I had an enlightening exchange with my fiancé the other day. We were shopping together for some new clothes (a rare occasion for him) and I pulled out a tank top that I thought would look good on him. He took one look at it and said, “I don’t like my underarm area.” Just like that. As if it was totally “normal” for him to have an insecurity that is completely unfounded.
I mention this only because I find this is a unique moment in time when men are as self-conscience, or even, as interested in their appearance as women are. In our culture, it’s been typical for the woman to be wary of her waist size or quick to cover a zit with concealer, but now men too are increasingly aware of say, a larger-than-average nose size or even broken capillaries on their face. Perhaps that’s why new data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) shows that more men than ever are seeking out cosmetic enhancement procedures. It also might be why the famous fashion designer Tom Ford is launching a men’s grooming line, which has been described in the trade magazine WWD as “a couple of products with cosmetic benefits to be used in a very masculine way.”
The Tom Ford line for men, which debuts this fall, includes a face cleanser, moisturizer, eye treatment, purifying mud mask, concealer and bronzing gel, as well as two new fragrances. It will offer men, who love a little luxury, the opportunity to clear up impurities on their face and cover them with makeup. Like women, less cover-up will probably be more.
It will be interesting to see if this actually catches on with men that want the ability to enhance themselves. What do you think? Would you mind if your man wore makeup?
