Marketing to China's he-economy: male grooming and the men foreign brands ignore
The short version: marketing to China's he-economy means selling to men who buy few products, stick to brands they already trust, and want a routine that fits in two minutes, not a ten-step ritual. The category is large, but the credible sources say it has stabilised rather than exploded, so the winners are brands that make grooming simple, functional, and easy to justify. Foreign brands that copy a women's skincare playbook in a darker bottle mostly miss.
Here's the image I keep coming back to. A man in his late twenties stands in a Shanghai bathroom with three products: a face wash, a sunscreen, and a moisturizer his girlfriend bought him. He did not choose any of them. When the bottle runs out, he will repeat the purchase or ask her what to get. That is the moment foreign brands are competing for, and most of them never show up in it.
How big is China's male grooming market, really?
Be careful with the headlines. Aggregator sites quote growth of 20% a year with no methodology. The more credible reads are quieter. Mintel's consumer research says men's facial skincare in China has stabilised after a decline, and expects the wider men's grooming market to stabilise or grow more slowly. It also notes that higher-priced grooming sets are gaining share on the major e-commerce platforms. Euromonitor data cited by Jing Daily describes China as the world's largest men's skincare market, larger than the United States and South Korea. One market-research vendor puts male grooming at about USD 4.7 billion in 2025 with low-single-digit growth to 2034; treat that as a ballpark, not a fact.
What that means for you: this is a big market in which share moves, not a rising tide. If your plan assumes the segment lifts every brand, the numbers do not back you up.
Who the buyer actually is
| Buyer | How they shop | What they respond to |
|---|---|---|
| The gifted beginner | First product came from a girlfriend, wife, or relative | Simple sets, clear "start here" guidance, gifting-friendly packaging |
| The self-purchasing Gen Z man | Searches Red and Douyin, compares ingredients and reviews | Function, proof, and a routine he can explain to a friend |
| The loyal repeater | Sticks to a few known brands and reorders | Reliability, no reason to switch, subscription-style convenience |
| The appearance-anxious professional | Buys for work, dating, or photos | Fast visible results: oil control, sun protection, concealing tired skin |
Daxue Consulting reports that many men first meet skincare as a gift from a female relative or partner, and that women made up around 65% of Xiaohongshu searches related to men's beauty in the period it looked at. Its FeiGua-sourced numbers suggest men accounted for roughly 78% of male skincare consumption in 2023, with women buying the rest, and that self-purchase is rising among Gen Z. Those are third-party figures from a consultancy, so read them as direction, not precision. The practical takeaway is that you may have two audiences: the man who uses it and the woman who often picks it.
Why foreign brands get the he-economy wrong
- They copy women's skincare. More steps, more textures, more ingredients. Most men want fewer products, not a shelf of them.
- They lean on masculine cliches. Pine forests, motorbikes, and gym bodies read as imported stock imagery.
- They ignore the gifter. If a partner is often involved, copy that only speaks to him leaves half the decision untouched.
- They underestimate local rivals. Domestic beauty groups are moving back into this segment. Jing Daily reported in late 2025 that Proya filed registrations for a new men's line after withdrawing the earlier one in 2021, which tells you the category is hard, not that it is easy.
What actually works
- Sell a routine in a box. A three-item starter set removes the decision. Mintel's note on rising share for higher-priced sets, and Xiaohongshu results full of single-brand sets, point the same way.
- Lead with function. Oil control, sun protection, and one-step moisture are easier claims to prove than anti-aging. Check what you may claim for each product type with a local regulatory specialist before the copy is written.
- Make it gift-ready. Let the partner buy it with confidence: clear use instructions, restrained packaging, and a message that doesn't embarrass him.
- Use believable men. A credible ordinary user usually beats a celebrity for a product this personal, a trade-off I cover in KOL vs KOC marketing in China.
- Plan for repurchase. A loyal repeater is worth more than a viral first purchase, which is why membership and reorder reminders matter more than another discount burst.
Where to put the budget
Start with Red for research-stage trust and Douyin for demonstration, then use Tmall or JD for the reorder. If you are weighing those channels, my comparison of Red versus Douyin is the place to start. If the male audience you want is younger and game-minded, my piece on reaching young men through esports covers a different route to the same buyer. And remember the counterpart: the woman who may be buying for him is the reader of my note on China's she-economy.
Bottom line
The he-economy in China is large but not a gold rush. The brands that win make grooming simple, prove one clear benefit, speak to the partner who often buys, and build for the reorder instead of the splash. Resist the temptation to treat men as women's skincare with the colour changed.
If you're deciding whether and how to enter China's male grooming segment and want a second opinion, that's the work I do. Reach out.