NEW YORK — All bets are on and L’Oréal Paris is letting it ride on the average American guy.
The cosmetics company will launch its first men’s grooming line next month, an antiaging series called Men’s Expert, a venture that is believed to be the mass market’s first collection of antiaging skin care products for men. And, a number of retailers that have seen Men’s Expert said they are buying it because L’Oréal will “support it and make it right.”
Discussing the Men’s Expert initiative during a recent interview, Carol Hamilton, president and general manager of the L’Oréal Paris division of L’Oréal USA, said, “We’re at the right time in the development of the L’Oréal portfolio. We feel the market is really going to explode in the next three years. There’s a huge group of men on the cusp — ready to engage in skin care beyond basic moisturizing.”
Rob Robillard, senior vice president of marketing for L’Oréal Paris, added, “Twenty percent of men use skin care today. Another one-third are the men who are on the cusp.” Summing up men’s trends, he continued, “Half of the male population is either using or considering using [skin care]. So, it’s a huge opportunity.”
Both executives claimed that compared to more “simple” men’s moisturizers already in the mass market, the antiaging bent of Men’s Expert represents a more complex approach to men’s treatment.
Men’s Expert will hit shelves in 25,000 food, drug and mass doors starting next month. The brand directly challenges several different lines in the $40 million men’s facial skin care arena, including category leader Nivea for Men, which bowed in the U.S. four years ago. Nivea was followed by Neutrogena Men in 2002; then came King of Shaves with XCD. Men’s stalwart brand, Gillette, took the plunge last year with Complete, yet another men’s skin care line.
With the introduction of Men’s Expert, sales of men’s skin care products could more than double by year-end. And the stage is now set for a highly competitive turf battle. L’Oréal is gunning for a 30 to 40 percent chunk of the category within the first 12 months of Men’s Expert’s debut. Industry sources estimate the line could generate first-year wholesale sales of $30 million in the U.S.
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But Men’s Expert will meet stiff competition: Nivea for Men’s $8.99 Revitalizing Lotion Q10 will reportedly be joined in May by Revitalizing Eye Cream Q10, both formulated to fight wrinkles. Nivea for Men pioneered the segment in fall 2003.
Nevertheless, at least three of the eight L’Oréal Paris Men’s Expert items address wrinkles. Moreover, certain Men’s Expert items target specific age groups. For instance, the Oil Controller Anti-Oiliness Moisturizer is a mattifier meant for men in their late teens to early 20s. It is priced at $6.99 for 1 oz. and contains peppermint leaf extract. There’s also Hydra-Power Invigorating Moisturizer for 25- to 35-year-olds, a product that contains vitamin C and caffeine, which is priced at $6.99 for 1.7 oz.
Targeting men in their mid-30s to mid-40s is Stop Lines Anti-Lines Moisturizer SPF 15, which is priced at $10.49 for 1.6 oz. It boasts Boswelox, a proprietary complex based on a botanical extract that “mimics Botox,” said Hamilton. For men 45 and older, there’s Vita Lift Anti-Wrinkle & Firming Moisturizer, which is priced at $10.49 for 1.6 oz. The Pro-Retinol-based product also features a proprietary firming ingredient called Par-Elastyl.
“Moisturizers are based on problem-solution, depending on how you age,” Hamilton noted.
Men’s Expert also features the 0.5-oz. Circle Eraser Anti-Dark Circle Eye Moisturizer for $10.49; the 2-oz. Power Buff Anti-Roughness Exfoliator for $10.49; the 5-oz. Power Clean Anti-Dullness Face Wash for $6.99, and the Comfort Max Anti-Irritation After Shave Balm SPF 15 for $6.99.
Hamilton said L’Oréal “deliberately” did not market a shaving cream because it didn’t think the industry would embrace such a male-oriented product made by a company whose expertise is entrenched in women’s skin care. Indeed, when retailers speak of L’Oréal launches, they are much more exuberant about ReFinish and ReNoviste — two female skin-care products that play upon L’Oréal’s strengths. And they said they are leery of devoting too much real estate to men’s grooming until numbers support the need.
“We don’t want another repeat of the teen business,” said one top-10 drug chain buyer. She was referring to the teen cosmetics craze that caused many chains to devote precious space to youth brands, which ultimately never delivered the promised sales.
Several buyers said they were first presented with L’Oréal’s men’s offering at a trade show last year. At that time, buyers said, L’Oréal considered placement in the mainstream skin care section along with brands like Olay.
Retailers apparently thought it would fit better in men’s grooming where XCD, Gillette Complete and Nivea had already trained men to shop. “Nivea carved out a niche in men’s grooming so why reinvent the wheel?” questioned Mike Dobbe, category manager for Snyder’s Drug.
L’Oréal is now suggesting placement in men’s grooming, alongside Nivea and other men’s brands. But that planogram is already bursting at the seams thanks to recent introductions in skin care — including Nivea’s recent announcement of extensions into sensitive skin care — as well as the wealth of new razors and other items squeezed within the men’s area.
Still, Hamilton voiced expectations for “pretty significant” revamps of retailer planograms this month, a move that would place men’s skin care near shaving. She spoke of men’s skin care sections that go beyond shave, making the current men’s facial skin care presentation look different.
Retailers contacted by WWD said they have no immediate plans to ax existing brands or find space for the entire line. “We are putting L’Oréal in men’s grooming,” said Dobbe. Like many buyers, Dobbe said he would start with a few of the stockkeeping units rather than the entire line.
Another buyer said she was picking what she thought would be the top four sku’s of Men’s Expert. She has already edited her men’s grooming to fit in XCD and Nivea by moving depilatories to another area. “At some point, we’ll have to redo the planogram, but I’m not ready to do it yet.” She added that Nivea has performed well, but that she has been somewhat disappointed to date with XCD. “I think there are still closet users borrowing wives’ or other females’ products,” she said.
A specialty retailer said she is planning on adding Men’s Expert via an off-shelf display, at first. Despite her firm’s emphasis on beauty, she’s yet to see the men’s explosion hit her stores. “And everyone is coming out with one. We’ve seen some that are really cheesy,” she added. She said this is a common lament in the mass market — once something gets a little steam, everyone knocks it off and shortens the life cycle thanks to inferior products.
While Dobbe is pleased with initial sales of men’s grooming, it has not been as big as other categories such as microdermabrasion. “We do hope to see younger males who are conscious of their looks getting into skin care as they age,” he said.
A handful of the megachains have been more on the cutting edge of creating a men’s grooming home. For instance, CVS has carved out a men’s grooming area complete with exclusive-to-CVS items. Rite Aid has started doing the same and suppliers said Walgreens is experimenting in select stores.
Hamilton acknowledged that Men’s Expert products could be phased out or added depending on the line’s performance. “Even though men are more ready [for skin care] it’s a long-term commitment you have to make,” said Hamilton. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”
While beauty marketers have been expecting the arrival of the men’s market in the U.S. for 20 years, Hamilton believes it’s been the last two years that the category has really begun to develop. It’s due to a proliferation of men’s magazines, she observed, and “fashion has become much cooler for guys. [Skin care] is a natural match with that.”
Advertising and promotion is seen as crucial in seducing the one-third of men in the U.S. that L’Oréal believes is considering using skin care products. “[They’re] ready to take the leap if you convince them it’s going to make them look better,” said Robillard.
Next month, network and cable TV spots during Major League Baseball games are scheduled to air, and print advertising in major men’s magazines will begin. Also, venues like outdoor advertising, sporting events and gyms are expected to be employed. All told, about $15 million has been set aside to advertise and promote Men’s Expert, according to estimates.
International distribution of Men’s Expert began several months ago and includes France and the U.K. Following the U.S. launch, Men’s Expert will roll out to Latin America and other world markets.
A year ago, L’Oréal Paris launched Vive for Men, a hair-care line priced at around $3.50 that targets men with thinning hair. Hamilton said it helped the company learn about men’s grooming habits. “We understood that even though men don’t like to admit it [there’s] vanity and ego involved,” she said. “Men are becoming more aware of skin care and the appearance of aging.” Hamilton also pointed out that 10 percent of the customers of Living Lab — the L’Oréal Paris store the company opened in Beverly Center in Los Angeles last fall — are men and they are most interested in Vive for Men and existing women’s skin care items.
“We’re really committed to building [Men’s Expert] no matter how long it takes,” Hamilton said. “We don’t give up, especially when it’s a new category and target for us. You can’t get into this and dabble, you have to make a commitment.”
As for future plans in the men’s arena, L’Oréal Paris is eyeing hair color for men under its Couleur Experte franchise next year.