Grafen: A to Z service

Why it's one to watch: Grafen makes shopping for grooming products easy. Instead of combing through multiple brands, customers can visit its online store, where a plethora of options targeting men's specific needs are available.

The brand seeks to support and cultivate confidence in a culture where first impressions based on physical appearance matter. Its cosmetics range features tinted lipbalms, eyebrow pencils, brightening primers, concealers, foundation and BB creams available in liquid and cushion format, with applicators such as make-up sponges.

How to action this: expand your product category to increase return rate and brand loyalty. Offer detailed step-by-step instructions or visuals on how to apply or pair products. This will mitigate confusion, especially for male consumers new to beauty. 

South Korean rapper Beenzino is the latest face of the brand and is known for his sense of style. While brand ambassadors who represent an ideal image may resonate with some consumers, out-of-the-box collaborations will garner interest and engage customers. Grafen collaborated with WETBOY, a viral comedy artist known for his passionate performances in the rain, to promote its moisturising body spray.

Black Monster: avant-garde men's beauty

Using a rough stone as its motif, this contemporary brand adopts the philosophy 

that just as a dazzling gem was once a dull stone until it was polished to uncover its brilliance, 

men can shine with the right beauty tools. 

Why it's one to watch: Black Monster incorporates stylish imagery with bold graphics in its branding, adding a cool factor and resonating with modern Korean men. Skincare products are equally chic in their packaging, with matte black casings and minimalist designs.

Black Monster offers both customisable and refillable products, such as its double-sided Custom All-in-One Day & Night Cream. The product includes a probiotics-rich day cream that has added sun protection features on one side, while the other side allows for a choice of one of three night creams: Mega Cera is formulated for dry skin; Intense Cica cream is for oily and sensitised skin; and Multi Vita is for improving overall skin health. The packaging is designed to be easily disassembled and replaced with refills.

How to action this: invest in visually compelling imagery and brand promotions. Avant-garde aesthetics are trending among younger Korean consumers who enjoy artistic designs that are unique. Black Monster has made a series of short films, titled The Bird Fights its Way Out of the Egg, encouraging men to step outside their beauty comfort zone and embrace self-care and self-expression through new grooming habits.

BTSO (Born To Stand Out): beautifully bizarre

Launched in 2022, this luxury genderless beauty brand creates products that make a bold statement, 

tapping into the carnal desire for pleasure, imagination and untamed expression.

Why it's one to watch: this brand is disrupting South Korea's beauty scene through its unabashed approach when translating human desire and emotion through its product offerings. BTSO's first collaboration with South Korean ceramist Kang Min Seong features a modern reinterpretation of traditional white porcelain jars (which date to the Joseon dynasty). The elegant jars are redesigned with cracks and splattered with red paint, portraying a desire to break through the country's conservative culture and societal pressure for modesty to unleash hidden compulsions. The pieces cost upwards of $3,000, with other categories including fragrance, hand care and bodycare.

How to action this: draw attention to products by harnessing emotion to trigger a reaction and curiosity. BTSO's scented products use intriguing titles such as NSFW, Indecent Cherry, Fig Porn, Narcissist and Trash. Scent descriptions take the form of creative storytelling and literary quotes. 

Collaborate with local artists beyond the expected while maintaining brand identity and messaging throughout product design and brand experience. BTSO uses the white porcelain jar as a motif for its perfume bottles and packaging, with an experiential and immersive pop-up store that leaves a lingering impression.

SEQUENCE: gender-inclusive future

As skin health becomes a priority, consumers are looking for safe make-up with added skincare benefits. 

This brand is making refillable vegan formats that work with, and not against, the skin.

Why it's one to watch: with foundation, tinted moisturisers and concealers becoming integrated into men's grooming routines, K-beauty brands are presenting more competitive and gender-inclusive options. SEQUENCE's Hyper Skin Tint is a lightweight formula that is a cross between a BB cream and tinted moisturiser. Available in four shades, the skincare-make-up hybrid offers natural coverage and blends easily, blurring blemishes without covering the skin's texture. The brand has developed and trademarked its Sequence KaleCell heroes kale extract, which is rich in vitamin C, E and K. Centella asiatica extract is added for moisturising benefits, while fig extract strengthens the skin barrier.

How to action this: men will continue to seek lightweight base products that blend easily with the skin's natural tone, offer the right amount of coverage and are long lasting.

Brands that offer refillable formats will resonate with the Protopians. SEQUENCE offers recyclable refills for its Hyper Skin Tint, with detailed video instructions on its website and socials. A trial kit is available for purchase online, allowing customers to preview each shade before buying the full-size product.

Action points

Go beyond the basics of skincare and make-up by developing new variations of existing categories. Mirror women's beauty by offering diverse formats, colours and shades. As an emerging category, men's beauty brands must educate consumers on application methods and introduce grooming priorities

2. Be adventurous in design

Take big leaps when it comes to innovation and design. With many brands testing the waters with simplified formats, products that surprise and trigger curiosity will stand out. Invest in new, creative formats to be a leader in a rapidly growing segment

3. Know your audience

Be it male-specific or gender-inclusive products, knowing your target audience is paramount when it comes to NPD. The 'groom boom' will open up niche categories within the grooming industry to cater to different needs as clear preferences surface

4. Release content consistently

Keeping consumers engaged will require the use of different forms of content and media that are interactive, interesting and fun. Be Ready offers a variety of content such as promotional videos, online quizzes, product tutorials, candid interviews with customers and contests where winners receive a cash prize

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