Men's makeup: history of the issue

Conservatives may resist this newfangled trend, but one thing cannot be denied - every day more and more male clients find themselves in the makeup artist's chair of their own accord. But is this so surprising? Is this such a newfangled trend as it seems? But no!

History of men's makeup

Makeup has been used by men since the dawn of human cultures as an attribute of many rituals and an identifier of tribal affiliation. Each tribe had different designations. Some, with the help of such “makeup,” scared away evil forces, attracted the attention of spirits, identified each other by occupation and social status, while others attracted representatives of the opposite sex. There were often cases of war paint to intimidate wild animals during hunting and enemies during internecine wars with warring tribes.

Historical sources claim that in ancient civilizations, men wore makeup just like women. For example, in the birthplace of makeup, in Ancient Egypt, men used black kajal to line their eyes, giving them a seductive almond shape. A varied palette was used in makeup: black, green malachite pigment, lapis lazuli, ocher for cheeks and lips. The Egyptians used makeup not only for aesthetic purposes; makeup also had a practical purpose: it was credited with medicinal and magical properties.

As you know, French men in the 16th century did not hesitate to shine at social events in voluminous wigs, and a neatly lined black fly was considered a unique decorative detail on the face of any fashionista.

In all historical eras, men used cosmetic products that were innovative for their time in different ways and thereby showed their status in society - cosmetics were considered a luxury and were available only to representatives of the privileged classes. But in the twentieth century, the trend of wearing male makeup , despite the development of cinema, modeling and the emergence of so-called metrosexuals, began to decline, and makeup became the prerogative of women.

Men's makeup nowadays

Over the past few years, consumer interest in cosmetics has increased greatly. Some blame this craze on trends coming from social media. Beauty bloggers of all sorts and stripes vying with each other to tell life hacks for applying makeup, and not being able to sculpt your face using special cosmetic products and highlighter is considered almost a sign of bad taste. And, of course, the general “craze” on beauty could not help but affect men.

A new generation of metrosexuals is emerging - men who attach great importance to their appearance. However, one can often hear in the address of a well-groomed and stylishly dressed man that “a real man should not look like this” - in the sense that a real man does not care what he wears and how.

However, we should not forget that there are fewer and fewer representatives of blue-collar professions. Professions in which it is not just important how you look, but sometimes the very possibility of getting a job depend on it, are popular.

Who needs men's makeup?

Actors and TV presenters have long been accustomed to feeling comfortable in the makeup artist’s chair. But now, more and more often, businessmen, lawyers, politicians, programmers become clients, for whom a small amount of cosmetics on the face, hiding flaws and favorably emphasizing advantages, gives confidence, charm and charm, which is sometimes lacking.

Public people often have to speak in front of an audience, they are filmed by video cameras, spotlights are directed at them, and in order for their face to subsequently look flawless on the screen, it is necessary to use special makeup products to remove unnecessary shine, eliminate dark circles under the eyes or give facial skin looks fresher. Sometimes, with the help of foundation creams, it is necessary not only to hide large pores or facial skin defects, but also, for example, to disguise scars, pronounced age spots or tattoos, which is not difficult.

Today on the Internet you can find various variations of men's makeup: from neutral to full glam - with false eyelashes and bright lips. The main condition when applying men's makeup is moderation and maximum naturalness.

With high-quality foundations with creamy textures, you can easily achieve smooth, radiant skin without the feeling of a mask, and dimethicone and titanium dioxide will protect the skin from the irritating effects of the external environment and ultraviolet radiation. Silicon oxide will absorb excess oil and give the skin a matte finish, and the natural preservative BotaniChem will provide reliable protection against bacterial contamination. Apply a colorless gloss, matte nude lipstick with pomegranate oil or lip balm to the lips. And voila! The ideal man is ready.

Do not forget that correctly and carefully used simple cosmetics can significantly emphasize the dignity of the face, make it look fresher, and even give it a more youthful appearance. And it doesn't depend on gender.