Japanese male customers purchased 17% more skincare products in 2008 to 17.6 billion yen

“Sales of men’s skincare products jumped 17 percent to 17.6 billion yen ($196 million) in 2008, compared with a 0.2 percent industrywide to 1.51 trillion yen, according to the most recent trade ministry data...... “There is a desire among men to look more beautiful,” she said.”

Source: ‘Feminized’ Japanese Men Boost Kao Sales as Women Pamper Less
January 26, 2010
By Naoko Fujimura
Bloomberg
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-26/-feminized-japanese-men-boost-kao-sales-as-women-pamper-less.html