Surging sales of manicure and pedicure products for men

Gone are the days when beauty accessories were exclusively for women. In Korea, they are now also for men, including fingernail and toenail care.

Men now account for more than 50% of the total sales volume of manicure and pedicure products, according to eBay’s Korean online marketplace, Auction. Figures from 1-18 March show that 57% of the total sales of such items were aimed at men while women only accounted for 43%. It was the first time that sales to male customers exceeded 50%. The items included cuticle trimmers and base coat nail polish.

When comparing sales in the same period of last year, sales of manicure and pedicure items to men jumped 135%. Sales to women rose just 10%. According to Auction, men still feel uncomfortable visiting nail salons, but they obviously are caring more about the looks of their hands and feet. The shy option for them is to buy manicure and pedicure products online and do the work at home. More men are looking after their appearances and, based on this trend, many companies are expanding R&D for such products, according to newspaper reports.