Cosmetics professionals have understood this issue and barbers are now everywhere. More broadly, the offer of care for men continues to develop: hair removal, massage or cosmetic products, a huge market is opening up.
Barber boom
José Tippenhauer, known as “Geos”, is a fine connoisseur of the subject. This radio host at Couleur 3 takes great care of his beard and hair. For years, he has been going to a Geneva barber, originally from the Dominican Republic and specializing in frizzy hair. This moment of decompression costs him 35 francs.
“I find that the haircut and the beard change the face, the physiognomy so much,” he testified on Monday in the basik show. This concern for appearance is also good business for his barber, who
At the barber. [master1305 – Fotolia]
receives about twenty people a day.
Still in Geneva, Ismet Aliti, director of the Berb’hair brand, has a real small empire. It all started in 2014, with the takeover of the family salon. At that time, beards and very short degraded haircuts made a comeback, notably under the influence of football stars like David Beckham or Lionel Messi.
Today, Ismet Aliti monitors attendance at its five salons using a camera system that can be consulted in real time on its smartphone. The professional, whose turnover exceeds one million francs, explains: “My business plan is quite precise, these are large areas with a larger number of barbers, to have more customers, and we are going to reduce as much as possible waiting time and cutting time.”
For a fast service, it takes a maximum of 15 minutes and the price is between 20 and 35 francs. But this low-cost model only works if there are many customers.
Institutes for men…
Beauty salons for men are also springing up everywhere. As in Lausanne, at Masculin Center, one of the first in French-speaking Switzerland. Claudio Bocchia, the boss, says: “In 2012, there were very few offers when we opened. It quickly worked well. Our customers came from everywhere, from Geneva, Sion, Neuchâtel, to make care here. The taboo has fallen… Men are taking more and more care of themselves.”
Witness David, a client met by basik during his filming. This therapist from Lausanne spends up to 250 francs a month for his various treatments, hairdresser included.
Masculin Center claims to be experiencing an average annual growth of 10 to 15% today. There would be seven similar fairs today in French-speaking Switzerland.
… and cosmetics
Another market that is opening up is that of cosmetics. Women would spend in Switzerland more than 374 million francs per year on skin care and men for the moment only 20 million, according to a study by Nielsen. This market with gigantic prospects is held by the industrial giants, but smaller players are trying to find a place for themselves, such as the Friborg brand Biences Swiss Cosmetics.
In this family business, created in 1989, we are now developing a specific range for men, 100% Swiss and natural. Darian Gasser, director, explains: “It was a teenage dream come true in 2020, when we managed to release this new range for men. Our job now is to grow [notre clientèle] and to educate man to take care of his skin.”
For now, however, Biences Swiss Cosmetics’ men’s range only represents 10% of sales… But whether it’s for body hair, hair, skin or body, market players are ready to flood men with new beauty and self-care injunctions.
Micaela Mumenthaler/and