Men are increasingly adopting makeup, influenced by celebrities, male beauty influencers, and the Gen Z demographic
Gone are the days when makeup was considered to be the female domain. In today’s context, men are enthusiastically embracing makeup not only to enhance their appearance but also to elevate their confidence. It has seamlessly integrated into their daily routines, with some considering it a requisite for their professions. However, there were a few changes noticed. For example, the Egyptians used kohl to line their eyes and create cat-eyes. Besides, makeup has become a daily essential rather than being used for special occasions and is used by both men and women.
Makeup & Modern Men
Modern men—students, corporate professionals, or artists—may not be fans of colourful eyeshadows and lipsticks, but they surely use concealers and BB creams to give their faces a natural finish. Their method of correcting the flaws and highlighting their best features is to make them look well-groomed for a day filled with meetings and other important stuff.
For them, hiding dark circles and blemishes is a priority, as they are common concerns. Further, enhancing their eyebrows, contouring the face or using transparent mascara for eyelashes is a personal choice. Indeed, many men have honed their makeup skills simply by watching YouTube tutorials!
The trend of embracing makeup is particularly noticeable among Gen Z men compared to previous generations. The growing impact of social media and the aspiration to appear ‘camera-ready’ are driving the demand for makeup products.
Male beauty influencers are breaking stereotypes!
In India, male beauty influencers are expressing their makeup skills on various social media platforms. The Indian beauty industry is largely focused on skincare for their male audience, limiting the options to keep it more ‘masculine’. But some male digital creators are trying to make makeup for men and break the stigma.
Ankush Bahuguna, a Delhi-based Indian influencer, is among the first ones whose makeup reels gained popularity. From ‘concealing under eye dark circles’ to ‘using the correct base’, he has reels on almost every makeup technique! In subtle ways, his content focuses on men wanting to look good.
Other male influencers like Deep Pathare and Shantanu Dhope express their vibrant makeup skills. Deep’s stunning looks are a direct reflection of his top-notch blending skills. They are adorned with dramatic features and radiant colours. As for Shantanu, his looks have a ‘desi’ touch. In fact, his Instagram account is filled with trendy makeup, festive looks and more!
Other popular influencers are James Charles, Bretman Rock, Patrick Starrr, Gabriel Zamora, etc., who are flaunting their makeup skills and normalizing it subtly
Cherag Bambboat, Celebrity MUA and the Founder of Magical Makeovers & Academy, feels, “For men, makeup is done with a ‘no-makeup’ technique by using minimal products. It starts with concealing the problematic areas and setting it with loose powder. It is then followed by contouring the face. It is more focused on attending to the skin and hydration and is followed by touch ups. After this, the next step is contouring, followed by the fixing spray. Nowadays, makeup is extremely useful in protecting the skin and has nothing to do with using more colours. It is all about features and making them stand out.”
Male celebrities rocking their makeup looks
Watching male celebrities embrace makeup that’s more colourful than subtle is changing the way men’s makeup is perceived. And this isn’t limited to the face but overall grooming — right from hair to nails. Celebrities like Harry Styles, Adam Lambert and Ezra Miller are flaunting their vibrant looks and making fashion statements.
Besides this, some have their own beauty brands — something that was earlier dominated by female celebrities but now the game has changed! Over the last few years, male celebs have embarked on the ground-breaking journey of establishing their own beauty brands.
Everyone is aware of Harry Style’s Pleasing, a nail care and nail paint brand offering multiple colours of nail paint. Even Machine Gun Kelly, who loves wearing nail paint, owns the nail paint brand UN/DN LAQR.
In the modern world, it’s more about looking your best for men and a little makeup does the trick!
