Humānery, a new home for men’s skincare and grooming
Created out of frustration, Humānery aims to be a platform that brings together the best that skincare has to offer. More specifically, men’s skincare.
THIS BLOG POST IS IN PAID PARTNERSHIP WITH HUMĀNERY
Products pictured above: OIL CONTROL MOISTURISER by HEATH, CLEANSING BAR by OBJECT, M2 MATTE FINISH by PATRICKS, GRAPEFRUIT FACE CLEANSER by MALIN+GOETZ, RESURRECTION AROMATIQUE HAND BALM by AĒSOP and FACIAL SCRUB by BAXTER OF CALIFORNIA.
Falling just short of a bathroom battle cry, men and skincare need to get into a room together; ideally the bathroom where it’s just you, the mirror and the sink. The men’s selfcare and skincare sector has been somewhat aloof to many, but a two-year period of lockdowns and working from home has shaken both Gen Z and millennials into taking more interest in how to best look after themselves and their appearance.
Perhaps it was the extended period of time we had to get ready for work as the commute became significantly shorter, compounded by the volume of video calls forcing us to look at ourselves at regular points of the day. Whatever the tipping point has been, it is welcomed. None of this ‘I just splash water on my face’, men are starting to learn what their skin needs or at least wanting to learn what their skin needs. While borrowing from partners or making do with what is on offer can act as a stopgap, guys are actively searching online for what’s best for them. Whether that’s a light cleanser for normal skin, or an exfoliating cleanser that combats oily skin, guys are out there who want solutions. With a growing demand and more time to spend on ourselves in the comfort of our homes, new brands have started to emerge to tackle men’s skincare concerns and Humānery is the platform that wants to bring it altogether.
Formerly working in the tech industry, Humānery founder Sid Baveja first started looking into self-care and skincare through personal frustration. For us, Sid’s razor burn was our gain as that moment he says is, “what began my process of going into stores and being left frustrated by a lack of options”.
I myself have sometimes felt men’s skincare be somewhat of an afterthought for a store, so Humānery is now looking to be that place for men to go, allowing you to find the right product for a problem you may have, as well as a resource to discover brands that perhaps you may not have heard of before. While there are bloggers and influencers taking it upon themselves to help educate men on skincare, Humānery wants to bring learning and e-commerce together.
Focusing on value and performance, Sid says that he was looking for brands that were “using high quality ingredients, cared about packaging and in some cases, coming with a social focus.” The aims for Humānery are to be simple (“all our research points towards men prefer buying online”), straightforward for the male consumer, to be able to educate without being overbearing and sales not being driven by a discount model, instead rewarding those who find what works with them by introducing a subscription model saving.
The platform is in its early stages, but Humānery has the foundations to build something good for men and help be part of an industry that is beginning to normalise men’s skincare. So should you find yourself without a day and night routine that does not consist of a concoction of serums, AHAs and retinol, or perhaps you’re not even sure what each of the above do, then maybe visiting a website that has been created to help men in a rather confusing space is a good first step. Consider yourself informed: self-care can be for guys too and your older self will thank you for it.jbicon
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