# "Makeup for Men Is on the Rise—and No Longer a Taboo" I call shenanigans on this perennial BS claim **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381 "2013-05-15T06:32:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/41 "2013-05-15T20:33:48Z")
As for the OP, I’ve seen a few “look at me” college kid types (Goth, Glam, punk, etc.- those whose “look” borders on costume) wearing guyliner and some other cosmetics, but it’s far from mainstream. In fact, I was at “The Gay Starbucks” in Atlanta the other night and the dominant look among the young and hot openly gay set is almost Mormon missionary- cleancut, short hair, preppie attire- no makeup in the lot did I see. I don’t even think it’s a matter of being socially acceptable or ‘un’- it’s just not in. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/42 "2013-05-15T20:39:16Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Dude, people whose eyelashes don’t curl up get poked by them in their eye? That has literally never occurred to me, and I’m not even sure how that works. I don’t know how it happens. I never would have believed it if I hadn’t SEEN his lashes, point-first, in his eye. They are like fucking little knives. As I said, they have actually penetrated my skin, too. So he is ethnically Chinese and his nose is somewhat flat…so he can’t wear his glasses far away from his face. And the glasses push the hairs in, too. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/43 "2013-05-15T20:39:18Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I would absolutely carry a purse as it’s one of the few things I envy about women’s fashion. It’s such a practical thing; pockets are way too limiting, but man-purse stigma is still a thing. (I know at least one guy who carries his laptop bag everywhere even though he almost never carries a laptop in it- it’s because of man-purse stigma.) Murses are on the rise! On the ride to work, more guys are carrying things than not, so much so that I recently realized it actually now looks odd to me when the guys aren’t carrying anything. Usually it’s a messenger bag or a tiny bag/case for tablets and miscellany, so rejoice that everyone now carries so much stuff around that man bags are no longer to be mocked! Tell your coworker that he can stop with the laptop-free laptop bag now. (And if he ever actually needs to carry a laptop, a lot of super stylish messenger bags come with built in laptop and tablet slots. Sensible fashion, ftw!) ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/44 "2013-05-15T20:54:35Z")
If men start wearing makeup, it will take twice as long to get out of the house in the morning. Think of the lost productivity! I keep trying to get my wife to not wear it: “Extra sleep, more money, what’s not to love?”. She’s not buying into it. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/45 "2013-05-15T21:13:24Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > I keep trying to get my wife to not wear it: “Extra sleep, more money, what’s not to love?”. She’s not buying into it. Maybe she actually enjoys makeup. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/46 "2013-05-15T21:36:32Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > The article mentions “$5 billion on men’s grooming products”, so that probably means men’s deodorant, shaving cream, after shave face cream and some hair product aimed specifically at men. I think there are also far more shower gels and shampoos marketed towards men now. > > A pretty far cry from make up. Yeah, when I read that I thought of things like gel/pomade, shaving cream and aftershaves, deodorant, etc. Even razors could be considered a “men’s grooming product.” Just because men don’t paint their faces, it doesn’t mean we don’t spend a few bucks cleaning, shaving, and making ourselves look and smell good. And if you take $5 billion and divide it by the 120 million or so adult men in the US it only comes out to 30-40 bucks per person per year. A few sticks of deodorant, a few things of shaving cream and aftershave (all of which are marketed specifically towards men), some men’s body wash and shampoo, and maybe some moisturizer or sunscreen would probably come out to pretty close to that amount. I’m sure the market for real makeup for men is a tiny sliver of that $5 billion. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/47 "2013-05-15T21:45:41Z")
I’ve carried a lunch bag with books, my lunch, my umbrella, etc. for years. Never knew I was cutting edge! 😃 As for make-up - no, that’s not happening, absent a major social shift. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/48 "2013-05-15T22:19:56Z")
Yeah, not feeling the love for man-purses. Not that I think it would be too feminine or anything, but because I prefer being hands- (and shoulder-) free. Backpacks are tolerable because they put the load on both shoulders, but not purses. Maybe I wouldn’t feel this way if I hadn’t carried a duffle bag or one of those “trendy” one strap backpacks as a kid in school. But purses are not my thing, and I marvel that even women can stand to carry them. Everything I carry can fit in my pockets. (And I used the aforementioned backpack when I was carrying a laptop.) Yeah, it may not look fashionable, but it feels better. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/49 "2013-05-15T22:37:56Z")
ISTM that it has been an aim of the beauty industry to target men for some time, and double their profits. It has been interesting to see this play out. One way of accomplishing this is to sell the idea that using such products is macho. So you get adverts where some muscular guy is punching a punch bag then talking about how he’s too tough…to show signs of ageing. The other thrust has been to convince guys that it is what all _the other guys_ are doing. You don’t want to be a loner, do you? Eventually though I think they will get their way: not that men will wear make-up (or that men will ever spend as much on such products as women do), but that things like moisturizing will become the norm. The need for men to tough guys has generally gone down over much of the developed world (American culture lags a bit on this), and looking good has become proportionally more important. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/50 "2013-05-15T23:42:09Z")
I’ve known plenty of men who wear make-up, although none of them would exactly be called mainstream in style. It’s certainly common in gay and alternative music subcultures. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/51 "2013-05-16T00:55:15Z")
If you read the article, they are primarily talking about low-key things like spot concealer, lip balm, and (getting a little crazy) bronzer. I’ve never known a guy to use bronzer, but the other two have always been marketed. It seems that now sales on these things are up. ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/52 "2013-05-16T01:01:40Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Maybe she actually enjoys makeup. [QUOTE=Foghorn Leghorn] That, I say, that was a joke, ma’am. [/QUOTE] .. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/53 "2013-05-16T01:09:57Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > If you read the article, they are primarily talking about low-key things like spot concealer, lip balm, and (getting a little crazy) bronzer. I’ve never known a guy to use bronzer, but the other two have always been marketed. It seems that now sales on these things are up. How is lip balm make up? Unless it’s tinted, but then that’s not at all mainstream either. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/54 "2013-05-16T01:36:15Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > [Jezebel put guys in some tinted moisturizer](http://jezebel.com/should-guys-wear-tinted-moisturizer-we-made-em-try-it-472554002) and I think the improvement is great. It evens out their complexions nicely. I’m sorry but i see absolutely no improvement. They certainly don’t look any worse, but at best they look simply different. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/55 "2013-05-16T01:39:36Z")
I carry a soft sided (nylon) cooler, with small zippered pockets. It holds my lunch, water and a couple Mt. Dews. It also holds my keys, apple cutting knife, small headphone radio, phone and charger, hand sanitizer, couple dollars in change and sometimes bills, Cortaid, spare batteries, etc. Yeah…it’s a purse. I used to just carry it to work but now I take it along when I go anywhere. I don’t lug it with me everywhere but it’s in my truck. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/56 "2013-05-16T01:42:46Z")
I’d like to know what you guys are carrying that you wish you could have a purse. I have enough pockets for my wallet, phone and keys. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/57 "2013-05-16T01:49:36Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Ding ding ding. It’s funny, I know quite a few men who wear tinted moisturizer or use acne treatments with built in concealer. The companies are just smart and don’t call it that, because- as we can see in this thread- a lot of men freak out at the thought of wearing makeup. > > [Jezebel put guys in some tinted moisturizer](http://jezebel.com/should-guys-wear-tinted-moisturizer-we-made-em-try-it-472554002) and I think the improvement is great. It evens out their complexions nicely. Is tinted moisturizer any more difficult to apply than a regular facial moisturizer? That is, I’m careful to cover my whole face for the SPF protection, but it’s invisible when I’m done, so I don’t really know if it’s evenly applied. If you reflexively touch and rub your face all day long, will you make a mess of yourself and wind up looking weird? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/58 "2013-05-16T02:20:22Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I’d like to know what you guys are carrying that you wish you could have a purse. I have enough pockets for my wallet, phone and keys. Same here. Unless you’re wearing tight skinny jeans what is it you need to have the purse hold that pockets cannot? If you carrying a huge ring of keys around in public you’re being foolish. Leave the key ring under the seat in the car and carry one car key in your pocket. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/59 "2013-05-16T02:51:35Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > The other thrust has been to convince guys that it is what all _the other guys_ are doing. You don’t want to be a loner, do you? So, a really macho sheep? I don’t see that working. 😉 I just burst out laughing a few minutes ago - the ad before a YouTube video I was watching was for a razor made specifically for manscaping, and showed a guy shaving his chest hair. They went with the usual tactic - busty babe explaining how icky hairy guys are. How does that even work? Geeks who can’t get laid aren’t known for their hairy chests. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381/60 "2013-05-16T04:18:39Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I’m sorry but i see absolutely no improvement. They certainly don’t look any worse, but at best they look simply different. Well, I think they look better, particularly the third guy. Of course it isn’t vastly and noticeably different- it’s tinted moisturizer, not stage makeup. It’s supposed to be light and barely noticeable, that’s the whole goddamned point. > [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > Is tinted moisturizer any more difficult to apply than a regular facial moisturizer? That is, I’m careful to cover my whole face for the SPF protection, but it’s invisible when I’m done, so I don’t really know if it’s evenly applied. > > If you reflexively touch and rub your face all day long, will you make a mess of yourself and wind up looking weird? Nope, just as easy as regular moisturizer. I think it takes about the same amount of rubbing, if not less-- instead of it being stark white, it’s flesh colored, so it blends faster. And not really. I touch my face all day and am fine. Tinted moisturizer is light coverage enough that if you do rub a patch off, you’re not going to look like a porcelain doll with a chunk missing or anything. Would I run my white sleeve across my face? Probably not, but I think under normal usage you’d be fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/makeup-for-men-is-on-the-rise-and-no-longer-a-taboo-i-call-shenanigans-on-this-perennial-bs-claim/658381.md?page=4)