I sit here at my desk contemplating something I thought I never would – makeup for men. Makeup is a word that feels exclusive to females on a subconscious level. It’s a word that feels as though it personifies femininity. Maybe it feels easier to put things into defined categories. Blue is for boys and pink is for girls. Makeup is for women and face shaving gel is for men.
So then, why is makeup for men a good idea?
Confidence
Moments of insecurity happen to all of us and they are most definitely gender indiscriminate. My own personal story is one that involved a severe allergic reaction that affected the area around the eyes that took several weeks to return to normal.
During this period, my condition attracted the following comments from both family and colleagues: “You look tired” or “Is everything OK?” and my personal favourite just had to be “You look different.” You can imagine that these types of comments will make any confident man question himself. Actually, for the first time in years I felt a sense of raw insecurity over something I couldn’t control. It was for this very reason that led me to starting my colour cosmetics company Sons of Adonis (www.sonsofaodnis.com), to give men a choice and take back control over their own personal sense of confidence.
It’s Nothing New
In the 21st Century, makeup for men is often touted as a new trend, when in actual fact men have been wearing makeup for thousands of years. It was widely used by both genders for millennia from around 4000 BCE where Egyptian men would commonly use eye liner makeup in the shape of elaborate cat eye designs to symbolise wealth and power. There are many online articles that cover this in more detail, but the point is that throughout human history there are many instances in a number of civilisations where makeup was seen as a way to enhance masculinity.
The turning point can be traced back to the reign of Queen Victoria I where she formally denounced the use of makeup as “vulgar” and “impolite.” It was during this period where the ridicule of men wearing makeup began, which lead to the regression of its use, particularly by males. This was in part due to royal opinions but religious influences also had a part to play where makeup was considered to be the “work of the devil.”
As we reached the 20th Century, gender roles became more defined and makeup was largely seen as a woman’s only endeavour. However, it feels as though in the 21st Century things are starting to go full circle as people largely begin to think more flexibly about gender roles and in turn are becoming more accepting of the idea of men wearing makeup.
Freedom of Choice
Freedom of choice is the right of individuals to determine their own actions. When I was looking for a concealer for myself, subconsciously it felt as though society had made that choice for me. I almost felt guilty when I’d made the decision to buy a concealer, which in hindsight is a testament to the impact of social conditioning. The powerful marketing of makeup by retailers made it seem like this was a product predominately for females.
It was this very moment whilst standing in the shop that I’d decided things needed to change. By creating good quality colour cosmetics we are simply giving men the opportunity to make that choice for themselves. Whilst it is true that a number of men will view this as a form of emasculation, a growing amount of evidence shows that this is changing. According to a YouGov survey, 1 in 20 British men admit to wearing makeup which is a trend that is expected to grow over the next few years.