According to the latest analysis by insights firm Caddle, while current male grooming regimens are largely here to stay, habits are shifting slightly from vanity to wellness.

Caddle surveyed 2,222 respondents across Canada earlier this month. It revealed that spending on facial skin care, body care, body spray, deodorants, grooming products, shampoo and conditioner, is marginally up.

The amount of money males are spending on shampoo and conditioner has not changed for 70% of men and the net impact is slightly positive at +3, driven by the younger set, and residents of B.C., Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

When it comes to hair care styling products, while males are spending less on items such as gel, mouse and hairspray, the net negative impact is very slight. The same can be said of after-shave and cologne.

Activities such as getting hair cuts and shaving/trimming beards are mostly being done less frequently during COVID, whereas showering, bathing and shaving/trimming body hair is being conducted more often.

According to Caddle data (see, above), 57.3% of men strongly or somewhat agree that their current grooming habits will remain, even post-pandemic.

Nationally, however, the importance of grooming has experienced no change during COVID compared to pre-COVID with as many men saying it is more important (19%) as those saying it is less important (19%).

According to the report, the change of employment status, work location, social activities being limited in physical locations and so on “ultimately had no impact nationally, which is somewhat unexpected.”

That said, there are regional and generational differences outlined in the study.

Above, a Procter & Gamble display in Walmart that includes its male-oriented brands, Bulldog and Old Spice.

Young Canadian men are investing in grooming, with Gen Z’s and millennials more likely to place more importance on male grooming now than they were pre-lockdown, and therefore spending more time and money on most male grooming activities and products.

Quebec is showing the greatest net positive effect on male grooming with BC and the Atlantic provinces also showing some net positive changes.