Is serious skincare finally becoming a part of men’s everyday lives?

Male beauty influencers are leading the pack in making sure men, today, consider beauty beyond just the grooming lens

Take a look at the toiletry kits of older men around you, and you’ll see what we mean. It’s likely that it has always consisted of shaving products, possibly a few hairstyling gels or pomades and a basic moisturiser. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that a good skincare routine takes a little more than that. As influencers grow to become beauty advocates, it’s worth noting how the men talking about skincare on the Internet are attempting to educate their followers, and, more importantly, nudging them in the right direction. Five of India’s male beauty influencers share their know-how with us.

While the jury is still out on how much skincare advice should be taken from the Internet as opposed to your dermatologist, some of the most popular men’s beauty influencers genuinely do their due diligence. “Like with any other content, my goal is to always keep it real and organic,” says Rizwan Bachav. “I hope the male audience starts taking grooming and skincare more seriously, as beauty is not gender-specific and it's high time all of us start investing in ourselves.”

What are the men in their DMs asking for?

Riaan George says, “There needs to be a value-add and an education aspect. People should learn from my content, whether that’s how to moisturise or trim your beard. For men, it’s important to go down to the basics, talking about how to do a certain thing, what it’s for and why it’s good for you.” For Yashwant Singh, the goal is to not overwhelm his audience but allow them to eventually make an informed decision. “Skincare can be daunting for someone who’s new [to it] and has just started their journey, so I make sure that whatever I’m putting out is layman-friendly while still providing value. I hope my followers learn a thing or two while remembering that skincare is self-care and shouldn’t feel like a task. I hope they don’t shy away from doing things their way and make it personal.”

The best kind of social media following is one that engages with your content, and even challenges you to do better. While skincare for men isn’t the most natural conversation (yet), how does that take place online? “Most questions and comments from my male followers come in the form of DMs,” says Bachav. “They are still very reluctant to talk about skincare and grooming but this is gradually changing. I have started receiving reviews on products from them as well, especially those within the 25-35 age bracket.”

Usaamah Siddiqui finds that men on his Instagram feed want to know more about hair growth. “They ask about safe products to use on their hair as a lot of people are facing weakened hair growth and are losing hair due to their lifestyle and even age.” While George’s community is mostly well aware of the skincare and grooming space, and often discusses their personal experiences with him, for Singh, it’s all about the basics. “They mostly ask me where to start, for example, whether a toner is necessary or not, which basically shows that they’re beginners. But I’m glad men are finally realising the importance of skincare, especially that of using sunscreen and its benefits.”

How brand partnerships come about

Content about organic skincare and grooming definitely helps influencers to grow their audience and speak to them authentically, but how do they go about with sponsored posts and paid partnerships? “I consider the product’s authenticity, the brand’s values and their CSR initiatives, apart from trying the product for at least a few weeks, before promoting it,” says Siddique. One look at his feed and it’s evident that he is selective of his partnerships and doesn’t push every single launch towards his audience. “I believe when it comes to skincare, less is more. Invest in good products and stick to them. Don’t damage your skin and hair by using multiple products at once.” For Singh, it’s the novelty of the product that holds prime importance. “Being a skincare enthusiast for over eight years now, I know what people want from a consumer point of view. I always keep my audience in mind while accepting collaborations and consider the brands and products I find intriguing. I personally look out for brands who are different and truly innovating instead of blindly following trends.”

Nikhil Kandhari has seen an immense growth in the engagement on his grooming content, as opposed to fashion. “I believe people are still learning about skincare routines and their interest in grooming videos motivates me to create relevant and informative content.” His personal interest in skincare drives his decision to take on prospective partnerships. “I aim to support growing Indian skincare brands that champion Ayurvedic ingredients along with clean products. As a consumer myself, I often follow publications to stay updated with new launches and recommendations. I love to collaborate with brands to create well-informed content when I personally resonate with their products and have used it for a considerable amount of time and seen positive results.”

Of course, there is a flip side to recommending skincare products to an audience base that runs in thousands, if not more. “Sometimes, recommending products can be tricky because what works for you, might not work for someone with a different skin type or directly target their skin concern.” This is where creating educational content becomes important, so the audience, gender no bar, is equipped to choose well for themselves. Influencers may find themselves in a fix with long-standing partnerships as well. “A brand that I work with very often asked me to talk about a peeling product and I wasn't very comfortable,” George tells us. “I continued working with them but spoke about other products instead, maintaining authenticity. In an ideal world, you try out each and every product for months before you comment, but it’s not always possible in the creators business because you have to constantly churn out content. It’s a fine line you draw, where you try a product, understand it, see what it’s like and then talk about it.”

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