Men’s grooming is now one of the fastest growing sectors within the beauty industry. Take shaving as a prime example: in the period between 2013 and 2014, retailers sold £2.2 billion worth of shaving paraphernalia across the EU. What makes this episode of financial success more resonant is the fact that it occurred during the ubiquitous trend of lumberjack beards.

Many facets in society have undoubtedly played a significant role in the rise of male grooming habits. Nowadays with a potential date/partner/wife/husband just a quick Tinder-swipe away, it’s not surprising that men have finally upped their beauty routine. Cultural references have also inspired old-fashioned styling habits to be resurrected. In 2012, due to Daniel Craig and Naomie Harris’ iconic wet-shave scene in Skyfall, Shaving Shack – the UK’s leading online retailer of shaving products – oversaw a 405% increase in sales of cut-throat razors that year. Also worth noting is the fact that reputable publications like Esquire and GQ frown upon men who don’t take pride in their appearance – consequently the stigma surrounding male cosmetics seems to have disappeared.

Images L-R: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions 3-Step System, Korres Lightweight Men’s Foundation, Calvin Klein Oil Free Foundation For Men, Tom Ford Concealer,

With both unisex brands slowly becoming obsolete and male-targeted grooming products having expanded by 70% since 2012, brands such as Kiehl and Clinique are now permanent staples in the modern man’s arsenal. That brands such as Tom Ford offer concealers (in three different shades) to their male audience simply highlights how far men’s lifestyles have come since the days when hair wax was considered ‘metrosexual.’

Josh Lee