In ever-expanding male grooming industry, it's beard that's leading the way

The two main reasons behind this trend are rapid urbanisation and a crazily competitive dating environment, said Shantanu Deshpande, CEO, Bombay Shaving Company

Karl Lagerfeld, the celebrated fashion designer, recently managed to pull off a triumph most of his fellow creators would take little pride in: his own appearance attracted far more attention than his latest couture range at the Paris Fashion Week. For the Chanel show, complementing the customary — black gloves and black sunglasses — was a wispy white beard. Though probably unintended, Lagerfeld’s facial hair was a passionate topic of discussion — the clothes on the ramp, for once, seemed like a nugatory add-on.

Lagerfeld will turn 85 in September, but age is clearly not slowing him down, certainly not when it comes to adhering to what’s in vogue. Knowing how trendy he can be, we should actually be surprised that the beard took such a long time coming. Lagerfeld is not alone with the designer stubble; he’s merely following what’s become a raging obsession in recent times — in India and abroad. And if you were to ask a beard aficionado, growing and maintaining one is among the most difficult tasks he would have ever faced.

The beard is the prime reason why the male grooming sector in the country is thriving. According to a recent Assocham report, the men’s grooming market in India is worth Rs 168 billion, a growth of 45 per cent in the last five years. Beard care alone is worth Rs 1 billion, reckon some experts.

A segment whose early success was fuelled by fairness creams and face washes designed for men’s skin has now been taken over by body washes, moisturisers, and beard oils and softeners. Indian men, it seems, have finally woken up to the need to be spiffily turned out even when they’re not appearing for a job interview or posing for photographs at their wedding. The obligation — sometimes pressure — to impress daily at work is another driver. Gone, it appears, are the days when only women could coax — or force — a man to shed his scruffy ways. A genuine desire to look good at all times is now more prevalent than ever before.

“The case of men using grooming products has always existed. It’s just that for a very long time, they were using women’s products that did not suit their skin. Now they have something that is meant just for them,” says Shantanu Deshpande, CEO at Bombay Shaving Company. Deshpande additionally points to two factors that are behind this turnaround: rapid urbanisation and a crazily competitive dating environment. “When people take up new jobs in big cities, they understand the importance of being well-groomed. Selfies and the latest dating trends contribute further to this trend,” he explains.

More than anything else, this surge in men’s grooming has been powered by availability. The past several years have undoubtedly belonged to the beard, with pretty much everyone, from Jared Leto and David Beckham to Virat Kohli sporting one at some time or the other. Even pop star Zayn Malik, otherwise known for his chocolatey-boy appearance, decided to grow one. But despite its inescapable lure, in India, there were few accessible tools that could assist you in growing a neat beard.

“For years, people were shaving it off after a point because they just didn’t know what to do with it. They had no products that could take care of it,” says Sunyy Shah who heads sales and marketing at Beardo, a beard care start-up. “Now, they have everything available that can make the beard look good.”

Most of these products are on display at all premier salons, where apart from the usual haircut and shaving sessions, facials — or “man-cials” — are becoming increasingly common. Beardo, in fact, offers a “beard spa”, a 35- to 40-minute session that promises to revitalise your facial hair. It starts from Rs 400; prices, though, differ from salon to salon.

A patiently grown, beautifully-nurtured beard is a real thing of beauty. It doubles up as an effortless icebreaker, and if you are fortunate enough to grow a thick, flowing one, then admirable glances and congratulatory words in men’s restrooms at restaurants aren’t entirely rare. “There are so many young men who want to grow a beard but just haven’t been able to. Now with beard growth oils available, there is hope for them,” says 29-year-old Varun Chaudhary, a Delhi-based photographer who has had one since he was 23.

“It’s safe to say that they (growth oils) can make your beard look much better. Since I have a longish one, a beard wash sets it into place after I wake up. Earlier, people probably used a shampoo for the same thing,” he adds.

Chaudhary isn’t alone. There are hundreds of Indian men keeping him company. It may be a decade old, but the march of the beard it spears won’t be halting anytime soon.

Yet, the beard is only one of the catalysts. Nielsen data from December 2017 suggest that men are buying more face washes and creams than ever before. The sales of these two products have swelled more than 50 times in less than a decade. “The men’s category in personal care is evolving because disposable incomes have gone up,” says Mohan Goenka, director, Emami, which manufactures the Fair and Handsome cream. “Being competitive in a work environment is also now associated with personality and good looks.”

Other majors such as L’Oreal, Beiersdorf, Marico and Hindustan Unilever, too, have unique offerings for men. Garnier and Nivea, brands owned by L’Oreal and Beiersdorf, respectively, both offer face creams and washes for at least three different skin types. Nivea has even launched a #PREPARATIONISEVERYTHING campaign, with Real Madrid being roped in to promote it. With two strikingly good-looking men in Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo at the centre of it, the campaign is likely to have won many admirers already.

The massive popularity of men’s grooming products is perhaps succinctly captured by the success enjoyed by start-ups such as Beardo and The Man Company. In 2017, Marico picked up a 45 per cent stake in Beardo, while The Man Company attracted interest from Emami; the Kolkata-based giant eventually snapped up 30 per cent in the beard care start-up. “With the recent investment in The Man Company, we are set to leverage the premium men’s grooming segment as well,” says Goenka.

With consumption across the men’s category witnessing a rise, such fervid interest in start-ups highlights a necessity that must be taken care of: the need to diversify. With none of the major firms fully dedicated to men’s care, these investments are reflective of them trying to keep pace with the swiftly changing trends in cosmetics. Sensing the male love affair with the beard, for instance, Himalaya launched a “revolutionary” face and beard wash in October, combining two ingredients — coconut water and aloe vera.

Bombay Shaving Company, which chiefly started out with an attempt to liberate shaving from its mundane routine, recently introduced three variations of its own beard oil: beard growth oil, stubble oil (thyme) and stubble oil (cedarwood). Its catalogue also includes a number of bathing soaps. “In some ways, shaving and keeping a beard go hand-in-hand. That’s why we have both offerings,” says Deshpande.

The emergence of men’s grooming can also be attributed to the proliferation of the internet, especially in some of the smaller cities. “What’s helped spur growth is the widespread use of social media. Exposure to international looks and trends becoming instantaneous can be put down to the presence of multiple internet platforms,” says Bhisham Bhateja, co-founder at The Man Company.

More than 60 per cent of Bhateja’s orders come from the non-metros — a remarkably high number. That figure in the case of Bombay Shaving Company is a slightly lower but equally impressive 45 per cent. Deshpande regularly sees purchases being made from places such as Nalanda, Visakhapatnam and Jalandhar. “Men now have exposure to the prevailing ‘look’ regardless of their physical location. The want to look great isn’t limited by how big or small your city is. It’s universal,” says Bhateja.

Given the products’ wide appeal, pricing becomes pivotal. And despite there being little doubt that men are willing to spend more on their looks than before, the segment is still somewhat price-sensitive. According to Deshpande, those over 35 years of age are generally conservative in their spending. The younger generation cares less. For them, quality that can potentially ensure sparkling results takes precedence over the hole it will burn in their pocket. The pricing of some products is indicative of such uninhibited spending.

 The Man Company’s Moroccan Argan Oil face wash costs Rs 350; at Beardo, a charcoal face wash is priced at Rs 250. A similar 100 ml pack by Nivea or Garnier is generally marked at Rs 150 to Rs 200. That, however, may be set to change. Emami recently launched Fair and Handsome Laser 12, a whitening cream with an advanced formulation that is priced at over 60 per cent of its regular offering. “We’ve tried to cover the price sensitivity bit by coming out with different-sized packs. That way, we are covering both the customer bases,” says Shah.

Given its speedy growth, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the male grooming market in India has peaked already. Well, this is just the beginning. The Assocham report expects it to hit the Rs 350-billion mark in the next three years — a staggering statistic for a country where vanity has mostly been synonymous with women. “This is still an enormously untapped market. We are seven to eight years behind the US and about 20 years behind South Korea,” says Deshpande. “We’ll soon see various sub-segments come up, such as anti-acne facewashes just for teenagers.”

Catching up with the US seems like a more than reasonable target, but overshadowing South Korea — where it is not uncommon for men to wear foundation and lipstick — will most certainly be beyond the societal and cultural confines of the Indian man.

“The buzz around men’s grooming will only grow. If you ever grow a beard, then you can never go back to being clean-shaven,” reckons Vishal Singh, founder of the Bengaluru-based Bharat Beard Club. Singh, who uses Beardo products, says that grooming now is a huge part of a man’s lifestyle. The 65 members who make up the Bharat Beard Club regularly meet up to celebrate this beardhood. The club’s exclusivity is confirmed by the fact that all who wish to join aren’t granted entry; it has strict admission norms.

And while Lagerfeld is unlikely to make it to this club, he at least has an assortment of grooming products to choose from. And who knows, if he chooses to grow it for long enough, Chanel may come out with its own beard-pampering stuff. Rest assured, though, they’ll be exclusive.