Report
The Permission Gap: The Global State of Male Beauty
The Story of the Modern Man and How He Engages with Beauty
Overview
Male beauty is no longer a niche conversation.
A new generation of men is entering its peak spending years with greater awareness of wellness, self-care, and appearance than ever before. Yet despite growing interest, a significant gap remains between what men want and how they actually engage with beauty.
The result? One of the largest untapped opportunities in personal care today.
Our latest global report explores the forces reshaping male beauty, from changing definitions of masculinity and evolving shopping habits to the role of wellness, AI, social media, and cultural expectations.
Key Learnings
- More than half of men say ageing well and maintaining their appearance matter more today than they did five years ago.
- Yet only 37% of men feel free from social expectations around what is considered appropriate for their gender and age.
- Men’s personal care spending remains 28% lower than women’s, despite growing engagement in beauty and wellness.
- Traditional “for men” brands are being outpaced by broader Beauty & Personal Care growth, signalling a shift in how male consumers shop the category.
- 52% of men are interested in AI-powered shopping assistance, positioning AI as a new gateway for male beauty discovery and routine building.
What You’ll Learn
The full report uncovers the cultural, behavioral, and commercial forces shaping male beauty today, including:
- The true size of the male beauty opportunity and where growth remains untapped
- The barriers preventing men from deeper category engagement and spending
- How shopping habits differ across generations, markets, and life stages
- Why traditional “for men” positioning is becoming less effective as consumer expectations evolve
- How AI is emerging as a private, personalized gateway to beauty discovery, routine building, and product recommendations for men
Zak Heath
Zak Heath is a beauty creator, consultant, and founder of Compact, a platform to connect creators with brands. Known for challenging perceptions around men in beauty, he has built an audience of over 1.5 million and worked with brands including Dior, YSL, Charlotte Tilbury, and Armani Beauty. Zak regularly hosts industry events and speaks on the future of beauty and inclusivity.
“The biggest missed opportunity in beauty isn’t that men aren’t interested in makeup and skincare, it’s that brands don’t realise how interested they already are. Men are buying, creating content and building communities around beauty, yet many campaigns don’t reflect the boys in beauty. Brands that acknowledge this shift early like Saie, Hourglass and Haus Labs early on, won’t just be considered more inclusive, but they’ll be better positioned for where the industry is heading.”
“What I tell brands is that “you can’t market to yesterday’s consumer and expect to win tomorrow’s market”. The beauty industry is constantly evolving and it’s an over-saturated market; however, as brands keep chasing innovative products, the biggest missed opportunity is building a series of authentic and meaningful campaigns.”
Download the Preview report
Get an introduction to the trends shaping the future of male beauty and discover why the industry’s next major growth opportunity may be hiding in plain sight.
Want the full story?
The complete 54-slide report provides deeper global data, category analysis, shopper behavior insights, market comparisons, and strategic recommendations to help brands unlock the male beauty opportunity.
