More men are using skincare; up over 20% compared to five years ago
New data from Roy Morgan shows a 20.7% growth in male skincare routines over the last five years to June 2025, making male self-care more prominent than ever.
Over the past five years the number of Australians aged 14+ using skincare products has grown. In the 12 months to June 2025, 14.4 million Australians said they have used skincare products compared to 13 million in the 12 months to June 2021; an increase of over 1 million Australians (10.1% growth) over the past five years.
Australians who use skincare products: 2020-21 vs. 2024-25
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, 12 months to June 2021, n=64,793 and 12 months to June 2025, n=67,653. Base: Australians 14+. Percentage growth: () depicts growth from Jul’20-Jun’21 to Jul’24-Jun’25.
Men are leading the charge in skincare growth
43.4% of men use skincare products now, up from 40.5% five years ago, while among women 81.5% use skincare products now, down from 82.5% five years ago. The number of skincare users among men has increased from 4,197,000 in the 12 months to June 2021, to 4,899,000 in the 12 months to June 2025; an increase of 702,000 men (16.7% growth over five years).
Turning to age, while 35-49 year-olds make up the largest group of skincare users, with 3.5 million people, it is the 65+ age group that has amassed the largest growth of skincare users, increasing by 478,000 people (19.2% growth over five years).
Number of skincare users by Sex and Age; July 2020 to June 2021 vs July 2024 to June 2025
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, 12 months to June 2021, n=39,982 and 12 months to June 2025, n=42,111. Base: Those who have ever used skincare products, Australians 14+.
The rise of routine: Five-year trend of the presence/absence of a skincare routine among skincare users; July 2020 to June 2025
The number of people who do have a skincare routine has grown from 7,671,000 people in the 12 months to June 2021, to 8,649,000 people in the 12 months to June 2025; a rise of 979,000 people (12.8% growth over the last five years). While more people are reporting to have a skincare routine, the number of those who do is growing at a faster rate; with the gap between the two groups widening.
More Australians (now over 8.6 million) have a skincare routine than ever before
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, July 2020 – June 2025. Rolling 12-month figures, average annual interviews, n=40,965. Base: Those who have ever used skincare products, Australians 14+. Percentage growth: () depicts growth from Jul’20-Jun’21 to Jul’24-Jun’25
So, who is driving this rise in skincare routines?
An increasing number of men are claiming to have a skincare routine now (2,194,000), compared to five years ago (1,792,000). That is an addition of 372,000 men (20.7% growth over the last five years), signalling a rising interest in looking after one’s skin among men.
Shifting the focus to age, a rising number of 14–24 year-olds have a skincare routine now (1,453,000) compared to five years ago (1,197,000), which is an increase of 256,000 people (21.4% growth) over the last five years. Growth over the five years from July 2020 to June 2025 for 35-49 year olds was the lowest out of all age groups.
Skincare continues to be a cross-generational habit reshaping the industry
A new wave of self-care awareness is sweeping across male demographics, with recent data showing a marked rise in skincare routines among men of all ages. Skincare routine adoption among 14–24 year-old men has grown by 103,000 men (28.1% growth) from 366,000 in the 12 months to June 2021, to 469,000 in the 12 months to June 2025. Similarly, skincare routine adoption among men aged 25-34 has grown by an impressive 142,000 men (39.1% growth). Men aged 50-64 have also experienced respectable growth, with 21.4% (58,000 men) rise in skincare routine engagement.
Number of skincare users who have a skincare routine, by Age of Men and Age of Women; July 2020 to June 2021 vs July 2024 to June 2025
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, 12 months to June 2021, n=23,215 and 12 months to June 2025, n=24,836. Base: Those who answered “Yes – Have a skincare routine”, Australians 14+. Percentage growth: () depicts growth from Jul’20-Jun’21 to Jul’24-Jun’25.
Women, traditionally seen as the primary demographic for skincare, are also driving continued growth in the sector. Recent figures indicate a steady rise in skincare routine adoption across all female age groups, with younger women aged 14-24 showing particularly strong engagement. In the 12 months to June 2025, 984,000 women in this age bracket reported following a skincare regimen, an increase of 153,000 women (18.5% growth) compared to the 12 months to June 2021. Meanwhile, women aged 65+ have seen a prominent rise in skincare routines, with an increase of 158,000 women (13.6% growth), aligning with a growing aging population, as well as reflecting a continuous improvement in preventive skincare and wellness.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says:
“In the ever-changing landscape of skincare, we are witnessing a gradual shift in how Australians approach self-care, particularly among men. The rise in skincare usage and routine adoption in the last five years, notably among young men aged 14-34 and men aged 50-64, consolidates the notion that this isn’t just a passing trend. It reflects a broader change in how masculinity and personal health are being redefined.
“A multitude of factors may be fuelling this rise; from increased awareness & research into skin health & aging in the Australian media, to influence from social media, celebrities and male athletes. Sporting figures such as LeBron James, David Beckham and more locally, Nick Daicos with his Cetaphil campaign, are openly promoting the importance of a consistent skincare routine. One thing is for certain, as the stigma around men’s grooming habits fades, skincare is becoming a daily practice for men; not just for appearance but for confidence, health and self-expression.”
For comments or more information about Roy Morgan’s data please contact Andrew Calvert-Jones or Julian McCrann for more details.
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Roy Morgan is Australia’s largest independent Australian research company, with offices in each state, as well as in the U.S. and U.K. A full-service research organisation, Roy Morgan has over 80 years’ experience collecting objective, independent information on consumers.
Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
