In his first three months in office, French President Emmanuel Macron spent €26,000 employing a personal makeup artist. That works out to over AU$42,000.
This expenditure was for various press conferences and foreign trips the President had to attend and he’s not the only male politician who has forked out a large sum to have his face made up.
In 2016, Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, took a trip to New York and spent $1,600 on hairstyling and $1,750 on makeup, as reported by The Guardian.
Makeup for men is no longer reserved for actors or talkshow hosts. In fact, according to research from Allied Market Research, the men’s personal care market is expected to hit $166 billion by 2022. This is attributed to a rise in disposable income and a change in lifestyle coupled with an increase in the number of products on the market.
And, while you might argue that men have been interested in (and wearing) cosmetics for years, it seems that the conversations around beauty products for men are no longer being conducted in hushed tones. The skincare and makeup industry is creating more products specifically for men and genderless brands and beauty products are abundant.
High-end brands have also jumped on the bandwagon in recent years. In 2018, Chanel released a makeup range for men called Boy de Chanel. The range includes a foundation, an eyebrow pencil and a lip balm.
“Men should be free to use makeup products to correct or improve their appearance, without calling into question their masculinity,” a press release from Chanel said.
The topic of masculinity is an interesting one, and anecdotally speaking, is largely the reason why many men shun makeup. Australian brand Tony & Munro have created a first-of-its-kind line of fusion cosmetics for men, that blends skincare and makeup.
If you’re interested in makeup but are unsure where to start, this is a great option as all of the products are super easy to use. For those worried about dark circles, Tony & Munro’s Correcting Concealer reduces redness and conceals dark undereye circles for a bright and natural finish.
If you’re after a little more coverage, the Renew Nourishing BB Cream offers SPF 30 protection, while also smoothing out redness and blemishes and giving the skin a natural, flawless look. Simply apply to your whole face, making sure to blend into your hairline, beard and neckline.
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Given that men’s skin is roughly 25% thicker compared to women’s and generally on the oiler side, using a specially formulated product like Tony & Munro’s means it’ll effectively hydrate your skin and the products will look more natural on the skin’s surface.
If you’re looking for something a little more dramatic, Fenty Beauty is a great gender-neutral option. The brand has extensive shade ranges across its line of foundations, concealers and bronzers and is used by some of the world’s most famous men.
In fact, British actor Daniel Kaluuya wore Fenty Beauty foundation on the red carpet at the Oscars in 2018.
Another Aussie brand worth checking out is BM Cosmetics, which offer makeup products designed for rougher and more pigmented skin. The range includes bronzer, mascara and mineral powders that have been specially formulated to not get stuck in facial hair.
Whatever level of makeup you’re looking for, from subtle to dramatic, there is certainly a brand that caters for you.