Bengaluru, Nov. 17 -- The men's grooming category, long seen as a low-margin afterthought in personal care, is finally showing real momentum, as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) majors and private investors refocus on a segment once dismissed as too niche to scale. Just days apart, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) acquired Mumbai-based men's grooming brand Muuchstac in a Rs.450-crore deal, while Bombay Shaving Company raised Rs.136 crore from new investor Sixth Sense Ventures and former cricketer Rahul Dravid. Deals in the segment have more than doubled to $85 million so far in 2025, compared to 2023, according to data by Venture Intelligence. Nearly 66 deals have been inked in the past five years, including VC-PE (venture capital-private-equity) investments, as well as acquisitions by large consumer companies. Firms are now focusing on a few fast-moving and premium products like facewash and trimmers, instead of spreading themselves too thin across categories, betting that rising consumer experimentation will bolster growth. Ustraa, another men's grooming products retailer, which was acquired by wellness and beauty services provider VLCC in June 2023, is sharpening focus on premium products like perfumes and hair growth oils, emphasizing that it has helped boost average order values, its co-founder Rajat Tuli told Mint. "We're seeing men show more interest in what and why they want to buy a wellness product. Intentional purchases in niche categories like perfumes are helping increase frequency of purchases as well." As it prepares for a public-market listing "soon", Bombay Shaving Company is keeping the competitive prices of its grooming tools like trimmers and shaving kits at the centre of its strategy, especially as the market remains dominated by a few large brands like Gillette and Philips. "Focusing on fast-evolving consumer needs, designing high-quality products at competitive prices, and building the brand remains core to what we do. We intend to continue this performance and take the company public soon, the idea is to do it sooner rather than later," said Shantanu Deshpande, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Bombay Shaving Company, which sells grooming products for men and women. These moves underscore a shift in how the industry views the men's grooming market. Once dominated by a handful of mass products like razors, deodorants, and basic facewashes, the segment is expanding into higher-value segments such as skincare, beard care, fragrances, and premium hair styling. Acquisitions by large consumer goods companies suggest that the men's grooming category has entered an early phase of maturity, supported by stronger demand signals and more predictable consumption patterns, said Ankur Bisen, senior partner at market research firm The Knowledge Co....