Chinese men are starting to pay more attention to beauty care for themselves. Beijing males lead the pack, spending more than 100 yuan a month on skin care, China News Service reported today.

According to a non-governmental investigation, Beijing men spend the most on skin care, averaging 119.40 yuan a month. Shanghai men are the most vulnerable to vanity. They spend 17.1 minutes per day in front of the mirror.

A Beijing consulting company and a Shanghai media corporation conducted this survey. Investigators sampled 2,239 male adults randomly from seven cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Shenyang and Xi'an.

The investigation shows that more than a third of the males bought beauty care products every month. The average costs came to 80.40 yuan a month.

The result also indicates the average time that men spend in front of the mirror now reaches 8.6 minutes per day.

Experts believe with the development of economy and society and the impact of international male fashion, beauty care is no longer a strictly ladies-only domain. Chinese men have become more concerned with their appearance, especially in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. The so-called "age of men's beauty" is creeping quietly but steadily.

(China News Service December 5, 2006)