An unexpected effect of 2018's Love Island fever has been a steep increase in the sales of male hair removal products. While predominantly driven by younger men keen to keep up appearances, older men are following suit, and stay in step with evolving attitudes towards body hair.

From platinum waves to 'colour melts,' more British men are choosing to express their individuality by colouring their hair. As the cultural standards of masculinity and beauty continue to be challenged and redefined, brands are attracting a new demographic through male influencers and models.

The traditionally female-focused make-up market is steadily opening up to a new demographic – but what are the driving forces behind the male beauty movement? Canvas8 spoke to David Yi, the founder of Very Good Light, to understand how brands can tap into men’s growing interest in cosmetics.

“Beauty is just being your authentic self,” proclaims David Yi, founder of men’s beauty publication Very Good Light. “And beauty to the modern man is all about being confident.” Indeed, as the hyper-masculine and somewhat archaic narrative around what it means to be a man starts to disintegrate, the beauty industry is growing to cater to the ‘modern male’. Through moisturisers that promise to combat the signs of ageing and subscription boxes that keep hair loss at bay, global sales of men’s grooming products are predicted to reach $60.7 billion by 2020, up from $47.2 billion in 2015.