydrated. “
Recommend the right daily skincare routine
The key to avoiding skin issues is to encourage men to follow a daily skincare routine. Jason Shankey says: “Persuading men to have a regime is the hardest part, although I have found that replacing the word regime with ‘shaving process’ helps it sound masculine. Begin in the shower or by cleansing the face with warm water. Use a scrub to help lift up the bread hair and then rinse. Apply a quality shave cream and then shave in the same direction as the hair grow using a sharp razor. Splash on cold water, pat dry then apply a balm or moisturiser.”
Be aware of current facial hair trends and the products needed to achieve them
Karen Cox, senior product manager at Wilkinson Sword, says: “the designer stubble trend has been gathering pace over the last few years and is especially apparent in under 24 year olds. According to research by The Futures Company, younger men (aged 18-34) sport designer stubble for personal style purposes. To keep facial hair in your chosen style, the Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium Precision is the only wet razor that shaves, trims and edges in one grooming gadget. The edging blades help to create exact lines in tricky-to-reach areas, while the trimmer, with its four adjustable trimming levels, allows you to trim stubble to the desired length.” Ben Cannon, marketing manager at Philips Consumer Lifestyle, adds: “the clean shaven look will never go out of fashion and with the new technology found in electric shavers such as Philips SensoTouch 3D men can be guaranteed a close shave, with foam or without, quickly and conveniently. But there is also an ever-increasing trend for men to express themselves through their facial hair, especially as stubble and beards become more acceptable in the workplace. This year, the rugged, ‘urban lumberjack’ loo featuring neatly trimmed full facial beard is sure to become more widespread. With Philips’ grooming products, men can keep a groomed beard or experiment with a variety of facial hair styles.”
Hammer home to customers the importance of a good shaving technique
Since shaving has a huge affect on the overall health and appearance of the skin, it’s crucial to suggest a good shaving routine to male customers. Karen Cos recommends the following failsafe regime: “Make sure you shave after taking a shower or bath, as the steam opens up hair follicles and makes the hair itself softer and easier to shave. Use a good quality shave prep to soften the skin and fully prepare it for the blade. The Wilkinson Sword Hydro Sensitive Shave Gel is especially formulated with an ‘anti irritation’ formula containing aloe vera and other beard softening emollients. Use a good quality razor and replace blades regularly to help prevent rashes, in-growing hairs and nasty nicks and cuts. Shaving can dry out the skin and so it’s important to keep it hydrated. The water activated gel reservoir on Wilkinson Sword Hydro provides hydration throughout the shave and lasts up to twice as long a normal lubrication strip. To reduce irritation and get a closer, smoother shave, look for a razor with skin guards, such as the Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 and 3 razors. These stop skin from getting trapped between blades causing it to become uncomfortable and irritated. If you have sensitive skin, avoid using after shaves that contain alcohol, which tend to dry out the skin. Instead, moisturise with a product like Wilkinson Sword Sensitive After Shave Balm, which contains cocoa butter and vitamin E to soothe and hydrate skin.” If irritation still occurs after shaving, suggest to customers that they replace their blades more regularly, to prevent them from becoming blunt and ineffective.
Remember how important hair care is to men, and understand what they want from their haircare products
Hair care and styling are becoming a crucial part of men’s daily care, accounting for 14% of male grooming usage occasions versus only 9% for women, according to Richard Whitty, Lynx Hair brands manager at Unilever UK. He says: “Men style their hair to look and feel good. Over 60% of men agree that hair is one of the first things women notice, and the new Lynx Hair range has been specifically designed to help men get ahead in the mating game. Hold is vital for men; they want to know the product will keep their hair in style and shape throughout the day. However, they don’t want the product to weigh down the hair, so with this in mind the formula for Lynx Hair has been developed to be ultra light, giving an effortless look, while providing maximum hold. Men also want their product packaging to look masculine; therefore, the packaging for the new Lynx Hair range has been given a stylish, masculine design which takes cues from the existing Lynx range of deodorants and shower gels, to help consumers recognize them.” Craig Chapman of Craig Chapman Hair Design adds: “As much as there is a surge in men’s grooming products and services, their desire for simple, easy to use products hasn’t changed. Men want products that are predominately natural, smells clean and crisp with a light fragrance and easy to apply and wash out. Men’s hair tends to be coarser and drier than women’s, so a product that can moisturise and cleanse without stripping the hair of its natural oils is crucial.”
Help men to understand their hair type, texture and needs, so they can choose the right products
Many men don’t understand the concept of hair type, so you may need to help them determine this by asking them about their hair habits, according to Craig Chapman: “For example, does it tend to get greasy very easily? It is very dry? Asking about their lifestyle is also good as it will determine his grooming ritual. Men genetically have coarser hair than women and should aim for products that soften the hair for it to be easily styled. And because men have shorter hair than women and tend to wear it naturally without styling with heated tools, they only need a shampoo to rid hair of build up, a light leave in conditioner and a pomade, wax or gel for styling. Sporty men who work out on a regular basis should aim for shampoo that rids the hair of salt and sweat without stripping the hair of its natural oils.” Richard Whitty adds: “Females tend to be more focused on achieving volume and smoothness from styling, and nourishment from shampoo and conditioning; whilst guys are more focused on scalp care from shampoos and want styling products to give texture and last all day.”
Keep up-to-date on fragrance trends so you can guide customers to their ideal scent
With so many male fragrances launching each year, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to advising customers on which to buy so it is always helpful to keep up to date with current trends. Fredrik Johansson, national fragrance training manager at Kenneth Green Associates, says: “There are many trends on the male fragrance market at the moment. One side is focusing on the ‘sport’ fragrances. These are easy to wear fragrances (almost cologne-like) but still with the lasting power that the modern man wants. Issey Miyake and Kenzo are both launching fragrances within this category in the coming months. Another trend is the focus on gourmand ingredients. More and more fragrances are now introducing the gourmand sensuality; Jean Paul Gaultier’s Kokorico is a good example. The cocoa bean here has a real aphrodisiac element to it. A good starting point is to ask how the men want to feel when wearing the fragrance. The descriptive words they use would guide you to the right fragrance. Men are less concerned about ingredients and will say things like fresh, sexy, strong and masculine.”