In Thailand, older men are becoming more concerned with their appearance to better their living experience. Grooming is one of the ways in which mature men seek to improve the way they live.
Mintel research reveals that 75% of men aged 45 and up believe that using beauty/grooming products on a regular basis is essential and 72% of men aged 45 and up say brands should develop men’s beauty products aimed at older men.
The growth of ageing positivity and the concept of ageless beauty have increased older men’s prioritisation of self-care with 67% of men aged 18-44 thinking that having older men as influencers can inspire young men.
Perfumed personal care offerings are alternatives for consumers to enjoy pleasant scents at an affordable price as these bodycare products make pleasant scents more accessible for the consumers.
According to Mintel GNPD, bodycare and shower products are among the top three Thai beauty and personal care launches with perfume features from 2018 to 2021.
Thai Millennials lean toward fragranced products as Gen X (those currently aged 41-56) stick to personal care products like roll-on and spray deodorant, gel deodorant, body mist, and perfumed body lotion.
Despite having body odour concerns, Gen X doesn’t go for heavily scented products as they have dry, sensitive and acne-prone body skin.
Among Gen X, itchiness, excessive sweat and rashes concerns stood out from those of other consumers. They are also concerned with the odour associated with the result of sweat.
Gen X consumers prioritise efficacy and ease of use because they want fuss-free products that can be used easily and perform well. They also focus on usage experience and half of them consider product scent with 46% considering skin comfort. As an example, Thai Gen X use body powder to address grooming issues such as sweat, odour, itchiness, and rashes. In Thailand, body/talcum powder has cooling benefits which further enhance the usage experience for an affordable price.
Gen X are faced with heat-induced problems including itchiness, which can be caused by sweat. These issues can be tackled with body powder.
The majority (91%) of Gen X men are users of body powder, with long-lasting scent as the number one priority concern. Other concerns are product performance, especially to control sweat and odour, and anti-bacterial properties. What Gen X men are looking for are key benefits that will take care of their main body concerns such as sweat, odour, itchiness, and rash. Gen X men also look at price, multifunctional benefits, attractive packaging, and popular ingredients.
Gen X want gender-specific scented personal care product. About 54% of Gen X men prefer bodycare products with scents that are marketed to men vs 47% of total consumers while 57% say bodycare products that are available in different scents would be appealing to them vs 49% of total consumers.
For body powder, Thai Gen X men want body powder to conceal odour while giving long-lasting fragrance. Aside from that, they want moisturising, skin brightening, and anti-ageing properties.
Deodorant for older customers is an ingenious product. in Japan, there are three key factors that are of concern to middle-aged men, and these are sweat, sebum and 加齡臭 or Kareishu, which describes the type of body odour that appears with age. Regardless of age, the body emits a unique odour due to the sweat and sebum that is secreted from the body being decomposed by bacteria on the skin’s surface. With age comes an increase in the fatty acids in sebum or 9 hexadecenoic acid and lipid peroxide which accelerates oxidative decomposition. Sebum itself is odourless, but once decomposed by bacteria or oxidized and decomposed by lipid peroxidation, the causative agent of odour, “nonenal,” occurs. The amount of “nonenal” increases with age, regardless of gender.
Shiseido’s deodorant brand Ag+ has introduced a range of products designed for older consumers with the name “agingcare.” Another product targeting nonenal odour is Oxy Prime Anti-Aging Odor Body Spray. Ag Deo24 Age Deodorant Spray contains antibacterial and antiperspirant agents to neutralise and prevent body odour with a refreshing rose fragrance.
Sources: Amazon Japan; Mintel GNPD
What we think
Older men are now prioritising self-care. Brands can help older men embrace healthy ageing and strive to be the best versions of themselves. Smelling good is very important to Thais. Thus, brands can explore opportunities in this segment by offering products like body powder with fragrance properties for Gen X men and antiperspirants for specific body parts. Thai brands can also get inspiration from Japanese bodycare launches to address this demographic’s needs.
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