When Did Male Makeup Become Taboo

We explore how makeup became a taboo for men and why it'south finally becoming okay again. (Read until the end for our top men's makeup recommendations!)

Ansel Elgort wearing glitter eyeshadow to the 2020 Golden Globes earlier this year. (Photo: Getty)

For the greater part of the 20^th century until today, makeup has been perceived as female-merely territory. The only occasions societally accounted "acceptable" for men (young boys included) to put on even a hint of foundation or eyeliner are for the camera or entertainment's sake.

But ask YouTube makeup guru Patrick Starrr, who recently launched his own makeup line with makeup removal products to reclaim the narrative of the time he was told "it'due south inappropriate for men to wear so much [makeup]".

Ironically, various civilizations across different eras in man history have documented men using different forms of makeup or their equivalent at the time. So, how did men's makeup get then stigmatised in the first place?

Makeup and men: A cursory history

Aboriginal Egyptian makeup. (Photo: Getty)

In 4000 BC, both Egyptian men and women used kohl and malachite for eye makeup. Though primarily worn to evoke the gods, protect the eyes from the sun or symbolise wealth and status, cat-eye designs were likewise deemed attractive. Elsewhere in 1^st century Rome, men were known to apply red pigment to their cheeks, lighten their skin with powder and paint their nails.

Then there was the Queen Elizabeth I era, where makeup was and so popular that some literally paid for it with their lives (notation: never use face pulverisation or any other makeup that's fabricated with lead). The same could be said of Rex Louis XVI's dominion in 18^thursday century France, where aristocrats would apply thick layers of white pigment, along with rouge pigments and beauty patches to symbolise social standing and style.

Queen Victoria I saw makeup as an "abomination". (Photograph: Getty)

However, views on men'due south grooming took a turn during the reign of Queen Victoria I. The influential queen considered makeup to be vulgar and should only be worn past whores, which created strong, widespread associations betwixt makeup, vanity and femininity. This notion became mainstream through wartime periods and the decades later on, as men were expected to be on the battlefields or in the workplace with petty fourth dimension or concern for personal care.

The makeup (r)development

The lack of representation somewhen led the bulk of men to think that makeup makes you look more feminine – a view that has been ingrained in modern society, albeit diminishing, until today. In a survey on men in the Usa last year, 68% of participants strongly or somewhat agreed that makeup is for women and 54% idea it was not socially acceptable for men to vesture makeup.

David Bowie in arguably his virtually iconic makeup looks of all time.

Some may argue that names like Steven Tyler, David Bowie and Prince take propagated the use of makeup and the "guyliner" look since the '70s. While that may be so, the fact that they were all rock n rollers made it unlikely for the boilerplate Joe to chronicle.

Conversely, the continuous rise of male influencers and celebrities who wear makeup in recent years is slowly but surely lifting this stigma. And we're non just referring to the gay/gender-fluid customs fronted by the likes of James Charles, Jeffree Star and Bretman Rock – whose follower demographics all the same lean heavily towards women.

Take South Korea for example, where straight, masculine public figures like Lee Dong Wook and Won Bin are known to wear makeup – the onetime even landing the role of ambassador for Boy de Chanel in 2018. Just this year, Ansel Elgort famously wore glitter eyeshadow to the 2020 Gilt Globes. High end departmental store John Lewis also opened its first male cosmetics counter in January.

Lee Dong Wook for Boy de Chanel. (Photo: Chanel)

Mod day men'due south makeup

Today, men'south makeup is on rail to becoming less of a taboo again. According to Allied Marketplace Research, the men's personal intendance marketplace is expected to attain $166 billion in worth by 2022, with a CAGR of 5.4% between 2016 and 2022.

Our signal hither isn't that men should wear makeup. Simply as information technology should be acceptable for women to choose not to wear makeup, and then it should be for men to cull otherwise. Neither choice should be seen every bit less or more "feminine" because makeup knows no gender (nor sexual orientation).

If you happen to exist a dude who'due south open to explore makeup, it may be less intimidating to start with products specially marketed for men (though past all means, leap directly into colour cosmetics if yous're so inclined). With that, here's our pick of men's makeup brands and lines to help you await your near confident.

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