Why many men don’t use skincare or wear makeup - even though they want to
Last week, my younger brother asked for my help in taking his photo for a school project. After showing him what I felt was the best shot, he told me that his skin doesn’t look so good. I offered to do his makeup for the photo, because I knew that all he needed was a bit of concealer and powder. My brother declined. He said that he is simply not comfortable with wearing makeup. When I asked if it’s because he thinks makeup is just for girls, he said no. Hey, at least my many years of wearing makeup taught him that guys can wear makeup too!
I wondered about my brother’s discomfort towards makeup. After all, he is not the only one. I have many guy friends who feel uncomfortable whenever makeup and skincare become part of conversations.
From my end, I don’t understand why makeup and skincare should be categorized based on gender. Makeup knows no gender, so every makeup product is technically universal. After all, a concealer wouldn’t have a different effect on a man compared to a woman. Human skin is human skin. Okay, I must admit, when Chanel launched their first makeup line for men, Boy De Chanel, last September 2018, I was intrigued. However, I didn’t see anything different to existing products on the market. Every product felt like a repackaged version of existing products - only then, it was marketed towards men.
When it comes to skincare, yes, skincare products for men are different in terms of packaging and fragrance, but that’s about it! Shouldn’t the priority be on the ingredients that will target specific skin problems? The efficacy of the formula itself is what matters the most in this regard.
Makeup knows no gender, so every product is technically universal.
But it’s not just about functionality, is it? A good guy friend of mine, to this day, is apprehensive when it comes to makeup. He fears negative judgement from the people around him. He feels that people will automatically label him as a gay man if they find out that he wears makeup. Another friend of mine expressed how awkward it feels whenever he passes by the makeup areas in stores. He has to ask a girl friend or a female relative to buy it for him.
Come to think of it, I rarely see other men whenever I shop for makeup. While it feels liberating to be the only guy, it can also feel lonely.
When people need something for a problem - any problem - they try something different in the hopes of a solution. Honestly, when you are comfortable enough in your masculinity, femininity, or gender fluidity, it shouldn’t be an issue if you use something that’s marketed for the opposite sex. We are expected to be more open-minded in these (arguably) more enlightened times. But still it is a struggle and it is easier said than done. I believe though that talking about it will make it more acceptable and encourage men like me to be comfortable in their own skin as well as our gender identity.
Skincare, whether you are a man or a woman, is not an option. There's no stigma when women take precious care of their skin, but men? It seems that the prevailing thought is that if you're a guy and you use something other than soap and shampoo, you're considered metrosexual or even gay. That's unfair and quite counterproductive. If men can't not brush their teeth, then they also can't not use a proper facial wash, toner, and moisturizer.
Maybe the stigma lies in how products are packaged. Let me share a conversation I had with someone from a giant skincare company. The rep remarked that they are surprised that their new facial wash (then) was so successful, even men were buying them. It appears that men thought the new facial wash was for them simply because the tube was black.
Maybe guys don't feel as shy about skincare when the packaging is very much male. What do you think? If that's the case then they will love Watsons Men skincare line, with it's macho metal tubes and sporty bottles.
Last week, my younger brother asked for my help in taking his photo for a school project. After showing him what I felt was the best shot, he told me that his skin doesn’t look so good. I offered to do his makeup for the photo, because I knew that all he needed was a bit of concealer and powder. My brother declined. He said that he is simply not comfortable with wearing makeup. When I asked if it’s because he thinks makeup is just for girls, he said no.