With increase in desire for self-realization due to changes in values according to the rapid industrialization and informatization, social conceptions of men’s image and appearance have changed greatly in modern society. As a sociocultural notion that appearance is not inborn, but is created and managed is formed among men same as women, values in modern society putting emphasis on healthy and beautiful appearance have led men to do various beauty care behaviors such as make-up, hair care, cosmetic surgery, skin care, scalp care, body shape care etc.
Like this, the standard of beauty changes according to the times with changes in values, so increased interest in one’s appearance has affected satisfaction and dissatisfaction of body, which resulted in concealing a defect and making an effort for an ideal body.
As men in modern society take care of one’s appearance and have emerged as core consumers in beauty industry, appearance has become an indicator and symbol showing oneself both internally and externally, which can represent one’s social position, economic situation and identity. Especially, men’s interest in appearance management has started to heighten due to improvement of economic ability, weakened concept of existing gender role and for entry into society and human relations. For the foregoing effects, relevant industries including cosmetics industry are implementing varied marketing targeting men.
At this point in time when the culture of men’s beauty care started to be formed, this study aims to investigate the effect of men’s general characteristics (age, marital status, academic ability, vocation, monthly average household income), reality of men’s consumption (make-up, cosmetic surgery, body shape care, hair behavior, skin care) and men''s values by age on the beauty care behavior and difference in men’s appearance satisfaction by age for the purpose of constructing practical data to be helpful for culture and market growth. Accordingly, this study intends to provide help to effective promotion and development of future market as data capable of predicting the future as well as understanding the reality and culture of men''s beauty care by investigating the effect of current men’s values by age on the beauty care behavior.
To accomplish such objectives, this study distributed questionnaire from April 24 through May 15, 2015 to 720 men in their 20s~50s residing in Busa and Ulsan, and used 689 sheets for statistical analysis excepting 31 unfaithful ones.
Summary of study results is as follows.
First, as a result of investigating men''s values by age and sub-factors of beauty care behavior, the factor of values came up with 6 factors of utilitarianism, social achievement, materialism, aestheticism, consciousness of others and interpersonal relations. And 5 factors such as make-up, hair care, cosmetic surgery, skin care, scalp care and body shape care were deducted in beauty care behavior.
Second, as a result of analyzing the difference in men''s values by age, mean value of utilitarianism factor was the highest in 50s, which is considered that men in their 50s are the age with strong desire for living a stable life considering internal stability as an important value. Men in their 30s~40s showed high mean value in aestheticism factor. The foregoing is considered that the age is the time when interpersonal relations through social activities is active, which is considered that desire for making life as well as appearance beautiful is strong. In addition, appearance is perceived as competitiveness and one of elements that evaluates ability in business, which is similar to the study conducted by Park Su-jo (2006) that men are now showing a beauty care behavior than ever before.
Third, results of analysis on the difference between factors of men’s beauty care behavior by age show that make-up behavior and hair care behavior out of beauty care behavior differed between 30s and 40s, whereas cosmetic surgery was in 30s. Skin care differed between 20s and 50s. Fourth, as a result of investigating the effect of values by age on beauty care behavior, significant difference was high in all beauty care behavior in all factors of values of men in their 20s.
Fifth, as a result of analyzing satisfaction by facial part first in the analysis of difference between appearance satisfaction of men by age, men in their 20s are satisfied with forehead, eyes and mouth the most. It is considered that men in their 20s have high satisfaction of face as they improve and manage one’s appearance in advance for employment preparation. Of the satisfaction by facial part, satisfaction of the men in their 40s was the highest in nose, chin and the overall facial harmony.
Sixth, as for beauty behavior and reality of consumption of men by age, beauty behavior that men consider the most important in consumer beauty behavior characteristics by age, body shape care(57.3%) was the highest among 20s~40s and 50s puts higher values on hair care. As for expenses that men disburse a month related to beauty behavior, less than 50,000won took the majority in all items of make-up, skin care, hair care, body shape care and cosmetic care.
With respect to the route for getting beauty information by men''s age, internet was high in almost all age groups. With the rapidly-changing social trend, men encounter information more rapidly and variously through internet, and care beauty suited to one’s individuality, which shows that lower age group uses internet more.
As for the place of beauty care according to men’s age, a place near house was high in almost all age groups.
In terms of the reason for appearance management according to men’s age, 20s was for interest in appearance, 30s-50s were for psychological confidence.
With respect to the thought about make-up by men’s age, 20s-30s replied that make-up is necessary for self-satisfaction and confidence, whereas 40s~50s were for interpersonal relations.
In skin care according to men’s age, 20s stated the reason for pimple, whereas moisturizing and anti-aging were high among 30s~50s.
As for hair care by men’s age, hair style was high in all age groups.
The above study results show the effect of men''s values by age on beauty care behavior, showing that appearance satisfaction and the reality of consumption differed slightly according to the age. It is also considered that men’s values that change according to the stream of times are an important factor in beauty care behavior.
At this point in time when positive recognitions on men’s beauty care behavior increase and new market and culture for men are formed according to the aforementioned as shown above, it is reality that investigation or researches on men’s beauty care behavior still remain insufficient, and materials of this study that investigated the reality of men’s beauty care behavior in depth focusing on the various characteristics are expected not only to make a contribution to academic researches as a meaning of start for researching new culture but to be used as practical data for men’s cosmetics market.
Limits and implications of study are that sample groups of study are limited to men in their 20s~50s residing in Busan·Ulsan, so there is a limit to generalize study results.
In the follow-up studies in-depth researches need to be conducted by expanding age and area, and segmentalizing factors of statistical characteristics. It is considered necessary to establish a marketing strategy by conducting a study that analyzes age-specific characteristics by expanding age above 50s suited to the social situation that elderly population is increasing.
In addition, consumer demand for recognition and ingredients of men’s cosmetics is on an upward tendency in tune with development of men’s beauty care behavior. Therefore, the research of this study considers that researches for product development according to various consumer tastes by analyzing and researching ingredient in detail.
It is considered necessary to conduct in-depth researches in follow-up studies by expanding area and age.