Men's Hair Care

Brooke Carlson, vice president and general manager, Rusk, discusses the challenges in marketing to men and the factors that go into men purchasing decisions.

What are the challenges of reaching and branding to men?

Men tend to purchase for their immediate needs only. It is a challenge to market a product to a man using long-term effects.

What are the challenges of making men’s product distinct from women’s and, at the same time, getting men to take notice?

There is often a challenge marketing to men because, while men are the ones consuming the product, women are still largely in charge of purchasing. It is not just marketing to a male consumer, but rather to a female at the same time.

Are there ingredients that “define” a men’s hair care product?

Men are not so much interested in specific ingredients as they are in performance, scent and consistency.

Do men tend to look for more than just cleansing? Do they look for conditioning claims?

Men primarily look for a cleansing product, but view conditioning claims as an added bonus.

What other specific claims do men look for? “Vitamin and mineral fortified,” according to Croda Inc., was one of the top claims for hair conditioners in 2007. What are some of the top claims specifically for men’s hair care?

Men are more interested in claims that pertain to appearance. They are less concerned with the health of their hair, and more interested in how their hair will look (thick, full, dandruff free).

It has been reported that maintaining the health and condition of the scalp is of equal importance as maintaining the health and condition of hair, and there has been a corresponding growth of nourishing ingredients that provide benefits for the hair and scalp. In the men’s market, where a lack of hair is often a concern, how important are the skin/scalp benefits claims in hair care products?

Men are very interested in scalp benefit claims as they pertain to preventing dandruff. Dry scalp is very noticeable, especially in instances of hair loss.

How have ingredients intended to slow down the development of premature hair loss and alleviate scalp conditions evolved, and how have you shared that story with consumers?

Ingredients intended to slow down the development of premature hair loss and alleviate scalp conditions are more recently being marketed as preventative, whereas traditionally they were just marketed as a solution to an existing problem.

What are there traditional fragrance components used in men’s hair care products? What hair care fragrances are currently favored by men, and what do you see as the next fragrance trend for men’s hair care? Are men willing to switch hair care products (even within a brand line) because of fragrance updates?

Men are most interested in the absence of floral scents. They are indeed willing to switch hair care products due to fragrance updates.

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