-By Stacy Straczynski

Male consumers are continuing to invest in their personal hygiene, according to recent research. A study released Wednesday (Oct. 14) by Packaged Facts found that global male consumers are projected to spend a total of $61.3 billion in 2009.

One of the few categories to maintain positive growth during the recession, sales of male grooming products are up 37 percent since 2004. The total represents sales of both male-specific (products marketed for men) and non-male-specific products (unisex and female products).

Shaving items held the largest share at 37.5 percent ($23 billion). Bath products owned 19.9 percent of the category, making up $12.2 billion in sales, hair care (19.4 percent at $11.9 billion in sales), deodorant (14.7 percent at $9 billion) and skincare (8.5 percent at $5.2 billion) followed.

“It has only been in the 2000s that the men’s grooming market has become a steadily strong performer, in large part because marketers have finally assembled the essential keys to marketing to men, typically through humorous advertising that emphasizes the multifunctionality of products that work fast and efficiently,” said Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts, in a statement. “But men are becoming more adventurous in their personal care regimens. Not only are many of the world’s men trying premium male-specific hair gels or skin creams for the first time, but some are also trying a greater range of grooming products, including unisex items.”

The United States dominated 2009 global sales of male grooming products at $14.1 billion, while Japan came in a distant second at $6.3 billion. France, Germany, Brazil, China and the United Kingdom followed, all totaling over $4 billion. The fastest growing market was Russia at 49.1 percent total growth since 2004.

Still, some American men have been cutting back, per The Nielsen Company, Progressive Grocer’s parent company. Hair preparations sales fell 19.5 percent, remaining hair products fell 15.6 percent, and hair spray dropped 11 percent across food, drug and mass merchandisers (including Wal-Mart) during the 52 weeks ending Sept. 5.

Men’s toiletries also took a hit (down 7.3 percent), with cologne/lotion (down 15.9 percent), after-shave cosmetics (down 4.9 percent) and pre-shave cosmetics (down 6.5 percent) all reporting a decrease. Under the shaving needs sector, men’s shaving cream (down 5.7 percent) and shaving accessories (down 4 percent) both fell.

Men’s gift sets and travel kits (2.3 percent), hair color (2 percent), and depilatories (0.6 percent) were all growth categories, per Nielsen.