Gender-neutral beauty products hitting the market!
- For innumerable years, the world of mass-market beauty and personal care has demarcated products based on gender.
- Either the products were different or their packaging was, kept different for men and women.
- But these e traditional gender lines are getting blurred.
Therefore, beauty brands are now bending towards more gender-neutral products packed in unisex covers.
The changing trends in beauty products
For many years, beauty brands have tried to make gender-sensitive products. Therefore, there were thick blue disposable razors for men vs. dainty pink ones for females.
Besides, there were dark green deodorant sticks vs. flower-scented ones. And then there was the leathery-smelling aftershave marketed in wood-topped bottles vs. pink face lotion put in clear delicate jars.
And in some, if the inner product is the same, then the outer packing was such that they were packed separately for men and for women.
But now, men are bending more towards doing make-ups and want to have beauty products like those for women. Teenager James Charles was on the cover page of CoverGirl. Many male beauty experts are uploading tutorial videos on their YouTube channels. They teach men on how to apply cosmetics and do make-up. Males are no more wanting their gender limitations as regards cosmetics and beauty. They are increasingly embracing makeup like females.
The result of this change in behaviors
Of course, beauty products makers have also realized the societal changes. Hence they are now making more gender-neutral products that are presented in unisex packaging.
Additionally, newer brands that are entering the market are already incorporating this gender fluidity in their products. Their advertisements also reflect diversity as regards gender and race.
The old stereotypes hold no more and hence Larissa Jensen, a senior beauty analyst at market research firm NPD Group said:
“They’re more inclusive, and they hit on more of the things that are important to younger consumers today, like ‘sustainable’ or ‘clean’ or ‘genderless,’ ”
She continued:
“That’s something that’s more of a movement from a younger consumer perspective.”
The existing brands also use models which are diverse. Laura Kraber is the co-founder and chief executive of We Are Fluide that been a gender-neutral makeup brand since 2018.
Laura said:
“Our goal is really to evolve the mainstream conception of beauty while creating a space for people to express themselves authentically,”
“Our packaging and product development has tried to not be extremely masculine or feminine, and we discard those notions generally because our whole belief is that gender is more of a constellation than an extreme of one or the other,”
“If makeup is joyful and transformative and fun, nobody should be left out.”
Who brought about the changes?
It is generation Z who brought these changes in gender definitions and society-set gender norms. They are the people born after 1997.
These young consumers have less strict definitions of masculinity and gender identity than elderly customers. Their interactions on social media and openness to accept new things have caused this shift.
David Yi has founded a men’s online grooming publication called Very Good Light.
He said:
“We’re slowly untangling that with Gen Z. They’re cognizant that American or Western culture isn’t the end-all, be-all.”
Click to read on Genderless fashion: After unisex clothing, celebrity men are now embracing jewelry!
Source: The Washington Post
