Makeup for Men, For or Against?
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Makeup for men, that’s a topic that stirs up a lot of controversy.
Can we redefine gender by giving men the opportunity to consume and wear makeup like women?
Once again, it’s the whirlwind of English pop music, Harry Styles (yes, him again), who is challenging gender boundaries by releasing a collection of gender fluid makeup. Will you resist the trend or do you think makeup should be reserved for women?
The origin of makeup
It was the Egyptians in -3000 BC who made what we now call kohl. Made from soot or lead, its primary purpose was to protect the eyes from sand and the arid climatic conditions of the country. Very quickly, both men and women adopted this technique, using it to replicate the eyes of sacred animals, cats. Makeup was born… and it was gender fluid!
Let’s fast forward a bit in history to the French Renaissance, where the nobles went all out with powder, and both men and women wore makeup, let’s say, to the extreme. There was even a fashion among the bourgeoisie to appear as pale as possible by using greenish makeup to resemble a corpse. You think it’s weird? Me too, but rest assured, this awful trend didn’t last very long.
The revolution was a rather sad time for makeup for men, as it became an attribute exclusively for women.
After the French Revolution of 1789, makeup was reserved only for prostitutes and actresses. So, if you weren’t going on stage, you had to think twice before putting on lipstick to go out.
Early 1920s cinema popularized makeup for women for good. Creators were becoming more and more numerous, and lead was banned from cosmetic products.
Makeup for men, a matter of culture?
If makeup for men is controversial in the Western world, it is not the case in Korea or Japan, for example, where it is normal for men to have baby-soft skin.
The members of the BTS group are very representative of the democratization of makeup for men. It’s simple, they wouldn’t dream of going out without flawless skin, shiny eyes, and well-groomed eyebrows.
It is by looking towards the Asian market that Chanel released its collection of makeup for men, before timidly launching it in France in 2019.
For some time now, makeup for men has been increasingly popular in the Western world, with influencers like @fabiancrfx, a 19-year-old who shares incredible transformation tutorials with his Instagram and TikTok followers.
Male cultural icons and makeup
If there are people who have had fun testing all the color palettes, it’s the pop stars. Long before the current controversies that question gender, David Bowie, Boy George, and Freddie Mercury wore makeup in the 70s and 80s, sometimes to the extreme.
Recently, it was pop star Harry Styles who caused a stir by wearing a dress, a typically feminine accessory. The artist never tires of pushing the boundaries of gender by adopting poses that are supposed to be feminine or by sporting polished and painted nails.
Why is there so much hate against men who wear makeup?
Men who wear makeup have often been looked down upon by conservatives who see gender transgression as a danger to society.
The first to bear the brunt of this? Bilal Hassani at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. His detractors accuse him of presenting a degrading and biased vision of what masculinity should be, according to them.
Even President Emmanuel Macron sparked a makeup controversy. Don’t believe me? Well, it’s true, but it’s mostly the hefty sum of €26,000 for three months of makeup that caused a scandal. It must be admitted that it’s a lot for makeup that isn’t even visible!
Why does makeup for men bother some closed-minded individuals? Because this transgression challenges the archaic dictates of our societies. You know, girls like pink and boys like blue, girls wear makeup and boys must be masculine.
Gender fluid: when makeup blurs gender lines
When it comes to makeup for men, we prefer the term gender fluid makeup, which is more inclusive.
On Netflix, the success of the show RuPaul’s Drag Race demonstrates that men are interested in makeup and, above all, that they excel in the field!
Brands have understood the potential market that makeup for men represents. In 2018, Givenchy created a gender fluid collection called “Mister,” leaving little room for doubt with its name.
Of course, makeup for men goes hand in hand with current discussions about non-binary individuals and activists who are reconsidering social norms.
Makeup is an important transition tool for someone who feels they belong to a different gender. It allows them to assert their true identity.
What percentage of men wear makeup?
33.2% of men regularly wear makeup. Will this percentage increase? I’m sure of it! Especially when we see celebrities like Harry Styles, who are challenging gender boundaries by releasing collections of makeup for men.
Paradoxically, it was during the pandemic, when women claimed to wear less makeup, that makeup for men took off.
Unsurprisingly, it is younger men, more connected to the world, who are most likely to wear makeup or who say they have no problem with men wearing makeup.
The most commonly used products by men are lip balm, skin corrector, and foundation.
Harry Styles: after dresses for men, makeup?
After posing for Vogue in a Gucci dress, the singer is determined to continue questioning masculinity by promoting his creative expression and gender fluidity in his aesthetics.
While he can effortlessly rock dresses and pearl necklaces, Harry Styles also enjoys taking care of himself and admits to loving wearing nail polish.
For him, makeup is a matter of creativity rather than gender.
Pleasing, Harry Styles’ collection
The Pleasing collection, in collaboration with Brazilian fashion designer Marco Ribeiro, is a breath of fresh air for everyone. Unsurprisingly, it was at Paris Fashion Week that the singer unveiled his new range of gender fluid beauty products.
My favorite pieces? I love the four vegan-certified nail polishes in vibrant colors that allow you to play with styles in a chic and modern way.
The collection also includes a unisex body oil and the Pleasing Spritz, a refreshing toning spray enriched with probiotics.
The extra touch we love? The Pleasing collection is sustainable with 100% recycled cardboard packaging, vegan, and cruelty-free.
Image in one @Jesús Boscán
