Is the taboo around male make-up disappearing?

[Deleted]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41971587

A growing number of young men are wearing make-up and big brands are embracing the trend. Could the stigma around male cosmetics finally be disappearing?

Gianni Casagrande began wearing make-up about three years ago.

The 22-year-old from Middlesbrough says he had "really bad acne" and started using concealer to hide his blemishes.

Impressed by the results, he moved on to wearing a tinted skin primer - or "BB cream" - on nights out and a brow styling gel to control his "bushy" eyebrows.

"There is definitely still a stigma around men's make-up, but I think it's becoming more normal now," the social media strategist and beauty blogger says.

"A lot more of my friends are wearing it, both gay and straight - it makes you feel a lot more comfortable and confident."

With men from popular reality TV shows like Geordie Shore and Made in Chelsea endorsing cosmetics, and beauty bloggers and brands championing the trend, male make-up is in the limelight.

In August, L'Oreal's UK boss, Vismay Sharma, said it was no longer a taboo for the "selfie generation" to use cosmetics and that we could see male-targeted make-up counters in department stores in "five to seven years".

Maybelline, a L'Oreal brand, used a male ambassador for the first time in January, casting social media star Manny Gutierrez in a mascara advert.

And a growing number of brands such as Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford sell make-up specifically for men, including "guy-liner" eye pencils, bronzing creams and concealers.

Charlotte Libby, a senior beauty analyst at research firm Mintel, says using make-up "will never be for all men" but there's "definitely a growing audience".

"To put it into context globally it accounts for less than 1% of the market. But the stigma about men being well groomed and enhancing their appearance is falling away and cosmetics are benefiting from that."

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Personally I find make up on men hideous, especially when it's too much which is almost usually always the case

[Doctor Amadeus]

Haha, I sure hope so, it seems pretty fucking stupid. I am not and never would wear makeup, but if some dude wants to wear makeup so fucking what.

[Dread Pirate Phayde]

Celebrities, news people, etc have been doing it for years, why not the general male public as well. That being said, I wouldn't wear it.

[Total Crica]

What's ok for women should be ok for men and vice versa. Not sure why anyone would think it should be an issue.

[Ealyssa]

Pretty much every single male star has some on their face.

[HumbleDuck]

I used to think it's a taboo back in the 90s, since the 2000s I've seen so much of this that I kinda assumed it's accepted as a normal behavior, and now I'm shocked that some people don't think the same way.
Talk about echo chambers.

[Deleted]

I used to think it's a taboo back in the 90s, since the 2000s I've seen so much of this that I kinda assumed it's accepted as a normal behavior, and now I'm shocked that some people don't think the same way.
Talk about echo chambers.

I don't really know many people over 40 that have issue with it

[Splenda]

Personally I hope so. Strategic makeup can look good on anyone, and if someone wants to go hog wild, go for it. It's your face, not mine.

[Halyon]

Good thing if it is tbh, anyone who wants to wear make-up should be able to do so freely.

[The Stormbringer]

What's ok for women should be ok for men and vice versa. Not sure why anyone would think it should be an issue.

Give us our topless women and men in dresses, darnit!

[Total Crica]

Give us our topless women and men in dresses, darnit!

I would so never wear a shirt if I didn't have to, so unfair!

[Selastan]

Give us our topless women and men in dresses, darnit!

I really hope masculine dresses become a thing. Men's fashion is so boring...

[sam86]

I hope so, while i probably won't use (mostly because of how i grew up), the idea of taboos in general is fucking disgusting and we should end them
we are evolving not devolving

[Video Games]

I worry about the future of boys if they continue to go down this path.

[Protean]

I worry about the future of boys if they continue to go down this path.

You're saying boys/men are so mentally fragile they can't handle makeup? Because I can't think of any other reason than this or crying about degeneracy.

[Khaza-R]

Sure but I don’t think it’s a good sign.

Younger generations grow up with even deeper insecurities due to the pressures of social media. This is just a sign that young males are now more insecure and feel the need to use make up to feel attractive. I think that’s repugnant and not something worth celebrating unless your in field of selling cosmetics of course.

[Deleted]

no male wears make up. actors don't really count

[Video Games]

You're saying boys/men are so mentally fragile they can't handle makeup? Because I can't think of any other reason than this or crying about degeneracy.

Mainly degeneracy. Movie make up is ok, but mascara and lipstick and stuff is stupid.

[Sunseeker]

No. You know what's changed? The makeup companies have realized that they're ignoring 50% of the people with money.

Makeup is by-and-large, a total pain in the ass. But you can also do some cool shit with it.

[Khaza-R]

no male wears make up. actors don't really count

Clearly you didn’t live in the 80s