Across the Asia Pacific region, women are not the only customers driving record cosmetics sales. The Asian men’s skincare market accounted for 60 percent of global sales in 2012, making it the largest in the world.
Euromonitor International recently published a report on the growing demand for men’s skincare products in Thailand, where the market has seen double-digit year-over-year growth. Bloomberg Businessweek reports a similar trend in China, where sales of personal grooming products specifically targeted to men increased 7 percent last year.
Despite the rising demand, products tailored for men make up just 5 percent of China’s skincare market. Cosmetics giant Mary Kay is one brand poised to supply the growing beauty market. China—direct selling’s No. 3 Billion Dollar Market— is Mary Kay’s second fastest-growing market behind Brazil, generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Mary Kay is in talks to purchase its first office building in China, an 11-story facility in Shanghai.