Market Research

UK Consumer Survey: Men's Health, Grooming, and Product Evidence

Summary of Findings

Commissioned by Henson Shaving  ·  Fielded August 20–31, 2026  ·  n = 1,000 UK men, ages 25–55

About This Survey

This survey was commissioned by Henson Shaving to examine how men in the United Kingdom think about personal health, personal care product selection, skin health and aging, and the role of evidence in shaping product trust and behavior. It covers eight personal care categories — facial moisturiser, facial cleanser, sunscreen, shampoo, deodorant, body wash, shaving cream/gel, and facial razors.

The questionnaire did not reference Henson Shaving, or any specific brand, at any point. Respondents answered as consumers describing their own habits, beliefs, and product experiences.

Methodology

Sample size	1,000 men
Geography	United Kingdom (respondents drawn from 12 regions)
Age range	25–55 (mean age 39.4)
Age quotas	25–34: 33.0%   ·   35–44: 34.3%   ·   45–55: 32.7%
Fielding window	August 20–31, 2026
Method	Online consumer panel, self-administered questionnaire
Margin of error	Approximately ±3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level for full-sample results

Two of the eight personal care categories were shown to a randomized subset of respondents to manage questionnaire length, with the exception of the facial razor category, which was asked of the full sample (n = 1,000). Per-category findings below are reported as percentages, with the base size for each category noted; subgroup and per-category results carry a wider margin of error than the full-sample figure above, typically in the range of ±4.5–4.8 percentage points at bases of approximately 425–430.

The questionnaire included two embedded attention-check items used for quality monitoring during fielding. Figures in this summary are reported across the full achieved sample.

Health and Self-Care Habits

Respondents were asked how seriously they take several areas of personal health and self-care. The percentage selecting “Extremely seriously” or “Very seriously” for each area:

Area	% Extremely/Very seriously
Personal care routine	60.3%
Shaving / grooming	57.5%
Sleep	55.1%
Sun protection	55.0%
Exercise / fitness	52.4%
Diet / nutrition	51.7%

Personal Care Category Engagement

Across the eight personal care categories, respondents were asked about the level of thought they put into purchase decisions, whether they had experienced skin irritation or reaction from the product, whether they believe the product can meaningfully affect skin health over the long term, whether they associate the category with independent or clinical testing, and whether they had taken at least one evidence-seeking action (e.g., reading ingredients, looking for evidence of testing, consulting a professional, reading reviews, or checking suitability for skin type) the last time they purchased the product. All per-category figures are calculated on the base of respondents who were asked about that specific category (see base size, right-hand column).

Category	Thought put into buying (top-2)	Reported irritation	Believes affects skin long-term	Associates with clinical testing	Took ≥1 evidence-seeking action	Base (n)
Facial cleanser	66.4%	28.2%	72.1%	15.9%	60.8%	426
Deodorant	64.5%	20.0%	28.3%	7.5%	35.9%	434
Facial moisturiser	63.5%	22.4%	78.1%	17.0%	56.5%	425
Sunscreen	63.2%	19.7%	67.2%	20.2%	57.4%	427
Facial razor	62.6%	52.5%	51.4%	6.7%	44.1%	1,000
Shaving cream/gel	60.3%	29.5%	50.3%	6.7%	50.6%	431
Body wash	56.2%	19.6%	52.2%	9.3%	47.6%	429
Shampoo	50.0%	13.8%	28.3%	13.8%	39.5%	428

Skin Aging Perceptions

Perceived contributors to skin aging

Respondents were shown a list of factors and asked to select all they believe affect how a man's skin ages over time:

• Sun exposure — 77.5%
• Smoking — 75.5%
• Stress — 74.9%
• Alcohol — 72.7%
• Poor diet — 64.8%
• Lack of sleep — 64.7%
• Genetics — 55.8%
• Products used on skin daily — 50.4%
• Air pollution — 38.6%
• How a man shaves — 37.4%

Agreement with statements about skin and grooming

Percentage selecting “Strongly agree” or “Somewhat agree”:

Statement	% Agree
Products used on the skin daily can affect it over time	70.6%
What I put on my skin matters as much as other health habits	63.1%
How a man shaves can have a lasting effect on his skin	57.7%
I think about how my skin will look in 10 years	51.0%

Views on Evidence and Proof

Understanding of “clinically proven”

Respondents were asked what the phrase “clinically proven” usually means to them when they see it on a product:

Response	%
The product was properly tested and results showed it works	48.6%
The product was tested somehow, but I'm not sure how rigorously	22.6%
It means the product is safe, not necessarily that it works	14.9%
It's mostly a marketing phrase	12.2%
Don't know	1.7%

Beliefs about razors and shaving cream/gel

Among respondents asked about each category, percentage agreeing with the following statements:

Statement	Facial razor (n=1,000)	Shaving cream/gel (n=431)
I would look for a better solution if I believed one really worked	34.1%	33.2%
I believe there are better solutions than most men currently use	26.9%	26.0%
I have accepted my experience with this product as it is	21.5%	19.7%
I assume some level of irritation or discomfort is just normal with this product	17.2%	14.4%

Most-trusted sources for health and product-related information

Respondents ranked a list of sources by trust; the source ranked most trusted (#1) by each respondent:

Source	% ranking #1
GP / nurse / doctor	38.7%
NHS / official health website	12.6%
Friends / family	7.3%
Clinical research	6.5%
Pharmacist	6.3%
Personal trainer / coach	5.6%
Search engine, top result	4.3%
Generative AI	3.5%
Social media	3.1%
Published research / journals	2.8%
Health app / wearable data	2.6%
Brand's own website / packaging	2.2%
Books	1.7%
Brand claims	1.5%

This document reports descriptive, full-sample findings only. It does not include cross-tabulated, weighted, or interpretive analysis. For methodology detail or additional data cuts, contact Henson Shaving directly.