Last week, we hosted the first-ever Men’s Grooming Summit, at the Ace Hotel Brooklyn. We had hundreds of attendees, spanning brand owners, CEOs, operators, buyers, barbers, celebrity groomers, journalists, publicists, and more. Over 50 panelists presented their expert perspective on the men’s market, too, spanning topics like the modern consumer, community, culture shifts, AI, and more.
One report that was presented: Reddit’s Head of Foresight and Consumer Growth Research, Matt Klein, presented his Emerging Male Grooming Signals report, on the heels of Reddit’s recent People’s Beauty Index. While that report spotlit mostly women’s beauty signals (plus a nice peek into everyone’s favorite corner of the Internet, the r/bald subreddit), Klein brought male-specific signals to the Summit.
Aside from r/bald’s ascent, here are the five most prominent shifts Klein noticed in his data culling for the Summit:
Emergent Male Grooming Signals via Reddit, Q4 2026
1. The Scent Buffet
Scent layering and “smellmaxxing” discussions are spreading across male grooming communities, questioning the compatibility, augmentation and relationships between various products’ scents (body wash, deodorant, cologne, etc.). Views to “layering” within r/Colognes are up 2X YoY. Smell routines, alchemy and stacking is changing purchasing decisions. Ex. “New to the fragrance community, do you guys layer your fragrances?” (r/Colognes)
2. The Weight vs. Hair Loss Dilemma
As GLP-1 usage proliferates, men are weighing their desire for weight loss against the drugs’ side effects (ex. hair loss). Views to posts mentioning hair thinning, shedding, finasteride, and Minoxidil in the context of GLP-1 convos are up +20X over the last year. Men are confiding in Reddit’s trusted communities for these sensitive health questions, finding support and answers. Ex. “Thinking about starting GLP, but I’m worried about potential hair loss — did you experience any?” (r/GLP1)
3. Shaving Romantics
Wet shaving enthusiasts are romanticizing morning shaves on Reddit, discussing luxurious blades, soap, and aftershave combinations. r/wicked_edge garnered 50M views in the last 12 months, over 10% of which (5.4M) were driven by “Shave of the Day” posts. Men favoring slower, effortful, old school routines to “treat themselves and appreciate the art of the shave.” Ex. “SOTD: Spaced. Razor: 1960 Q2 Gillette Slim Adjustable” (r/wicked_edge)
4. (Honest) Peer-Support
Optimizing for self-image is a delicate balance between self-progress and self-criticism. On Reddit, men are sharing selfies, seeking tips on aesthetic improvements. And this guidance is collaborative and good vibes. There’s been +1.7M views to posts mentioning “How can I improve” within r/MaleGrooming and r/MensGrooming (up +23% YoY). Strangers’ opinions are heard as more honest and therefore, more valuable. Ex. “22 m, how can I improve?” (r/MaleGrooming)
5. Concealer Curiosity
As men become more sensitive of skincare, trialing different products and routines, dark eye circles are becoming a focus. And undetectable makeup is increasingly on the table. Over the last year, there was a 6.7X increase in views to posts mentioning “dark circles” in r/MaleGrooming. The tension men are trying to solve for is looking good vs. a solution that’s still feminine-coded. Ex. “Incorporating Makeup into My Male Grooming Routine: A Personal Experience” (r/MaleGrooming)
For more, see Reddit’s People’s Beauty Index.
If you would like to speak with the Reddit team about any of these trends, contact filipe.neves@reddit.com or reach out to press@reddit.com with any media inquiries.