Men’s Interest in Appearance Is Growing: 36% Say Looking Their Best Matters More Than Five Years Ago, NIQ Finds

New NIQ insights reveal changing attitudes toward appearance and aging, while purchasing data points to opportunities beyond products marketed specifically to men

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a global leader in consumer intelligence, today shared findings showing that 36% of men say looking their best, including beauty and skincare, matters more to them than it did five years ago. More than half (54%) say aging well has become more important over the same period.

Yet the opportunity for beauty brands may extend beyond products specifically marketed to men. Across 10 Western European markets, sales value of skincare positioned for all genders grew 7% year over year, while male-targeted skincare was flat. The findings suggest that brands should look beyond traditional product positioning to understand men’s needs, shopping behavior, and the products they choose.

In its report, The Permission Gap: The Global State of Male Beauty, NIQ examines how social expectations, generational differences and purchasing behavior are shaping men´s engagement with beauty across markets and categories.

Key findings

• Appearance and aging matter more: 36% of men say looking their best, including beauty and skincare, matters more than it did five years ago. 54% say the same about aging well.
• Interest varies substantially by market: Men's attitudes toward appearance vary significantly across markets. Interest is particularly strong in markets such as India (69%), Mexico (63%), the UAE (57%) and Brazil (51%), where men are more likely to say looking their best matters more today than it did five years ago. Comparatively lower levels are reported in the U.S. (37%), the UK (22%), and Germany (17%), highlighting regional differences in beauty engagement and consumer priorities.
• Younger generations connect appearance with individuality: 42% of Millennial men and 40% of Gen Z men agree that their individuality is reflected in how they look and what they buy, compared with 28% of Baby Boomers.
  
  While consumer attitudes point to a growing interest in appearance globally, purchasing behaviors can vary by market. NIQ's retail and shopper data provides additional insight into how these trends are translating into category growth across measured markets:
  • Men already spend more in some categories: Men accounted for approximately 51% of online fragrance spending, averaged across the UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, over the year through June 2026. Across the US, Canada, and Australia, NIQ also finds that shaving and fragrance are the only personal care categories in the analysis where male buyers outspend female buyers on average.
  • Skincare growth extends beyond men’s products: Across ten Western European markets, skincare positioned for all genders grew 7% in value year over year, while male-targeted skincare was flat. Across 57 countries, brands explicitly marketed to men grew 3%, compared with 7% for beauty and personal care overall.

Fragrance is an established area of spending, while NIQ’s online skincare analysis identifies men buying products from brands focused on ingredients and benefits, including dermocosmetics and K-Beauty. A shopper concerned about aging skin, for example, may search for a product that addresses that concern without looking for a “for men” label. Brands need to understand these different paths into the category and the products men actually choose.

“Men’s interest in looking their best is growing, and their purchases already extend across beauty categories. The opportunity for brands is not simply to create more products for men, but to understand the needs behind their purchases and recognize where those needs extend beyond traditional product categories. Brands that focus only on products labeled 'for men' may overlook shoppers and opportunities across the wider beauty market,” said Tara James Taylor, SVP, Global Beauty Personal Care Vertical, NIQ.

For beauty brands, the findings underscore the importance of looking beyond traditional gender-based positioning. By understanding men’s evolving priorities, identifying where they shop and making relevant product information accessible, brands can better respond to shoppers' needs across the beauty and personal care market.

More information on the report: The Permission Gap: The Global State of Male Beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NIQ reporting on male beauty?
NIQ’s report, The Permission Gap: The Global State of Male Beauty, examines how men’s attitudes toward appearance and aging connect with their purchasing behavior. It finds that 36% of men say looking their best, including beauty and skincare, matters more than it did five years ago, while 54% say the same about aging well.

How do men’s attitudes toward appearance differ across markets?
The share of men who say looking their best matters more than five years ago reaches 69% in India, 63% in Mexico, 57% in the UAE, and 51% in Brazil. This compares with 37% in the US, 22% in the UK and 17% in Germany, highlighting the importance of understanding local priorities.

How do attitudes differ across generations?
Younger men are more likely to connect appearance and purchasing with self-expression. NIQ finds that 42% of Millennial men and 40% of Gen Z men agree that their individuality is reflected in how they look and what they buy, compared with 28% of Baby Boomers. This finding reflects attitudes toward appearance and purchasing generally.

Are products marketed specifically to men growing faster than the overall beauty market?
No, NIQ’s global analysis shows that sales of brands marketed specifically to men rose 3% over the year ending in May 2026, compared with 7% for beauty and personal care overall. In 10 Western European markets, sales of skincare marketed to all genders rose 7%, while men’s skincare sales were flat. This suggests brands should look beyond “for men” labels to understand the opportunity, though the data does not show how much of the growth came from male shoppers.

What does the report reveal about men’s beauty purchases?
Fragrance is an established area of spending. Men accounted for approximately 51% of online fragrance spending, averaged across the UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, during the 52 weeks ending June 2026. NIQ’s online skincare analysis also identifies men purchasing dermocosmetics and K-Beauty products, including brands focused on ingredients and benefits. Purchases may be for personal use or gifts.

What does this mean for beauty brands and retailers?
The findings highlight the importance of understanding men’s needs beyond traditional gender-based positioning. By examining their priorities alongside actual purchases, brands and retailers can identify opportunities across categories and tailor their approach to different markets and groups of shoppers.

Why do some findings reference specific countries or regions?
The report combines multiple NIQ datasets, each with its own geographic coverage. Survey findings capture consumer attitudes across markets around the world, while retail and shopper data show sales and purchasing patterns in specific NIQ-measured markets. Together, they provide insight into men’s evolving attitudes and shopping behavior.

What is the source of these figures?
All figures appear in NIQ’s The Permission Gap: The Global State of Male Beauty report (2026). Sources include the NIQ Health & Wellness Survey, NIQ Consumer Life 2025, NIQ Digital Purchases, NIQ Omnisales, NIQ Omnishopper Panel, and SPG Monthly. Geographic coverage and reporting periods vary by finding, with source details provided in the report.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world’s population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™—helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.

For more information, please visit www.niq.com.

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