Free cosmetic samples are just as effective in marketing men’s cosmetics as they might be in marketing women’s cosmetics. Like their women counterparts, male consumers are more likely to willingly try a new product if they don’t have to fork out large sums of money for it. Free cosmetics can give them the opportunity to try new cologne or a new cream for their razor bumps without their having to do extra research on the different brands out there.
Men’s cosmetics have come a long way. In the past, many of the men’s hair care, skin care and grooming products that we take for granted now did not exist. Instead men had to seek out women’s products at pharmacies and department stores. There, they would request the unscented versions of the women’s products. Fortunately, an entrepreneur eventually realized that there were profits to be made creating products specifically for male customers. Thus, there are now skincare and grooming products formulated for men’s tougher skin and larger pores. Men’s skin care products, including cleansers and moisturizers have shot up in popularity over recent years, resulting in increased sales. Some less scrupulous manufacturers have simply repackaged products that were originally formulated for use by women. They add “masculine” scents to the products and package them in “masculine” colors and then claim that they have been formulated for men.
Interestingly, a large number of companies that sell men’s cosmetic products do so online, suggesting either that it is easier for the male customers to find the products they want online or that, for some of these men, there is still a bit of stigma attached to going to department stores and pharmacies and requesting such products. Surprisingly enough, this stigma is contextual. Ideas about what forms of cosmetics are acceptable for men have transformed over the centuries. In some eras, men and women wore the same forms of makeup. Presumably the use of cosmetics in some of these contexts had some kind of spiritual meaning attached to it. In the present day, when men use products like concealers to disguise the bags or darkness under their eyes, they may feel a bit embarrassed to be seen inquiring about these products in public places like department stores. However, it is probably only a matter of time before the use of these products by men becomes a matter of fact. When that happens, perhaps the companies that manufacture such products will be more aggressive about offering men free cosmetic samples.