Key Takeaways:
The men’s beauty industry is booming globally. From skincare to haircare, brands are redefining outdated notions of masculinity with formulas and marketing that prioritize care, confidence, and identity. Valued at approximately $202.6 billion in 2022, the men’s personal care market is projected to reach $376.4 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.0%.
However, in Nigeria, beauty, personal care, and wellness practices have often been subtly coded as feminine, shaping the perception that these practices aren’t for men. Culturally, men are raised to believe they’re supposed to be strong and unbreakable, to carry the weight of responsibility, and to do away with vulnerability or anything that could directly or indirectly signal weakness.
In Nigeria, beauty has always been construed as feminine, and men paying attention to beauty and self-care are often perceived as weak, effeminate, or worse, an embarrassment to manhood. In this deeply traditional environment, the assumption that men have little interest in beauty, wellness, and looking good has long prevailed. As a result, men’s beauty in Nigeria has evolved unevenly. While grooming has often thrived through barbershop culture and basic haircare, broader categories such as skincare, wellness, and product-led self-care have historically received far less attention within the industry.
However, amid increasing globalization and the growing influence of social media, there has been a shift in this perspective, and Nigeria is catching on. A wave of local brands is rewriting the story of men’s beauty in Nigeria; reshaping how masculinity, self-care, and identity are perceived. They are creating a category ripe for investment, innovation, and cultural relevance. In a scene where beauty was once perceived as a domain exclusive to women, Nigerian entrepreneurs are crafting brands that fuse indigenous knowledge, contemporary aesthetics, and cultural nuance to serve the modern African man.
Brands like Groomed By Elereka, Adunni Organics, and Midex Hair Care, among others, are redefining what it means to look and feel well-groomed as a man in a Nigerian context. And this is a necessary awakening, as not much attention has been paid to the unique needs of African men’s skin. Studies have shown that differences between white and African skin extend beyond melanin and the shade of brown we see; the characteristics of brown skin run deep into the dermo-epidermal junction and involve the molecular and protein framework that makes up this particular skin structure. Men of African ancestry have unique skin characteristics that require skincare products specifically designed for them. These characteristics include thicker skin, higher sweat and sebum production, and curly hair follicles that tend to coil inwards towards the skin. This puts African men disproportionately at risk of skin disorders like pseudofolliculitis barbae and acne keloidalis nuchae, among others.
This gap in the beauty industry was a major driving force for Olumide Gbadebo, founder of Adunni Organics. The brand was founded in 2014, and its original aim was to meet the needs of urban Black women. However, with the passage of time, she noticed that a group of people were silently, secretly patronizing the brand’s products.
“Over the years at Adunni Organics, we noticed that men were quietly buying our products, but usually, through the women in their lives. It showed us two things: the demand existed, and men simply didn’t have the products or language for them.” This spurred her to create a line of products dedicated to men: Adunni MEN, which offers skincare solutions specific to male skin. “We saw a clear gap in simple, premium, and effective men’s grooming made for African skin, African climate, and African lifestyles,” she said.
The difficulty that Nigerian men often encounter in finding products designed with their hair and grooming needs in mind also inspired the creation of Midex Hair Care, a Lagos-based Nigerian brand that produces hair and beard care products specifically formulated for African men.
“Midex Hair Care was born out of a very practical problem,” said Blessing Olamide Oluyemi,founder of Midex Hair Care. “I noticed that many men wanted to grow fuller, healthier beards, but were frustrated by patchiness, dryness, breakage, and slow growth, among others.”
“The men’s range was created to give them a dedicated space—formulations, textures, and branding that reflect their lifestyle, their concerns, and their preferences,” said Olumide Gbadebo of Adunni Organics.
Space is something Abimbola Akerele was passionate about in men’s grooming and wellness when she founded Groomed By Elereka in 2021. “I wanted to create a space where men could take care of themselves confidently, without feeling out of place,” she said. “A place where they were truly seen.”
Barbershops in Nigeria have historically operated with a transactional, high-turnover model, offering quick cuts, limited ambience, and little emphasis on holistic care. Most customers treated a haircut as a routine errand rather than an experience, with barbers often juggling multiple clients at once in spaces that prioritized volume over comfort or style.
Groomed By Elereka challenges the status quo by positioning grooming as a premium, intentional experience rather than just a haircut. The brand blends traditional barbering services with a tranquil, upscale setting reminiscent of a gentlemen’s club, complete with comfortable lounges, professional styling, complementary refreshments, and an overall calm atmosphere. Rather than rushing clients through, Groomed By Elereka is providing an environment for mental detoxification and rest, redefining grooming as a form of self-care and social ritual.
“Barbershops are safe spaces where men talk, connect, and relax,” Akerele shared. “We elevated this familiar culture with better hygiene, an improved service experience, and a more intentional environment,” she said. “It’s the small, intentional rituals that help a man show up as his best self emotionally, mentally, and physically.”
They offer a wide range of services, from grooming classics such as haircuts and beard care, to luxury pedicures and manicures, massages, and facials—all delivered by trained staff in a setting that feels more like a curated salon than a busy street-side shop.
Today, the brand operates two physical locations in Lagos: its original flagship on Rumens Road in Ikoyi and a second outlet in Lekki Phase 1, thereby expanding its reach within one of Nigeria’s most competitive grooming markets.
This intervention is a timely one, as the younger generation of Nigerian men (the late millennials, Gen Zers, and younger) are becoming bolder and more vocal about their desire for personal care, grooming, beauty, and the impacts of rituals like these on their well-being and mental health. The Nigerian men’s Grooming Products Market was estimated at roughly $311.7 million in 2024 and is projected to grow to around $455.6 million by 2033. This implies a CAGR of approximately 4.25% from 2025 to 2033.
Social media has played a big role in this wave. Through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, local influencers and creators have made self-care more visible and aspirational, normalizing conversations around grooming, wellness, beauty, and personal style for Nigerian men. Social media has also been essential in how these brands reach their potential consumers. Gbadebo of Adunni Organics said they reach their target audience primarily through online channels— Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, in addition to the brand’s website, supported by WhatsApp commerce. Oluyemi of Midex Hair Care echoed this sentiment, saying they reach their target consumers through educational content, online ads, marketing, and online collaborations. The same goes for Groomed By Elereka, which attracts new clients through a mix of social media, in-salon experience, word of mouth, influencer partnerships, and product retail.
While younger millennials and Gen Zers are more receptive to grooming, self-care, and beauty for men, acceptance remains a challenge for a good proportion of Nigerian men. This is even more so for the older generation of men, who for a long time believed that all the self-care a man required was a bar of cheap soap and a visit to a local barbershop once every two weeks. There is a huge gulf to be bridged in education and in making Nigerian men more responsive to these concepts.
“Many still believe that self-care is not for men, or that a bar soap can do everything,” said Gbadebo. “But once they experience the difference—smoother skin, fewer bumps, better fragrance—the resistance drops.”
For Groomed By Elereka, getting the men in the chair is a big win. “Right in the barbershop chair is where the work is done,” explained Akelere. “Our team explains the benefit of each service, whether it's easing up tension or giving the skin a pick-me-up glow. Men trust our in-house team, so education feels natural.”
Word of mouth also plays an essential part in creating awareness about the diverse benefits of men’s grooming and in bridging the cultural and generational gap that subtly persists. Men who dare to step in and experience the refreshing wholeness of it all can go out and tell more men about the experience and its importance. “Nothing beats a great experience shared from one man to another,” Akerele said. Going further, she said, “Experience is the best educator. When a man feels the difference a hot towel shave or mini facial makes, it becomes easier for him to embrace self-care.”
Beyond word of mouth and one-on-one referrals, Nigerian beauty brands incorporate local storytelling and culture as a marketing tool. “Men connect to brands that reflect their identity—simple, confident, and functional,” Gbadebo shared.
“Using relatable lifestyle storytelling tends to make the products feel familiar, and therefore relatable,” said Akerele. “Brands that understand local identity, lifestyle, and grooming needs will define the future of men’s grooming,” she said.
“Nigerian men deeply connect with stories that reflect their realities and their roots. So brands that connect with the relatable lifestyles of the everyday Nigerian man will definitely stand out compared to brands that are imitating the foreign brands out there,” Oluyemiexplained.
When it comes to drawing Nigerian men into the rather foreign world of beauty and personal care, packaging is an element that cannot be dealt with lightly. Gbadebo explained that “Nigerian men are becoming more open to self-care, but they don’t want products that make them feel like they’ve crossed over into ‘women’s beauty.’ So our approach is masculine, straightforward, clean, and minimal.”
“Our formulations are designed with men’s biological and behavioral formulations in mind,” Gbabdebo shared. “Men prefer lighter textures, faster absorption, and uncomplicated routines,” she said. “They want high-quality products without the heavy fragrances, bleaching ingredients, or overly complicated regimens common in the market.”
A survey by Attest showed that over 52% of Gen Zers seek “natural” claims on beauty products, while 41.4% prefer nontoxic options. Men are not left out of this trend, so brands that want to thrive in this niche require intentionality in terms of formulations. “Clean beauty is core to our brand,” Gbadebo said. “Safe ingredients, ethical sourcing, and transparency. Men appreciate ‘clean beauty’ when it is explained as no harsh chemicals, no bleaching, no harmful actives. They want products that give them healthier skin.”
It is also essential to consider that the unique Nigerian climate and setting call for products that are “customized” for the Nigerian man. A major part of this specificity is addressed by incorporating African ingredients into product formulations. “We consider the humidity, the heat, and the unique texture of Nigerian men’s beards, so we use oils, butters, and ingredients that nourish their beards, and these consist of a lot of our local and safe ingredients,” said Oluyemi.
“Most of our base ingredients are local to us,” shared Gbadebo. “We use a lot of shea butter, sha oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, among others,” she said. “Our formulations are created specifically for Black skin and with our climate in mind, so they are lightweight and very absorbent, hence they perform well in heat and humidity.”
As we push into the new year, these brands are poised for continued expansion and are pressing ahead with renewed momentum, buoyed by growth prospects and a clear vision for what comes next. “We’re expanding our product line and elevating our barbershop experience,” said Akerele. “Starting December 2025, our Lekki branch will offer manicures and pedicures, and our new Ikoyi location launching in January will offer the same.”
Adunni MEN is looking to expand its retail presence and strengthen export channels. “We’re also building community-led education platforms to make premium self-care more accessible for our customers,” said Gbadebo. Midex Hair is also looking to create new products, expand its catalog of distributors within and outside the country, and deepen its educational efforts.
Together, these brands signal a cultural reset: one that acknowledges men’s desire for self-care while dismantling the stigma around it.
For now, the men’s beauty category in Nigeria remains niche, but it is growing fast. From the rise of barbershop hybrid business models to product formulations tailored to the unique needs of Nigerian men, entrepreneurs are tapping into both cultural storytelling and global grooming trends. They are creating a hybrid space that feels authentic yet aspirational.
“The industry is growing rapidly,” said Akerele. “Men want wellness-driven, head-to-toe grooming; not just haircuts. There is a rising demand for beardcare, facials, massages, and even manicures and pedicures.”
“As awareness grows and disposable income improves, men will increasingly invest in grooming. We’ll see more specialized products, better formulations, and stronger local brands entering the space,” said Gbadebo.
The opportunity lies not just in products but in redefining how men experience self-care: through retail, ritual, and representation. In reframing beauty as identity work, Nigeria’s emerging men’s grooming and beauty brands are not chasing global trends; they’re shaping a new narrative of masculinity.
