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This paper aims to investigate the attitude of males toward the consumption and purchase of men's cosmetic products. More specifically, the research intends to clarify the impact of personal variables (i.e. self‐image consciousness, ageing effects, physical attractiveness, state of health), socio‐cultural variables (i.e. beliefs, lifestyle), and marketing variables (i.e. advertising, purchase situation) on the attitude of Canadian and French males toward the purchase and consumption of men's cosmetics.

A questionnaire was distributed to men living in two metropolitan cities: Paris (France) and Montreal (Canada). The total sample consists of 223 respondents of which 53.8 per cent are Canadian and 46.2 per cent French.

French and Canadian men were found to have different motivations and drives when considering the consumption and purchase of men's grooming products.

The convenience sampling technique used in the present research does not indicate a fully representative profile of the population in Canada and France. Also, it is important to extend the research to some “conservative” societies. Men's cosmetic products in both countries are at different stages of the life cycle and accordingly consumers' attitudes and motivations to buy cosmetics are found to vary between the two countries.

Despite the fact that the cosmetic market is traditionally associated with women, the current paper contributes to shedding light on the importance of the men's grooming segment, revealing the major variables that affect men's behavior and attitude toward the consumption of cosmetic products and pointing out that consumers' motivations and attitudes differ among markets when the product is at different stages of the life cycle.