And we’re not just referring to the gay/gender-fluid community fronted by the likes of James Charles, Jeffree Star and Bretman Rock – whose follower demographics still lean heavily towards women. While that may be so, the fact that they were all rock n rollers made it unlikely for the average Joe to relate.Ĭonversely, the continuous rise of male influencers and celebrities who wear makeup in recent years is slowly but surely lifting this stigma. Some may argue that names like Steven Tyler, David Bowie and Prince have propagated the use of makeup and the “guyliner” look since the ‘70s. David Bowie in arguably his most iconic makeup looks of all time. In a survey on men in the US last year, 68% of participants strongly or somewhat agreed that makeup is for women and 54% thought it was not socially acceptable for men to wear makeup. The lack of representation eventually led the majority of men to think that makeup makes you look more feminine – a view that has been ingrained in modern society, albeit diminishing, until today. This notion became mainstream through wartime periods and the decades after, as men were expected to be on the battlefields or in the workplace with little time or concern for personal care. The influential queen considered makeup to be vulgar and should only be worn by whores, which created strong, widespread associations between makeup, vanity and femininity. However, views on men’s grooming took a turn during the reign of Queen Victoria I. Queen Victoria I saw makeup as an “abomination”.
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The same could be said of King Louis XVI’s rule in 18 th century France, where aristocrats would apply thick layers of white paint, along with rouge pigments and beauty patches to symbolise social standing and style. Then there was the Queen Elizabeth I era, where makeup was so popular that some literally paid for it with their lives (note: never use face powder or any other makeup that’s made with lead).
#Pictures of gay men wearing makeup skin
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. Though primarily worn to evoke the gods, protect the eyes from the sun or symbolise wealth and status, cat-eye designs were also deemed attractive.
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In 4000 BC, both Egyptian men and women used kohl and malachite for eye makeup. So, how did men’s makeup become so stigmatised in the first place? Makeup and men: A brief history Ancient Egyptian makeup. Ironically, various civilizations across different eras in human history have documented men using different forms of makeup or their equivalent at the time.
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Just 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’s inappropriate for men to wear so much ”. The only occasions societally deemed “acceptable” for men (young boys included) to put on even a hint of foundation or eyeliner are for the camera or entertainment’s sake. (Photo: Getty)įor the greater part of the 20 th century until today, makeup has been perceived as female-only territory. (Read until the end for our top men’s makeup recommendations!) Ansel Elgort wearing glitter eyeshadow to the 2020 Golden Globes earlier this year. We explore how makeup became a taboo for men and why it’s finally becoming okay again.