This Movember, more men are considering self-care practices than ever before. Here’s how beauty brands can help.

It’s Movember! That special time of year when men grow out their facial hair for a worthy cause. But more importantly, it’s an opportunity to talk about men’s health and self-care — a long-overdue conversation. So while we celebrate, let’s take a moment to consider the occasion and how beauty brands are getting involved.

Two mustachioed men walk into a bar...

The premise behind Movember, or “Moustache November,” is simple. When the month begins, all participants ensure they are clean-shaven. Then they let their mustache grow throughout the month, keeping it neat and tidy along the way. Finally, they use the powerful attention a mustache commands to canvas for donations to men’s health charities, such as prostate cancer treatment and mental health awareness.

The first Movember began in 1999 as a joke between friends at an Australian pub. However, much like a healthy mustache, it grew beyond its humble beginnings. The “Movember Committee” found 80 men from Adelaide interested in raising money for charity, most notably the RSPCA.

In 2004, an unrelated “Movember Foundation” revived the idea to raise awareness for prostate cancer and depression in men. After raising over $40,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, the group expanded its scope to become an independent charity, acting as a platform to collect and distribute funds. In the years since, the movement raised over $1 billion worldwide and inspired countless mustache contests — all with the goal of reducing premature deaths among men by 25%.

State of men’s self-care

For beauty businesses, Movember is a perfect opportunity to promote self-care for men. After all, grooming has a direct impact on both physical health and mental well-being. Personal hygiene, confidence, and self-esteem are all valuable parts of the conversation Movember started almost twenty years ago.

The good news is men are on the lookout for self-care products — it’s just a question of getting the word out:

• Personal care products: Men are far more open to personal health and wellness products than generations past, especially skincare. Shiseido and Chanel now offer men’s cosmetic lines. Meanwhile, the father-and-son team behind Heath London is growing in popularity thanks to their facial, body wash, and shaving kits.

• Beauty services: Men don’t only visit barber shops anymore. Salons and spas now offer dedicated menus (MENus?) that include hairstyling and mani-pedis. And that’s before we look at the Father’s Day promotions and anniversary specials that bring in big numbers.

• Online shopping: We cannot underestimate the impact of ecommerce on men’s self-care — especially in 2021. By selling men’s beauty products online, you can reach all the curious male customers who have never set foot in a salon. What’s more, online and social media promotion strategies make it easier to target young men — many of whom are far more confident about the benefits of self-care than older men.

Movember may have started as a pub joke, but it’s driving global awareness about men’s health — and creating opportunities for beauty businesses to get their names out there. So if your brand can find some small way to participate, that’s a win-win for everyone.