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Nivea doubled its global market share between 2001-2006.

And it's not just men who expect this of their fellow men, he says. Numerous international studies have revealed that women want this from their partners.

"All around the world, more and more men are using creams and lotions as part of their daily personal care routines. This trend is due in particular to men's changing attitudes towards their own bodies," he comments.

For men, masculinity and attractiveness are the most important things, not beauty. However, male attractiveness is not an end in itself, but is always motivated by work or social situations, in contrast to the attitude adopted by women, he adds.

Men are discovering their appearance as a way of demonstrating their status and standing out from the crowd.

Beiersdorf Group identified four different types of men. Firstly, the student between the age of 18 and 24 feels more sure of himself when he is looking good, but he only uses products that have immediate benefits and are relevant for him at that particular moment in time, such as a deodorant or hair gel for an evening out with his girlfriend.

The key driver for his slightly older neighbour in his mid-20s to mid-30s is to feel better and look good using body care products, Taylor-Hughes explains.

"He likes to try out new things. This is an important target group for Nivea for Men, as are men in their mid-30s to mid-40s. This particular group sees body care as more than just a social commitment; for them it is all about taking good care of themselves.

"Men between their mid-40s and mid-60s, on the other hand, want to maintain their status, stay healthy, and keep looking good despite the fact that they are getting older," he adds.

Products have to do more than just ‘work', they also have to be appealing.

"Of course the price sensitivity is important and men are looking for price off promotions. Certain sub-segments are more sensitive to price promotions. Face care would be the least. The brand's trust and product benefits are the most important," he says.

Between 2001 and 2006, Nivea For Men doubled its global market share from 7% to 14.6%. In the focus regions, Nivea men's care products have been recording double-digit growth for years. Nivea For Men is the number one in the global men's cosmetics market.

"There is still enormous potential for further growth," Taylor-Hughes says. "More and more men - especially those between the ages of twenty and forty - are prepared to enter segments that until now have been the preserve of women."

Globally the company has created a new communication platform and a website, launched at the beginning of September, showcasing the entire range.

There are more than 50 products for men, from facial cleansing, shaving, after shave, and face care, shower and body care, hair care and styling to deodorants and lip care products.

"This is hardly surprising given that Nivea is seen as the inventor of men's face care products and the driver for modern cosmetics for men," he says.

The revitalizing cream Q10, which was launched on the market in 2001, is particularly popular with stressed out men and the Nivea For Men DNAge face cream was launched at the beginning of this year.

"As a result, it is now no longer just men's stubble that disappears during the morning bathroom ritual; wrinkles are also being shown the door by Nivea's new facial care creams," he adds.

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