Emboldened by success from its Made for You Shaving Razor Blades for Every Body, BIC USA is expanding into the grooming category—a first for the company. Both the shaving razor system and the three new grooming collections are sold exclusively on Amazon.

With the debut of shave cream, body and face lotions under the Made for You portfolio, BIC is hitting upon several emerging trends. For one, Made for You is part of a burgeoning roster of homegrown and exclusive brands sold on Amazon. Other examples include Amazon’s in-house developed Belei skin care, Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga and the aforementioned razors.

The brand’s success, already established in razors and blades, should cascade into grooming, said Fred Killingsworth, Chief Executive Officer of Hinge Global. “[BIC’s Made for You Razors and Blades] garnered more than 1,000 reviews and have more than a 4.5 ranking. The exciting part is what they can learn from this type of launch and consumer engagement,” Fred said. It’s no secret Amazon wants a larger share of the $6.5 billion online beauty/personal care business; it’s currently the second largest personal care/beauty seller behind Walmart, according to Coresight Research.

Expanding a well-established brand into grooming can be considered savvy; the razor and blade category overall continues to suffer due to an increased number of men donning facial hair, and competition driving down prices. Sales of blades for 2019, according to IRI, were down 4.6 percent; sales of razors plummeted 6.8 percent in mass doors. Shaving creams eked out a small gain and are poised to expand with continued interest in skin care at the mass market level.

BIC’s venture into grooming also reflects consumer demand for genderless products—a trend recently identified by Genevieve Lee Aronson, VP Communications for Nielsen. Consumers, she reasoned, no longer want to be told what to buy based on gender. BIC’s razor and blade launch targeted both men and women—a twist on traditional shaving marketing that typically touts pink products for women.

“Consumer-centricity is our obsession, and this journey began with a simple insight – a rising population of consumers are seeking a high-performing product that addresses their needs, regardless of gender,” said Mary Fox, General Manager of BIC North America. “This exciting line-up of grooming products was a natural next step for BIC and the Made For You brand. We listened closely to what consumers are looking for in their grooming routine and found that they want great products that perform for everybody. Made For You gives them just that.”

Research supports the non-gender specific positioning. A BIC-commissioned study by research firm Ipsos found that 69 percent of consumers 18- to 34-years old believe companies should create more unisex personal care and beauty products.

The new grooming line is lightly scented with citrus, a fragrance selected for its universal appeal. The shave cream features aloe vera to provide a moisturizing and nourishing effect, and vitamin E to enhance glide and protect against irritation. The body lotion moisturizes without leaving a greasy feel. The shave cream and body lotion are priced at $7.49; the face lotion at $8.49. All three can be purchased together for $23.47. A visit to Amazon.com suggests the shave cream is a best seller, with only eight bottles left on February 14. Customer reviews rang in at 4.3 out of 5 stars with many customers posting favorable reviews, especially in regard to pricing.