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34 Rise and Fall of the 3-in-1
Over the past several years, the men’s skincare and personal care industry has experienced remarkable growth. Products marketed specifically for men are now ubiquitous: we see them on television, in grocery store aisles, and online. In addition, a significant portion of beauty and personal care products, including shampoo, face wash, deodorant, and razors, have become heavily gendered and marketed towards specific demographics. Although gendered beauty products have both benefits and drawbacks, there is no denying that the beauty and personal care industry has significant influence over the habits and behaviors of consumers. Although we tend to associate cosmetics with notions of conventional femininity, this was not always the case. For many centuries, men wore makeup for a variety of purposes. Makeup — especially kohl eyeliner — was used in Ancient Egypt to evoke certain gods, communicate wealth, and reinforce masculinity. In 18th century France, King Louis XVI popularized makeup and extravagant wigs for men after going bald in his 20s. It was not until the mid-1800s, when Queen Victoria of England proclaimed makeup was vulgar, that people started to associate it with vanity and femininity (Byrdie). During World War II, the commercial cosmetics industry in the United States took off as more women began working in factories. Traditional beauty standards came to be seen as a way to help women retain their femininity as they took on “men’s jobs.” After the war, it became more challenging for cosmetic companies to sell their products to men because beauty products became so heavily associated with women (Jezebel). “Gender contamination” refers to the idea that if one gender uses a certain product or brand to symbolize their masculinity/femininity, that binary is threatened once other genders start using the product (Jezebel). This phenomenon is responsible for the cosmetic industry’s shift in marketing primarily to women throughout much of the 20th century. Hygiene, grooming, and caring about one’s physical appearance came to be associated with femininity. Consequently, the notion of men’s personal care was neglected for many years. It was not until the late 1990s that the market for men’s beauty products emerged with L’Oreal’s launch of the first malemarketed products, with other companies quickly following suit (Kosmetica World). Today, some of the most well-known brands that sell male-gendered products include Axe, Old Spice, and Dove Men. These companies mainly sell deodorant, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner -- products used regardless of gender. Yet, these products are marketed differently based on the perceived gender of the consumer. As a result of gender contamination, the characteristics companies emphasize in malegendered products often differ from those emphasized in female-gendered products. Deodorant, for example, is used to limit perspiration and prevent body odor. However, advertisements for male-focused companies like Axe focus on how their product will help male consumers attract women, instead of how their product will prevent body odor. Product naming also varies significantly among gendered products. Female-gendered deodorant brands like Secret emphasize nature and cleanliness in their product naming, with product names like “Clean Lavender,” “Powder Fresh,” and “Spring Breeze.” On the other hand, Male-gendered deodorant brands like Old Spice emphasize rugged nature and strength with names like “Wolfthorn,” “Bearglove,” and “Wilderness.” This pattern is not limited to deodorant. Kiehl’s, a skincare company, calls its male moisturizer “facial fuel” and War Paint, a men’s makeup brand, refers to its products as “war paint, not makeup.” While some companies have retained more gender-neutral names and fragrances, nearly all gendered beauty products differ heavily in their packaging. Men’s products often come in simple, minimalist packaging that uses dark or neutral colors like blues, blacks, and grays, while women’s products often depict flowers, brighter colors, and intricate fonts. These obvious and honestly obnoxious marketing tactics only serve to reinforce stereotypes and cultural norms of toxic masculinity and gender binary. While many gendered beauty products serve similar purposes for consumers of all genders, differences in marketing have translated to differences in price -- a phenomenon called the “pink tax.” The pink tax is not only unfair, but it is also directly discriminatory and supports misogynistic tendencies and practices. Personal care products marketed towards women are about 13% more expensive on average. Bic razors, for example, priced their pink, female, disposable razors at $2.50 and their blue, male, disposable razors at $1.99 (US News). It is fair to say
that this price discrepancy exists because companies presume women are more likely than men to spend money on maintaining their appearance due to societal standards. The price difference is even wider when it comes to hair care. Shampoo and conditioner marketed towards women can cost up to 48% more than those marketed towards men (US News). Additionally, female-focused hair care lines often offer consumers a whole buffet of different products to care for their hair, including shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, etc. — each priced according to their unique supposed function. Yet, when it comes to male hair care, aisles are filled with 3-in-1 or even 5-in-1 products that combine a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, etc., into a single product that runs much cheaper. Similar to packaging discrepancies, these multi-purpose products also reinforce harmful genderbased stereotypes, especially the stereotypical idea that men do not care as much about their personal appearance, and therefore would gravitate towards an “easy to use” or “all in one” alternative, whereas women would not. Although most gendered beauty products differ primarily in their marketing, some are gendered for other reasons. Skincare, for example, is often gendered due to physiological differences between male and female skin. Male skin is known to be about 20% thicker than female skin and contains more collagen (Eucerin). Because collagen in male skin reduces at a constant rate and female skin loses collagen later in life, women are more prone to wrinkles. Additionally, men have larger pores and more active sebaceous glands, which causes their skin to be more oily (Eucerin). Regular shaving also influences skin sensitivity. However, people of all genders can have dry or oily skin, acne, eczema, or wrinkles. Companies that utilize “for men” or “for women’’ campaigns do not account for the wide range of different types of men or women and their many varied skincare needs. Therefore, shopping based on skin type and skincare needs may be a more effective tactic than shopping based on gendered marketing. The gendering of the beauty industry has undoubtedly influenced consumers’ behaviors and has reinforced destructive stereotypes. The rise of male-gendered beauty and personal care products unquestionably promotes a gender binary and stems from the harmful societal standards that men must not care about their personal hygiene and appearance as women do. All of this being said, the industry is starting to change. In the last several years, companies that once marketed their products based on gender stereotypes and beauty standards have tried to change their approach to emphasize non-stereotypical traits. For example, a 2017 Axe advertisement challenged the idea that men are “not allowed” to wear the color pink, and in 2021, Dove for Men launched a campaign about fathers who are “there to care” (Jezebel). While this move away from more traditional ideas about masculinity has helped raise awareness against and combat outdated stereotypes, advertisements still, unfortunately, emphasize the idea that men and women need different products. As a result, gendered marketing continues to overshadow a product’s actual function to, instead, promote ideas about what it means to be a man or a woman. Furthermore, gendered beauty products reinforce the gender binary and ultimately fail to account for non-binary and gender-fluid people. Gendered marketing may become less effective as consumers’ definitions of masculinity and femininity and gender identity continue to evolve. In recent years, companies like Milk Makeup, the Ordinary, and Ursa Major have gained popularity for their inclusivity and gender-neutral approach to personal care (Washington Post). Packaging is becoming more straightforward, minimalist, and neutral to attract a broader consumer base. The current male grooming industry and associated gendered products are rooted in concepts of toxic masculinity and ideas that self-care and cleanliness are inherently feminine interests, so men need their own line of products to easily practice hygiene. However, the recent rise of gender-neutral products and marketing in the industry will hopefully break down these harmful stereotypes, move us away from the era of the 3-in-1, and promote the idea that regardless of gender, makeup, self-care, and hygiene is for all.
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Sources:
Borgna, Ilaria, “Cosmetics and male consumers” (KosmeticaWorld.com, 2018) Carefoot, Helen, “Why beauty brands are removing gender from their marketing” (Washington Post, 2020) Cills, Hazel, “A Short History of Manly Beauty Products for Masculine Men” (Jezebel.com, 2019) Montell, Amanda, “From 4000 BCE to Today: The Fascinating History of Men and
Makeup” (Byrdie, 2020) Taylor, Susan, “The Pink Tax: Why Women’s Products Often Cost More” (US News, 2016) “Understanding skin – How does male and female skin differ?” (Eucerin.com)
