Over 50% of UK men secretly use their partner’s skincare products
More than half of men in the UK admit to using their partner’s skincare products without them knowing, a new study by professional skincare brand Clarins has revealed.
In the recent survey of 1,000 men in the UK, 56% said they were guilty of “stealing” their partner’s products to help with their skincare concerns, while more than one in ten (14%) owned up to using their other half’s products every day, and 19% admitted that they use their partner’s products “often”.
When asked about their own skincare routines, the survey revealed that men are most likely to use moisturiser, cleanser, eye cream and spot treatment. In addition, it was discovered that 90% of men have at least one skincare insecurity, with the top 10 biggest concerns listed below:
Top 10 skincare concerns for UK men
Dry skin - 41%
Dark circles under eyes - 35%
Acne/acne scars - 27%
Ageing/fine lines - 26%
Blackheads/enlarged pores - 26%
Oily skin - 25%
Uneven skin tone/redness - 16%
Pigmentation/dark spots - 16%
Razor bumps - 14%
Dull skin - 7%
Data shows that the average person has at least two skincare concerns. For those with dry skin, the primary concern is more likely to be dark under-eye circles and ageing/fine lines, whereas for oily skin, there is more of a focus on blackheads and enlarged pores and looking tired due to dark circles.
For the men that regularly use their own skincare products, almost 50% said the amount of time and money they spend on their routine has increased over the past five years. Four in five men (82%) say they spend up to £50 a month on specialist skincare products to target their problem areas.
Marie Schmid, head of training at Clarins, said: “While the results made us chuckle, men’s skin and women’s skin are very different. A man’s facial skin is thicker, and its follicles release more oil. Even the hormones released by men’s skin is different from a woman’s, which is why it seems like men actually age slower."
“While most products targeted for women will work fine for the opposite sex, most of them include specific ingredients such as peeling agents and other acids, which are unnecessary for men’s skin. It’s always better for them to use products that target their specific skincare needs.”
Psychotherapist Sarah Lee added: “Traditionally, 'masculinity' has had a very narrow, heteronormative definition. For some men, secretly using their partner’s moisturiser is a lot easier than recognising, challenging and deconstructing societal norms."
She continued: "Men’s ability to express their identity (or emotions) freely is generally helpful, however it becomes problematic when it’s based on unrealistic expectations such as filtered images or feeling the need to conform to certain body types or looks. We need diverse role models, and we need to practice being less judgmental towards our bodies.”