Making Progress
Makeup has a long and colorful history. While people may think that makeup has always been, exclusively, a woman’s product, that just isn’t the case. Men have been using makeup as far back as 4000 BCE. Many different cultures, from the ancient Egyptians to the 18th century French court, have used makeup in their own ways.
Men continued using makeup right up until the 1800s, when it fell out of popularity for both men and women. But based on this long history, it was only a matter of time before men’s makeup resurfaced.
Even though makeup came back into fashion for women during the 1920’s and 1930’s, that wasn’t the case for men. However, just because makeup wasn’t being worn by the general population of men doesn’t mean it disappeared completely.
On Occasion
Between the 1920’s and today, men have worn makeup on several different occasions. This is mainly because makeup was, and still is, used heavily in entertainment industries such as film and music.
In the 1930’s, Clark Gable was known to wear makeup to perfect his look before starring in films. And in the rock and roll decades, men regularly wore makeup as part of the music scene. More recently, in the early 2000’s, black eyeliner became a signature of singer Adam Levine.
Industry Leaders
Now in 2018, more men are embracing beauty and skincare as history repeats itself yet again. With innovative brands like MAC and Covergirl, and even more classic brands like Chanel entering into these category markets, men have a plethora of products to choose from.
- MAC has been one of the most notable brands on the gender-neutral frontier with their “ALL AGES. ALL RACES. ALL GENDERS.” mission and vision for their products. They have also been featuring ad campaigns with various male models, made up with style and flair.
- CoverGirl made a statement about the inclusivity of their brand by featuring their first ever CoverBoy, makeup artist James Charles, in 2016.
- Chanel has a reputation as being more timeless than revolutionary and in September, the brand released their first male-targeted makeup line, Boy de Chanel. To further solidify the brand’s gender-neutral stance, Chanel’s Communications Manager Kirstine Kim said that, “For Chanel, beauty is not a matter of gender; it is a matter of style.”
Options for All
An even though only a small number of men have embraced makeup completely, the majority of men have enjoyed the benefits of these new changes. Along with the beauty market, the skincare market has also seen a massive increase in grooming and facial care products made specifically for men.
Many brands now offer male-targeted cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, anti-aging creams, and face masks, along with traditional grooming kits. With so many options to choose from, it’s no surprise that more and more men are taking advantage of these new products to help them look and feel their best.
Facing the Future
With such a significant amount of men taking up skincare regimens, brands are rushing to jump on this bandwagon as quickly as possible. And a rapidly growing consumer base coupled with a swell of eager brands is bound to create a boom for this up and coming industry.
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