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Male Grooming on a high in India

It’s as official as it gets. According to a recent survey done by a marketing information organisation in India, over 60 per cent Indian men are grooming themselves. No wonder then the male grooming market in India has touched Rs 650 crore and is growing at 11 per cent!

When Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan tells a young man to start using whitening cream to get the girl he wants, we realise how the metrosexual man is not content with styling or colouring his hair, but even wants to be ‘fair’. The same survey on male grooming conducted in urban India says every second Indian man has a monthly date with a salon!

It takes a lot of work to get that picture-perfect look and well-turned out personality. Hair massages, creams, nose jobs, accessories, long shampooed hair, bleached , arched eyebrows, manicured nails, cucumber scented aftershaves, moisturisers, jojoba neck gels, wrinkle-free creams and finally fairness creams – the powerdressed cool dude who pays a lot of attention to his looks is finally ready to step out. “Why not,” says model Shawar Ali. “I go for pedicure, manicure, hair massage, facial, wrinklefree creams and remove facial hair regularly.” Ali feels metrosexual men have made women feel jealous of the way they tone and groom themselves.

Adman Prasoon Joshi says Indian woman like wellturned out men. “Earlier women looked for a man who could provide her shelter and security. Today’s independent woman has a lot of choices and it’s tough for a man to get a date if he has not groomed himself well.”

For the New Age man, looking good is important. Actress and TV anchor Archana Puran Singh says the emancipation of society, and globalisation has caused the shift. “A man’s face, hair, body have all become saleable commodities. It’s cool for men to look glamourous. Men are already applying lip balm, soon you may see them applying lipsticks!” grins Archana, whose sons regularly go for pedicure at a salon. Dr Kanan Shah, who works at a leading skincare clinic in Ahmedabad, has “at least 9-10 men between 20-30 years coming for enhancement and acne problems. They are more conscious about their looks than women. We even have 40-plus men walking in regularly for botox and wrinkle-free treatments at the clinic.”

The sensitive metrosexual man is no longer apologetic about wanting to look good. Actor Parveen Dabas, who does not mind the metrosexual tag, says, “I don’t belong to the ‘hair colouring and spiked hair brigade’ but grooming can help in many ways. I think a good deodorant, moisturiser, regular haircuts and a facial ensure my woman does not run away.”

Grooming and consciousness has penetrated the male psyche like never before and the numbers are growing even as you read this!

Written by James · Filed Under Skin Care 

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