Male Makeup In History And Today
In our day to day lives anything big or small about us makes us feel self-conscious, we constantly think about that little thing and forget to enjoy the experiences that come our way. We try out best to fix these things but what about things like acne, blemishes or general redness that one just can’t fix that easily? This is where makeup steps in as tool that enables people to feel comfortable in their own skin and concentrate on more important things. Makeup also promotes the idea of self-awareness and gives out a message that the user takes their self seriously.
The global cosmetic industry as of 2017 was valued at USD 532.43 billion and is expected to reach 863 billion in 2024 growing at a CAGR of approximately 7.14% between 2018 and 2024. But who are the people who contribute towards this multi-billion dollar industry? Although women constitute the majority here but there are a few men who are pioneering a shift in the general trend and making the beauty industry see men as potential customers. But why do we need a shift? Why weren’t men an obvious consumer choice for the cosmetic industry? To understand this we need to go back in time and understand men’s relationship with makeup.
From Ancient Egypt to Ancient Rome men used to wear makeup as a sign of power and spiritual purposes and to look presentable, in Elizabethan England or 18th century France men partook in the extravagance of makeup. It was in 1800s when Queen Victoria I of Great Britain deemed cosmetics vulgar, makeup at this time was considered “an abomination”, because of this makeup was conformed to one end of the gender spectrum. With time as religious values continued to seep into cultures around the world, mainstream definitions of masculinity narrowed. Beauty and by extension makeup, are considered a feminine thing in today’s time which is nothing but a manmade concept. We can see it in the animal kingdom as well where the males are the more colourful and ‘beautiful’ best example being the majestic peacock. However now there is big change is coming where more and more cosmetic companies are focusing to reaching out to the men, and men wearing makeup are being represented in the mainstream media more than ever.
Representation is very important, in the case of South Korea where men in the mainstream media (K-pop, K-drama) wear makeup, have extravagant hair and this influence is seen in an average Korean man who inevitably is comfortable with expressing his idea of beauty. However this trend differs in the case of America, where shows like Ru Pauls Drag Race are a big phenomenon in the media but the conservative culture prevents men gay or straight to wear makeup. New and changing ideas of the masses and influencers portraying the idea of a man in makeup is no less than a man without makeup, in other words we can say this conversation on beauty and grooming is redefining masculinity. While all this is happening around the world, the situation in India has been different.
The evolution of an average Indian man with respect to skin care and beauty has been a slow and interesting process. The common Indian man who constituted the majority could care very less about a beauty regime and the way he looks, but with time the increase in disposable income, awareness of the latest trends and western culture the average Indian man aged 16-25 is concerned about the way he presents himself.
According to a 2016 Assocham report, the Indian man who primary only stuck to shaving as their daily grooming routine will take India’s beauty, cosmetic and grooming market to $20 billion by 2025 from the current $6.5 billion. The main reason for this shift from shaving cream to moisturizer was due to a large number of endorsements by Bollywood actors who are selling the idea that a groomed man is a sexy man. But will the Indian man ever feel comfortable to put on makeup? For this idea to become a reality in India, we will have to get rid of the toxic thoughts surrounding what’s masculine and what’s not, get more representation where mainstream icons can normalize the subject and lastly have more and more brands come and give the Indian man a chance to experiment with beauty.
