Unless you’ve been living in pure denial under a very large rock in a desolate environment, you’ll have come to realise that a person’s gender doesn’t dictate what they do and don’t like.
Reddit recently asked dudes what they’d do if it were socially acceptable and for every person that said they’d love to learn how to quilt, or wear leggings on a daily basis, there were four or five others that told them to do it anyway and forget about what the world thinks.
Damn straight, that’s the good stuff.
One thing that’s taking on the idea that gender is purely a construct is the world of cosmetics. In recent times we’ve seen cosmetic brands taking on male make-up artists to be their ambassadors, and the amount of men investing in their daily routines spiking massively in Korea.
It’s not just a trend in the international game, either. There’s a bunch of dudes here in Australia that are doing more for their own self-esteem and confidence by investing some serious bank into their cosmetics.
Ardi Astarto is a tailor by trade, and regularly wears make-up to boost his confidence when he’s at work or on a hot date.
“When I was working a filler job I didn’t like at the age of 20, I noticed my skin was in extremely poor condition.” Ardi tells Pedestrian.TV.“I began a skincare routine to alleviate that and after about two years when I saw a drastic improvement in not only my dermatological health, but my mental health too.”
Ardi tells us that he plays it by ear with how much make-up he wears, and spends a whole bunch of dosh on his skincare and grooming.
“My spend on cosmetic home products is probably $150 – $200 a year.” Ardi says.
“But if I were to include the amount I spend on facials, and grooming services it would add an extra $1,000 a year at least – $50 a fortnight on eyebrows and nails.”
This is not just using Lynx Africa body wash for haphazardly washing ya bits in the shower, mates. This is some serious investment into looking – and feeling – bloody good.
Brad McCormack works as a urban planner in Melbourne and Adelaide, and started his relationship with cosmetics when he used to ask his mum and sister to help hide blemishes with concealer.
“I started investing more time and effort into my skin and appearance in my early twenties.” Brad tells Pedestrian.TV.“I worked in Sydney’s fashion industry and was attending events, runway shows and meetings with important clients, celebrities and industry people and I experimented more with daily application.”
Brad tells us that he likes to keep his make-up game looking as natural as possible, and tends to regularly wear bronzing gel mixed in with moisturiser for an even glow.
He’s also not one to shy away from maintaining his skin, either. Brad says that he books himself in for monthly facial treatments to keep his skin feeling nice and clear.
“I believe that longer term maintenance is also important,” Brad says.
“So, every few months I have microdermabrasion and also maintain my skin with regular facials at home, so it’s a more minimal daily routine,”
Dismantling the taboo around cosmetics is happening everywhere. Some men I spoke to aren’t comfortable with being identified, and that’s purely the fault of society’s perception of gender.
Even though they feel empowered by knowing that underneath their steel-caps they’ve got their toenails painted, the pressures of having to stick to the gender norms of being a ‘masculine’ man forces them to keep what makes them feel powerful and beautiful to themselves.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
In Australia, the team at BM Cosmetics have been providing the lads with make-up and cosmetics designed specifically for people with skin that men typically have – more pigmented, rougher, and prone to facial hair.
After launching in 2014, BM Cosmetics have seen a massive spike in sales of their products – so much so that they’ve now launched and office in London and are looking to expand across Europe and into the United States.
Beau Mooi – the brains behind BM Cosmetics – tells us that male make-up is a section of the cosmetics industry that is booming. The reason behind the brand? Because he couldn’t find any Aussie-based make-up for his skin that he liked.
“I used to be a actor and model when I was younger and i loved the look i would have on camera. But then off camera you could clearly see I was wearing make-up, so I thought there must be a male brand out there to help.” Beau tells Pedestrian.TV.“After a lot of research, I discovered there was a very limited selection and nothing in Australia, so I created my own.”
So there ya go, folks. Make-up is not just for the gals anymore. Cosmetics shouldn’t be gendered, hey. Anyone with skin should be able to feel good about being in theirs.
Photo: The Dandy Project.
