Gender Buying Behaviour within the Beauty Industry - Essay Example

This research will begin with the statement that the beauty sector is part of a vast multi-national industry. The value of the professional beauty industry in the UK in 1998 was £366 million, which represented a growth of almost 6% on the previous year. This figure includes beauty therapy/ products treatments in a variety of sites including mobile, hair and beauty salons, health clubs, high street retailers as well as the conventional beauty salon. The growth in the customer base stood at over 13%.

This means that 13% more people, visited salons and bought products in 1998 compared to 1997. The beauty industry operates through a variety of sites, all sectors of which are supported by media and advertising. However, in recent years there’s a whole new target market. Traditionally, the only thing men are interested in putting on their faces is shaving cream and aftershave. But, as a generation of men raised in a culture where youth is a good age, cosmetic companies are increasingly targeting men.

The sheer number of aging men is piquing the curiosity of cosmetic marketers. The number of men between 35 and 54 is expected to reach 40 million by 2000 –up from 32 million in 1990. Cosmetic marketers have never had much success targeting men. Lancome launched a men’s line about five years ago, then quickly pulled it. Two California companies, Jan Stuart and Inner-Face also launched men’s lines during the 1980s that flopped.