💫 I was helping a few contacts in understanding why mens grooming, in beauty and personal care, is a category which is rapidly on the rise and should not be ignored by those who are in the beauty and personal care space. In several of our informal chats that we had over time, i decided to create a macro picture of this segment.
👑 Men’s grooming in India and the UAE has moved from basic bar soap and shaving foam to a sophisticated, fast‑growing ecosystem spanning skincare, haircare, beard care, and premium fragrances, driven by rising incomes, urbanization, and a new definition of masculinity that equates grooming with confidence, hygiene, and professionalism.
👑 India is emerging as a value‑rich, high‑volume playground where “masstige” and derma‑backed, problem‑solution propositions are scaling rapidly, while the UAE is consolidating its position as a premium, image‑driven hub where luxury salons, niche oud houses, and wellness‑oriented grooming rituals set the pace.
👑 Across both markets, younger men are trading up from event‑based grooming to everyday routines, influenced by social media, barbershop advice, and global K‑culture, and are increasingly loyal once they find products that deliver visible results, especially in acne, brightening, hair‑fall, and long‑lasting signature scents.
👑 For brands, investors, and boards, this represents a rare convergence of volume growth, premiumisation, and digital disruption, where winning strategies will blend science, culture, and service into holistic ecosystems
👑 product, content, and experience that make men feel not just better groomed, but more boardroom‑ready and future‑proof.
👑 Men buy on clear problem‑solution cues and convenience. “Oil‑control”, “Anti‑acne”, “Hair‑fall control”, all‑in‑one formats, while women’s categories still lean more on discovery and experimentation.
👑 India remains mass and “affordable premium” with D2C and quick‑commerce expanding reach, whereas UAE growth is led by perfumeries, pharmacies, salons, and luxury retail backed by strong digital discovery.
👑Social media influencers, K‑content, and barbers/grooming lounges now act as last‑mile influencers, normalising multi‑step male routines and driving adoption of layered regimens from face wash to fragrance.
👑The most resilient moats will emerge at the intersection of credible science (derma, trichology), local culture (skin, hair, scent codes), and high‑touch service models that turn grooming into an everyday wellness ritual.
👑“Grooming is not about impressing the world. It is about respecting oneself enough to show up each day as the best‑kept version of the man one already is.”
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