Men and Women Share Their Surprising Takes on Beauty Products

More men are starting to invest in facial cleansers, exfoliants and lotions in order to look their best. They’re often buying the same types of products as women, but are their attitudes about these products the same? A new survey of more than 500 Americans looks at the skincare products men and women use, and reveals insights into certain trends.

Both sexes say the main reasons they use beauty products are to look and feel sexy, to look clean and to look younger and healthier. More men than women say they use them because it’s important for work, or to please someone. Nearly four out of 10 men and women want to accentuate or minimize certain facial features with beauty products. Among the primary concerns: fixing uneven skin tone, reducing the signs of aging and moisturizing and nourishing dry skin. More than half of all respondents average less than 30 minutes a day beyond basic hygiene. Forty percent of men say they spend less than five minutes and 14 percent of women say the same. Only two percent of men report spending more than an hour, while 13 percent of women say it takes them that long to handle their beauty routines. If you think women are the big spenders when it comes to beauty products, think again. Equal percentages of men and women report spending levels ranging from less than $50 a month to more than $100 per month. Three-quarters of men and women say they fall into the lowest spending category. Women underestimate how much men spend on products each month and overestimate what other women spend. Men, meanwhile, are pretty accurate on what men spend, but think women spend twice as much as they actually spend. Fifty-three percent of men and 70 percent of women say they’d spend more on their appearance if they had more disposable income. Both sexes agree on the most important factors when choosing beauty products: price first, followed by product reputation, product claims and ingredients. They rely on trial and error, recommendations from friends and family and online research when making purchases. Respondents were gloomy when asked to rate their attractiveness without the aid of any beauty products, giving themselves an average rating of 5.6 out of 10. Interestingly, age and the amount of time spent on appearance showed almost no effect on the results. Those who spend the most on beauty products rated themselves the most attractive without the use of products. And with the aid of beauty products, attractiveness went up 30 percent, reinforcing just how much consumers value those products. Have any strong opinions about the results of this study? Does it surprise you? Does it match up with your experience? Let us

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