Braun: Over 50% of Men Held Back Because of a Lack of Confidence in Their Own Skin

Feeling self-conscious can have a huge impact on men's behaviour, and with dry, sensitive or reddened skin a key cause for anxiety amongst UK men, it's no wonder that skin concerns are one of the biggest factors preventing men from enjoying everyday activities.

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/529516/BraunProSkin_for_men.jpg )

With over one in three (34%) of the 7,074 men surveyed describing their skin as sensitive, there is no doubt that sensitivity is a major skin issue. And whilst UK men are looking after their skin better in recent years, increasingly demanding lives and environmental aggressors such as pollution and UV rays are taking their toll, leaving them more prone to sensitivity, dryness and irritation.

This in turn is having a major impact on men's self-confidence and behavior - with over half (52%) of all men surveyed saying they'd feel self-conscious going on a date with dry, sensitive or slightly red skin, half saying it would affect them if they were heading for a job interview (50%) and just under a third (32%) conscious of their skin on a night out with friends.

Luckily, it doesn't have to be this way, thanks to the Braun Series 3 ProSkin - the latest foil shaver from Braun. A hero for men with sensitive skin, its advanced MicroComb technology, a comb-like structure that guides the beard hairs into the cutting element of the trimmer, reduces overall shaving time and thus skin irritation by cutting short and long hairs simultaneously with every stroke.

Combining three independently floating cutting elements with two SensoFoils™ that adapt to every facial contour, along with an extra-large precision trimmer and ergonomic grip, the Braun Series 3 ProSkin delivers a comfortable shave that is faster than ever before, leaving you free to get on with your day without giving sensitive skin a second thought.

DRY, SENSITIVE AND REDDENED SKIN IS IMPACTING MEN'S EVERYDAY BEHAVIOUR 

• Only 1-in-10 men said that they wouldn't feel at all self-conscious if their skin was looking below par on a date (11%)
• 21% claimed skin issues would make them feel self-conscious if they were playing sport
• Over half (52%) said they'd feel self-conscious going on a date with dry, sensitive or slightly red skin
• Half said it would affect them if they were heading for a job interview (50%)
• Just under a third (32%) would be conscious of their skin on a night out with friends

MEN BLAME GREASY FOOD FOR HOW THEIR SKIN FEELS! 

• Men blame anything but poor shaving routines and lax skincare for the way their skin feels. The weather is cited as a main factor, with many men blaming cold, hot or dry weather for irritating their skin (57%)
• Over half (55%) say getting sweaty impacts on how their skin feels while an astonishing 47% believe greasy food has an impact - despite research to the contrary
• Urban life comes in for criticism too, with a quarter believing air-conditioning determines how their skin feels (25%) and over a third (39%) saying pollution affects how their skin looks and feels

SKIN WORRIES ARE PREVENTING MEN FROM SHAVING  

• Men cite breakouts, dryness and redness as their top skin concerns - all symptoms of sensitive skin, and issues that can be aggravated by the wrong grooming regime (despite what men believe!)
• Just 15% of men identified wrinkles as their number one worry
• Two thirds (66%) of men say they've delayed shaving because of their skin being sensitive whilst more than 1-in-10 (13%) would skip shaving altogether if their skin was dry, sensitive or red - despite a daily shave being key for many men in boosting their self-confidence and projecting a crisp, clean and professional persona

MEN ARE TAKING SOME STEPS TO COMBAT SENSITIVITY  

• The good news is that men are beginning to take the right steps to solve their sensitive skin issues. Nearly half (48%) reach for the moisturiser when skin is dry and irritated and and a third drink more water (35%)
• With the survey showing that sensitivity is the main reason men put off shaving, the right shaver may well be the missing piece in the puzzle when it comes to solving the problem of sensitive skin. Most men surveyed said they just want a comfortable shave (70%) and with a similar number (60%) saying Braun's electric shavers provide a comfortable one - the answer may well be staring them right in the face…

Notes to editors 

About the research 

This research was undertaken amongst 7,074 18-34 year old men across UK, France, Russia, Japan, Italy, Germany, and China in June 2016, split into two groups of 2,845 18-24 year olds and 4,229 25-34 year olds. The polling was aimed at unveiling male lifestyles and the environments they live in based on demographics, professions, nutrition and leisure time, aiming to identify a link between a man's lifestyle and most common skin aggressors or skin concerns for the man of today.

About Procter & Gamble UK and Ireland  

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted,  quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene® and SK-II®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.co.uk for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands in the UK and Ireland.