Philips Debuts The World’s Closest* Electric Shave With A Nation-Wide Survey Examining Pressures Of Modern Day Masculinity In Singapore

• With latest advancement to its innovative rotary technology, Philips introduces Shaver S9000 Prestige to deliver the ultimate shave as close as blade with uncompromised skin comfort
• Survey reveals almost two-thirds of Singaporeans believe that society expects men to look good to succeed professionally
• In celebration of the launch, Philips partners with professional gentlemen’s barber Sultans of Shave for a pop-up barber event from 25 to 29 March 2019

New NanoTech precision blades are strengthened with nano particles and extra strong, sharp edges to cut hair with the highest precision, delivering extremely close results at skin level.  

The multi-direction ContourDetect heads, with Philips’ proprietary rotary technology, capture hair growing in different direction and densities, delivering the ultimate close shave even in tricky areas along the neck and jawline.

Thanks to Philips’ BeardAdapt Sensor which checks hair density 15 times per second and automatically adapt shaving power to your hair, you are ensured of a highly efficient shave even on a longer (up to 7-day) beard. 

Highly customizable, opt for a comfortable dry or wet shave with Aquatec Wet & Dry technology, or switch between 3 modes for anything between a gentle and thorough shave, an everyday shave, to a quick shave. 

The Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige has luxurious features, including wireless charging of the shaver or any Qi-compliant device on a Qi charging pad, to up your technology quotient. It also comes in a premium packaging that stores your grooming essentials.

“Personal grooming is a key facet of a modern man’s appearance. The innovative rotary technology in the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige offers the world’s closest electric shave possible with uncompromised comfort and smoothness, empowering men to shave better for success and put their best face forward for success,” said Derrick Tan, Co-Founder, Sultans of Shave.

Celebrating the launch of the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige and in support of healthy masculinity, Sultans of Shave will be offering free shaves, beard trims and haircuts at a pop-up event at Marina Bay Financial Centre. Indulge in a professional haircut and enjoy grooming tips and tricks on how to make the most of your Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige for the ultimate close shave. Services are available from 12.00pm to 2.00pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm daily, from 25 to 29 March 2019.

Date: 25 March 2019, Monday to 29 March 2019, Friday
Time: Daily, from 12.00pm to 2.00pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm
Venue: Ground Plaza, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Straits View 8 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018981

• Singaporeans associate masculinity with physical appearance, such as being well-groomed, as an important factor for men to be viewed as presentable
• Singaporean men are more likely to feel that society does not accept male vulnerability
• Singaporeans hold progressive views of masculinity stereotypes.  Male respondents named these top three criteria: being supportive to others, being a good parent and having emotional intelligence. Female respondents named the following top three criteria: being a good parent, having emotional intelligence and being kind

Conducted in collaboration with YouGov, a leading global market research and data company, the Philips Modern Masculinity Survey surveyed 1025 Singaporeans (502 males; 523 females) on pressures stemming from societal expectations in keeping up with appearances against evolving definitions of masculinity.

Physical appearance as a strong indicator of masculinity
Results revealed that more than half (52%) of Singaporeans polled used words relating to physical appearance to describe masculinity. A man’s strength (49%), body physique (47%), being manly (42%) and facial looks (18%) were top ranking attributes. The majority of men (84%) and women (81%) viewed being clean-shaven as important if a man was to be seen as presentable. Almost two-thirds of respondents also related a man’s success professionally to looking good and being well groomed.

Societal expectations of a man do not allow for behavior that exhibits vulnerability
Beyond physical appearances, the conversation around masculinity also revolves around behavioral traits, including how men think and act. Almost half (49%) of men surveyed admitted to feeling pressured to act or behave in a masculine manner to keep up with societal expectations of them.  More men (54%) than women (43%) believe that society expects them to be authoritative and assertive. Men are also more likely to feel that society does not accept male vulnerability, although this viewpoint is more prevalent in older males. 

While traditional views of how a man must provide for the family still firmly holds its grounding, Singapore society is actually accepting of a woman earning more than her man. 

Progressing traditional stereotypes to value healthy masculinity
Singaporeans hold progressive views of masculinity stereotypes.  Male respondents named these top three criteria: being supportive to others (67%), being a good parent (65%) and having emotional intelligence (61%). Female respondents named the following top three criteria: being a good parent (76%), having emotional intelligence (71%) and being kind (70%).  These were valued over men being the breadwinner of the family (men 42%, women 48%), withholding emotion or feelings during personal hardship or pain (men 35%, women 19%) and being assertive (men 26%, women 24%). Progressively, Singaporean men are focusing on identity and self-awareness to take control of their lives. Investing time and effort in personal grooming were viewed as most important traits for today’s men.