Hale taps $44.72 billion men’s beauty market with archetype-based DTC site

Hale has launched a direct‑to‑consumer site that recommends men’s skincare and grooming routines of typically two or three products based on hair and skin archetypes. The move targets a global men’s personal care market valued at $44.72 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $99.09 billion by 2034.

The site asks shoppers to identify their hair and skin type, then labels them as archetypes such as “The Architect” or “The Protector” to suggest a curated routine. It also provides ingredient guidance, indicating which components to seek or avoid based on the user’s profile, drawing from the site’s hair and skin assessment. Hale’s approach contrasts with legacy retailers Sephora and Ulta, where men make up roughly 23% and 20% of website traffic respectively. The company says the simplified experience aims to turn underserved male shoppers into confident, regular beauty customers.

“The major problem in this space right now is that men often don’t know what they’re looking for,” Sam Burke, founder of Hale said.

Burke studied biomedical and mechanical engineering at Colorado State University and worked in a neuroscience lab researching brain aging. He later joined Pie, a social‑networking startup founded by Bonobos co‑founder Andy Dunn, where he became chief of staff and helped grow the app to 50,000 users in four months.

What we know

• Global men’s personal care market reached an estimated $44.72 billion in 2025.

• Global men’s personal care market is expected to reach nearly $49 billion in 2026.

• Global men’s personal care market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 9.24 per cent, reaching $99.09 billion by 2034.

• At Sephora, men account for roughly 23 per cent of website traffic.

• At Ulta Beauty, men account for roughly 20 per cent of website traffic.