When no hair becomes trendy

MMR, August 8, 2005

NEW YORK -- Although it has taken a while to happen, the men's grooming, or personal care, category is booming.

The business is broad and varied, encompassing everything from razors and trimmers to skin care, fragrance and bath items. Within that huge spectrum a number of distinct niches have been generating exceptional excitement.

Perhaps the least predictable has been the emergence of products geared to the needs of men who are bald, either by nature or choice, or a bit of both. Two brands that take different approaches to the segment have succeeded in creating considerable buzz.

BG Products LLC has created the Bald Guyz line to serve all bald men, according to president and self-styled head bald guy Howard Brauner. He points out that the scalps of bald men have special needs that are not met by general market products.

Shampoo, for instance, needs to be gentle. A sunscreen is essential, but needs to resist dissolving in sweat. The Bald Guyz line--which now consists of a shampoo, sunscreen, cleanser/ conditioner, moisture gel and head wipes, which Brauner points out are the brand's top-selling SKU--is formulated precisely to address those issues, and customers and retailers are responding.

"Retailers are really taking to the line," he says. "We're in over 4,000 doors and have commitments for many more. And we're seeing the growth in point-of-sale data: People are buying the products."

Innovation also is the hallmark of HeadBlade LLC, a company founded by Todd Greene to market a razor he designed specifically for shaving the head. The HeadBlade has garnered recognition for design excellence from such sources as Time magazine, which singled it out as one of the "10 Best Designs of the Year in 2000," and New York's Museum of Modern Art, where it recently was inducted into the architecture and design collection.

Mary Anson, cosmetics and health and beauty aids buyer for Lewis Drugs Inc., verifies the vitality of the men's business. "We've seen the whole men's grooming category growing," she says. "When we saw the Bald Guyz products we felt there was a need for them. The bald look is in, for both younger and older men.

"The sunscreen was what first caught my notice, but the other SKUs have taken off, too. HeadBlade is oriented more toward the younger consumer, but it's very sharp, and we will be carrying them."

                       DOLLAR SALES            UNIT VOLUME

Grooming/Shaving   $145.4 mil. ( 4.9%) *   25.4 mil. ( 3.3%) *
Scissors

                  Percent Change   Percent Change
                       vs                vs
                 Prior 12 Months   Prior 12 Months

For 52 Weeks       Supermarkets     Supermarkets
Ending 6/12/05         0.9%             -0.4%
                   Drug Stores       Drug Stores
                       4.9%              3.6%

Top Brands               Dollar         Unit
                        Sales **     Volume ***

 1. Revlon              $17.3 mil.    4.8 mil.
 2. Conair               17.0 mil.    1.2 mil.
 3. Lacross              12.8 mil.    2.8 mil.
 4. Micro Touch          11.6 mil.    1.2 mil.
 5. Trim                  8.6 mil.    3.0 mil.
 6. Wahl Clip 'n Trim     7.3 mil.    0.2 mil.
 7. Tweezerman            6.6 mil.    0.5 mil.
 8. Vidal Sassoon         5.8 mil.    0.4 mil.
 9. Wahl                  4.9 mil.    0.3 mil.
10. Revlon Microfine      4.9 mil.    0.8 mil.

* Total of supermarkets, drug stores and discount stores
excluding Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

** All private label brands combined total $8.3 mil.

*** All private label brands combined total 4 mil.

Source: Information Resources Inc.