Men and Makeup

CEBU, Philippines — It’s a question asked by women whose boyfriends or spouses they know to like wearing makeup. And men who like wearing makeup ask it among themselves. The matter, thus, is being discussed, albeit in a hushed way.

So, should men wear makeup? Discussion on the question is often hushed since it tends to question the sexuality of the men concerned. This is especially a sensitive issue in a “quite reserved” country like the Philippines.

But one only has to look around when in the mall. The cosmetics section now has entire shelves dedicated to men. Many “guys have gone from secretly filching some of their girlfriends’ moisturizers, to owning enough beauty products to make most drag queens blush,” observes Douglas Cooney, in an article at www.askmen.com.

In the office setting, many hip urban professionals do wear makeup, although very discreetly.  Men are getting more and more conscious of their looks. The penchant for the “artistahin” look is undoubtedly spreading to man’s land.

Many teenage boys today mimic the vanity of their girlfriends. They are open in trying the facial and skin moisturizers their girls use. Some even go to the extent of putting on a bit of the ‘colors’ that the girls have in their bags.

Women’s makeup has long been held to embellish and emphasize. And it looks like many men want to go the same way.  Men are no longer content to use cosmetics just to hide blemishes, wrinkles, under-eye dark circles, and razor nicks.

Young male Korean stars, whom Filipino boys idolize, could easily be mistaken for girls with their looks. From the cosmetics they put on their faces all the way to their fashion sense, it is apparent that there is bold preference for things feminine. The outward gender lines have certainly been blurred.

And the term “metrosexual” is born. It refers to a straight man who indulges in traditionally feminine interests. A metrosexual applies a concealer stick that hides razor nicks and the dark rings under his eyes, among other traditionally woman pursuits like scrubbing his face at night with a cleanser, then soaking it in a pore diffuser. On special days he’ll treat himself to a facial and a manicure. But he’s not gay.

Nowadays there are men’s cosmetics, touted to help men look their best. This alone is proof that there is already a market for it. In fact, it is already a multi-billion global industry.

It’s no longer rare to come across some ‘revolutionary’ new shaving products that are supposedly better suited for men’s skin, said to provide better protection and kinder treatment to the male face than the usual white foam. There are new lines of fancy moisturizers, after-shaves and soaps that promise to keep men’s skin healthy and young looking. The proposition is that if a man tries to be healthy on the inside, external health is just the logical extension.

The popularity of men’s products has brought forth a new generation of cosmetics for men. These products have gone beyond facial moisturizers and after-shave creams. There are now concealers, foundations, skin toners, and bronzers etc. – all dedicated to men. Douglas Cooney mentions “sun tone enhancers,” pigment powders that give a man a fresh sunburn look that suggests he spent the day playing sports outdoors.

Well, yes, there are still men who shudder at the thought of wearing makeup themselves. They view it as an insult to manhood. But the numbers of the metrosexual is growing consistently that it won’t be a surprise if the conventional men are going to be eventually outnumbered.

Men wearing makeup is perhaps something everyone will have to learn to live with. But these men should be careful not to let their essential manhood be overcome by their outward vanity. They shall be careful not to overdo it – and beneath the makeup the man should remain a man.