I once got a very atypical email. Most emails in my inbox are from girls, but this one was from a guy:
“Dear Doe, I am part of that 1% of males that frequent your wonderful blog. I want to know what you think about boys wearing makeup. Is it acceptable for you. And how do you make it acceptable for everyone else that doesn’t want to talk to you because it’s “weird”. It’s easy for girls to have a cool style of their own, even if it is slightly weird, that’s what makes it cool. If boys want to dress up everyday, it would be too odd to spend more than an hour getting ready, and then they would be frowned upon and seen as a freak! It’s unfair! I love makeup, it’s so creative and heaps of fun. -Xander Catt”
That email sat in my inbox for a long time, until I finally found the perfect person to answer it. Anna, our Intern Extraordinaire, has a wide range of interests – one of which is men who wear makeup. Here is what she had to say.
Dear Xander Catt,
Thank you for writing and being a part of that 1% who believes in more than just skin care or ‘malicure’! Please continue being the person that you are and don’t try to please everyone. A lot of men fear makeup as they feel it takes away their masculinity. This wasn’t always the case. Centuries ago men applied powder and blush to their face to show off and represent their nobility. In that regard, they were equal to women (unfortunately that equality didn’t extend beyond makeup). In the times when first impressions and appearances matter more than ever, it’s no surprise that the subject of men in makeup is once again a hot topic.
Personally, I adore men who apply black eyeliner to their lids because it shows their confidence and their interest in fashion and art. They are not afraid of being called ‘feminine’ or ‘gay’ because they know it’s not about what others think of them, but their own vision. There are men out there who are freakishly good at makeup, in fact some of my favourite make-up artists are males, and very much integrated in the makeup business.
Versailles: an all-boys band!
Incidentally, Japanese Rock (also called ‘J-Rock’ or ‘Visual Kei’) is famous for its vibrant and uniquely-styled bands. Those unfamiliar with this music genre might mistake the band members for females. The band Versailles for example has the most fabulous costumes and ,SuG’ members wear crazy make-up at all times. They have many fans because they express themselves from the point of confidence. There are even Japanese magazines – like Cure – who invite J-Rockers to explain how they do their make-up!
An Afro-German male friend of mine recently unhesitatingly accepted my offer to give him a make-over. He has a girlfriend but shows a strong interest in colours and beauty (he is a photographer). In his opinion, make-up is a-must to emphasize a man’s masculinity, and he hopes “men and make-up will become one again in the following years, not only because of gender equality and fairness, but also because it’s a fun something they could have in common with women.”
Yours,
Anna
Deerlings: who are your favorite men in makeup?
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