Taking the plunge: ‘It looks as if I’ve used a very flattering Instagram filter on my face,’ says Priya Elan. Photograph: David Titlow/The Observer
Foundation, concealer, a little eyeliner… More and more men now put on makeup on a daily basis. Priya Elan (Guardian’s deputy fashion editor) meets the influencers behind the trend – and has a makeover himself.
The first time I tried on makeup I was six years old and my older sister decided to cover me in sickly raspberry-coloured glittery lipstick following the “more is better” mantra and the ethos, “it’s not on the lips, it’s around the lips.”
As I was presented to my parents, like a trussed up lamb to the slaughter beamed in from Laboratoire Garnier, Paris, the reaction was resoundingly reticent. Things turned into a Pinter play. My father was quietly horrified, refusing to talk for about six hours, and the incident was largely ignored by my mother who retired to the kitchen to gently throttle a metre of pastry. In the silent judgment that followed, I picked up on the vibe: boys don’t wear makeup. Clearly, I wasn’t born with it, whatever the Maybelline advert may say.
And yet today something (ie my big face) is looking very different. “You look really good!” a friend says, quickly eyeing my face to work out why. It’s New Year’s Eve and, nervously, I’ve taken the plunge. I’m wearing a subtle layer of male-specific makeup; concealer under my eyes and tinted moisturiser on my face. (“It’s hard to put on with facial hair,” my wife said as she dabbed the stuff on to me earlier in the day.)
‘Where do you buy your concealer?’: French president Macron and US president Trump at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, France. Both men are known to use makeup. Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA
Euromonitor predicts the men’s grooming and beauty market will be worth more than £49bn this year, a quadruple rise from what it generated in 2015. A decade ago the attitude towards it was a hornet’s nest of humour, incredulity and anger.
“Back then, men’s makeup was virtually unheard of and men were very much of the mindset that they had to be stereotypical ‘hurly burly blokes’,” says Alex Dalley, who launched male beauty company MMUK in 2011. “The average male grooming routine for men at that time was perhaps a shampoo and shower gel and maybe a moisturiser for the forward thinkers. At that time the concept of MMUK was almost offensive to people and judged as an attack on their masculinity.” As a Mumsnet thread on Superdrug’s men’s beauty line illustrates. “WTF is going on,” wrote user GrinningGorilla about the introduction of guy-liner and manscara in 2008. “I’m sorry but I like my men a bit caveman-ish. Makeup FFS? I don’t mind a bit of Nivea moisturiser on my man but makeup???!!!! Next he’ll be wanting to wear my underwear…”
In 2017 barely concealed sniggers greeted the reveal that French president Emmanuel Macron spent €26,000 (£22,000) on makeup in his first three months in office. And in December, the Washington Post hinted that Donald Trump used Bronx Color concealer, which was gleefully reported elsewhere.
All made up: Jeffree Star, Manny Gutierrez and James Charles in Los Angeles. Photograph: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images
In the early days of MMUK, Dalley says they would operate like an undercover operation. “Many customers would use different names when ordering and ask that their parcels be delivered in plain envelopes with no reference to makeup on them whatsoever,” he says. “Discretion was paramount for customers when we began building the brand and helping men find the right products was tricky for an online business.”
War Paint is the product I try on for New Year’s Eve. The packaging is in no-nonsense (and discreet) black and white, while their online ad is a bid for everyday “wash and go” style usage. In it a massively tattooed Harry Styles lookalike goes in for a baptismal shower. It’s shot like an ad for both the Army Reserve and Head & Shoulders. As he steps out, he puts on moisturiser and concealer alongside his skull ring and his leather jacket.
I’m obsessed by the name of the brand and its “real makeup for real blokes” angle. I click on the “about us” tab and read the story of founder Danny Gray. It’s a story of overcoming adversity (BDD – body dysmorphic disorder). At the end of his story is a link to Calm, the anti-suicide charity. “I’m in no way saying that makeup is a cure for bullies, or a miracle serum for low self-esteem,” he writes. “But using makeup has really helped me manage my BDD.”
In a vlog entitled “Is it OK for guys to wear makeup?” beauty blogger Jake Jamie contextualises the rise of male makeup with toxic masculinity and mental health issues, stemming from the “strong and silent” archetype. “Makeup,” by contrast he says, “enables me to walk down the street with my head held high feeling like the very best version of myself.” It feels like a statement of generational rebellion, as much as a body positive sales pitch.
‘It enables me to walk down the street with my head held high’: beauty vlogger Jake Jamie. Photograph: @jakejamie
The message isthat men’s makeup is a route to happiness, confidence and self actualisation. Indeed, for the generations who followed baby boomer Trump and Macron’s generation X, the meaning of men’s makeup has evolved; the narrative around the jubilant men’s makeup business is now as much about redefinition as it is about anything else.
“That aggression has switched to intrigue and the embarrassment has evaporated,” says Dalley. When Chanel’s Boy De Chanel range launched in October 2018 it leaned heavily on the idea of actualisation through makeup, rather than the idea of visual enhancement. Boy stood for “Be only you” and consisted of foundation, lip balm and an eyebrow pencil. It was a product that was about, according to the press release, “breaking free of codes and rewriting the rules”.
The Chanel press office says: “Men should be free to use makeup products to correct or improve their appearance, without calling into question their masculinity. By wearing Boy De Chanel makeup, products with an undetectable presence, men can feel self-assured and determined, confident about themselves and their appearance.” In the language it uses, the modern men’s makeup industry seemingly takes its cue from the wellness and lingerie industries, focusing on core ideas of self-betterment and self-emancipation. Interestingly too, the word “makeup” does not appear on any of the products I try.
The meaning behind men’s makeup and grooming in general has splintered such that progressive millennial public figures have virtue signalled their woke credentials by publicly discussing their use of makeup and their skincare regimes. In 2018 Daniel Kaluuya was namechecked by Fenty Beauty for using its foundation; Frank Ocean spent most of his first interview in years telling GQ about his moisturising routine (“I really do believe in night cream”) and extolling the use of retinol (“You can’t have retinol in your creams in the day because it makes you more sun-sensitive, so you wanna throw that on at night.”) Pharrell Williams told the same publication that he exfoliates “like a narcissist madman” and just last month Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson told Paper about his “extra special” skin care regime.
Polished performance: Daniel Kaluuya has been namechecked by Fenty Beauty for using its foundation. Photograph: Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Social media hashelped turn men’s makeup and grooming from a “why” to a “why not”.
“On Instagram, men in makeup is fully normalised,” says Allison Collins, WWD’s beauty financial editor, who mentions Jake Jamie contemporaries Jeffree Star, Manny Mua and James Charles as three key players. “There are also male skincare influencers who have helped normalise it more on the grooming side – think OMGBart – who are super skin care-oriented. There are also micro influencers in the space, including Josh Blaylock (@mancrediblebeauty).” Collins adds that the noise this online community has made has drawn mainstream attention. “Both Manny Mua and James Charles have been named faces for major beauty brands [Maybelline and Cover Girl, respectively].”
MMUK’s Dalley says his customers are mainly millennials brought up on a diet of male beauty vloggers and selfies. “Our core customer base consists of men between the ages of 19-30, who are generally more active on social media and very much into the way they dress, look and like to feel.” Their most popular products are BB cream and concealer (“for its camouflaging properties”), both for the urban man-on-the-go, to solve issues such as dark circles, spots, acne scars and blemishes. But, interestingly, although men are happier to buy makeup, they don’t want to seem like they’re wearing it. Which I can relate to. “Across all of our customers, one thing remains the same,” says Dalley, “they want subtle and enhancing products that are undetectable.”
For all this talk about confidence, the clandestine element of men’s makeup is still significant. As is women’s validation around its use. When Victoria Beckham admitted that David nicked her products (“David 100% steals my beauty products,” she told This Morning. “We share beauty products”) she hit upon the importance of women’s attitude towards men’s grooming.
Blend it like Beckham: David Beckham and Victoria Beckham. ‘David 100% steals my beauty products,’ she says. Photograph: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images
“Above everything, I think that it will be women who contribute the most to its normalisation,” says Dalley. “There are so many women out there who don’t mind their boyfriends or husbands wearing a touch of concealer or foundation, as long as it’s discreet. If women continue to really get on board with this, men over 30 in particular will be more encouraged to experiment with these types of products.”
After my brief experiment, I’m convinced that makeup isn’t the big bad enemy, in fact it does feel pretty normal to me, like adding a bit of moisturiser or hair gel to my look. But, despite getting my wife’s seal of approval, the biggest hurdle won’t be philosophical, it’ll be managerial: I can’t see myself adding an extra 10 minutes in the morning between burning toast and herding children. And if I do, I definitely won’t be telling my parents I’m wearing it.
‘I’m convinced, but will I find the extra 10 minutes a day I’d need to do my face?’: Priya Elan. Photograph: David Titlow/The Observer
Lads on the lash: not convinced? Seven starter steps for men, by James O’Riley
1. Weekly exfoliation is essential as it’s the easiest surefire way to naturally restore, resurface and illuminate the skin.
2. If the idea of wearing foundation or base to even out the skin tone is a step too far, opt for a tinted moisturiser or SPF as they are more natural in appearance and have beneficial skincare properties .
3. Over-shaping the eyebrows will feminise the face. Try brushing into place in the natural direction using a clear eyebrow gel to set in place.
4. Choose a lip balm with a matt or satin finish, as opposed to gloss, to nourish lips for a natural moisturised look.
5. Concealer should be no more than one shade lighter than true skin colour for a natural effect and, if trying to neutralise blue or purple under-eye circles, choose a shade with warm peach undertones.
6. To reduce unwanted shine opt for a mattifying gel instead of a powder for a look with no visible residue.
7. Gel bronzers will give you a believable translucent natural tan as opposed to powders that will look more like makeup.
Priya Elan’s makeup by James O’Riley at Premier Hair and Makeup using The Ordinary, Chanel, Givenchy and Shakeup Cosmetics
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From Who What Wear, see and shop the biggest spring/summer 2020 fashion trends from the runways of New York, Milan, Paris, and London.
Yes, we know—it’s 30-something degrees outside right now, it’s impossible to step out of your apartment without multiple layers of Heattech on (at least in NYC), and we’re barely a third of the way through winter, so who has time to think about spring style? With fashion month kicking off in a little over two weeks and the spring collections set to start trickling into stores come February, there’s actually no time like the present to get informed on what the must-have S/S 2020 trends are going to be. Considering the fact that there are hundreds of runway shows each and every season, we certainly don’t expect you to go digging through them all to unearth the trends that will rise to the top. That’s what we’re here for.
This S/S 2020 season is one we are really excited about, and we know you will be too. Designers gifted us with collections that were the perfect marriage of wearable and innovative. The trends you’ll see highlighted for you below are the ones we saw repeated most frequently throughout the collections. They’re the ones that are the most digestible and the ones we’re predicting will be the heavy hitters all season long. Our list includes an assortment of styles that are equal parts fresh and nostalgic. With that being said, it is with great excitement that we present to you our official spring/summer 2020 trend guide. Just keep scrolling to dive in.
Minnesota Bride magazine profiles the region’s top wedding professionals and resources like no other bridal publication. Designed especially for the discriminating bride-to-be, Minnesota Bride features the latest information on local bridal trends in a stylish and elegant format:
• Top Venues, Florists, Dresses, Planners, Photographers, Cakes + More
• The most stylish real weddings
• Romantic and stylish gowns for every bride
• Stunning ideas for summer weddings
Hayden @haydnalxndr is the youngest boy of his siblings. He recently moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis to live out his dream of being a fashion designer! To best learn of his new world view and talents, read this review of his work from staygroundead:
“In our eyes, we like to view streetwear as an art form. For one, it is literally a medium for art in which artists use fabric to represent their ideas. Secondly, and just like art, streetwear can be attacked from any angle the artist desires. For “HAYDN ALXNDR”, the approach to his art consists of beautifully destroying and customizing garments. Incase you are wondering how someone could ‘beautifully destroy’ something, swipe through the photos above and see for youself. As you may notice, many of the products coming from this collective have a ‘cut & sew’ core; however, most brands don’t take such approach to this level nor do they execute it as perfectly as “HAYDN ALXNDR” does. What’s their secret? We think ‘emotion’. If you’re unsure, take a look at the item above and allow us to explain. In terms of destroying the garment, we don’t think it’s a coincidence that the ‘heart’ and ‘throat’ of the longsleeve is torn. Secondly, the inclusion of various crucifixes could be interpreted as a sign of ‘hope’; meaning the artist is trying to find peace in this choatic world. Lastly, notice the overall color-scheme of this garment. By using fabric with a vibrant aura, “HAYDN ALXNDR” is able to represent his creative mindset. For us as creatives, many of our days are filled with negativity as we do not feel as though we are ‘normal’. With this garment, “HAYDN ALXNDR” does an excellent job at capturing the on-going madness of a creative. The best way to describe the products being produced by this brand is to say they represent a mix of ‘passion and pain’. Haydn, you are a genius. For many of us, these products speak directly to our soul. Thank you for all you’ve ever created, we can’t wait to see what’s next @haydnalxndr.“
Follow his adventures on The Geno Project: Lisa Genosky, also known as Mrs. Geno is married to Sean Genosky and is at the forefront of The Geno Project. Mom to nine amazing children and businesswoman owner of Queen Bee Media, a digital media agency located in the Twin Cities.
Get to know the Oromo refugee whose runway-featured designs reflect her East African culture.
Rammy Mohamed’s “Warm Winter Nights in Finfine” show, during Fashion Week MN.
Ramadhan “Rammy” Mohamed developed her love for fashion at a young age. While she always considered design a potential career, her family had other plans for her.
Mohamed, an Oromo refugee from East Africa, attended the University of Minnesota, where she received her degree in business. “Growing up, my family worked predominantly in medicine and didn’t view fashion as a lucrative career,” she says. So, Mohamed pursued one in accounting. Unable to ignore the creative void she felt, two years later, she decided to follow her dream of becoming a designer.
“I’m not sure I fit into the traditional box of fashion designers.”
Fast-forward to October, when Mohamed presented at Fashion Week MN with a 30-piece collection that juxtaposed traditional aspects of East African culture with contemporary and modern features. Her pieces were some of the most memorable to hit the local runways. Everything was beautiful, from the colors—inspired by a spice market in her hometown, Finfine—to the luxe fabrics, beading, and embroidery.
The road hasn’t been easy. Mohamed has received 20 rejection letters for design jobs around the Twin Cities. Once, after arriving at a meeting to showcase her work, a front desk employee informed Mohamed they weren’t hiring parking attendants. “I’m not sure I fit into the traditional box of fashion designers,” she says.
Nevertheless, talent talks. Mohamed has won every design competition she’s participated in (including the Boston Scientific Hearts for Fashion at MOA). “All of this has humbled me and pushed me forward,” she says. “In some ways, the rejection has encouraged me to continue connecting with the incredible people in our small but strong fashion community who are making strides in inclusivity.”
Currently, Mohamed designs out of her house turned studio, where we lucky locals can make an appointment to shop existing pieces or dream up something custom.
On the brink of releasing his sophomore album ‘Fine Line,’ the superstar muses on breaking boundaries, his experiences with celebrity, and his close creative relationship with Gucci’s Alessandro Michele. Styles’ tight relationship with Michele was hardly manufactured by a marketing team. The duo’s fanciful, creative lines of flight meet, quite naturally. “Alessandro is a free thinker and his way of working is very inspiring,” Styles enthuses. “If he wants to do something, he just does it, and I find it impressive. When you have the opportunity to witness the work of someone who is considered a master, it is quite incredible. There is no question of class, age, who did what. What he does is for everyone, concerns everyone, and I think that every art should be like that.”
Childhood and the potent memories of scent return to Styles’ thoughts, via the new Gucci fragrance. “I really like Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur for its freshness, but also the fact that it adapts and changes according to the person who wears it, which I find amusing,” he says. “It probably reminds me of summer as a child. Being by the lake with my friends, where I grew up, and the smell of wildflowers.” One thinks of Henri Michaux’s famous verse: “Night is not like day; it has a lot of flexibility.”
“Many borders are falling—in fashion, but also in music, films, and art,” Styles declares with excitement. “I don’t think people are still looking for this gender differentiation. Even if the masculine and feminine exist, their limits are the subject of a game. We no longer need to be this or that. I think now, people are just trying to be good. In fashion and other fields, these parameters are no longer as strict as before, and it gives rise to great freedom. It’s stimulating.”
Styles and Michele have formed an organic bond. “If Alessandro doesn’t necessarily ask my opinion, we show each other things,” he explains. “It’s cool to have the opinion of someone who isn’t necessarily in your field, but whose work and taste you respect.”
Styles’ new album heralds a dynamic driven by serious writing discipline and the decision to take total charge of his career. “Songwriting is like surfing,” he says. “You can train as much as you want to get on the board, but sometimes the wave comes and sometimes it doesn’t. And yet, we still need to train to become better. You can’t just sit down and decide to write a song and think you’ve written the best song of your life. It takes a lot of work.”
How does this thoughtful young man, who ten years ago worked in a bakery in a small English town and is now a musical sensation who finds himself the subject of countless fans’ fantasies and smack in the stormy eye of media attention, find serenity? “Celebrity is something I am still learning, experimenting,” he says. “I learn to sort out what I like, what I don’t like, what I’m willing to give in my songs, and what I’m not inclined to share. We have to find a balance. We wonder what people will think of such and such words. And it’s accepting to be vulnerable, but at the same time it’s what makes this whole adventure exciting.”
This palpable excitement runs through the new album. Styles hopes that it expresses “a feeling of freedom.” This same vibe of unapologetic freedom is part of the work of his many role models—Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin, and Prince. “When I look at them, I don’t know what it is, but it’s this, this something special,” he says of how these fellow icons inspire him. “They go beyond the limits. In terms of writing, Paul McCartney has always been a huge influence. I had the chance to meet some of them; they don’t stop being great to me.”
Arriving in a car suited for a massive star (private driver, ice cupboard, tinted windows), Styles departs on foot, with a small team, to drink a beer at the local pub.
The scene brings to mind Styles as a scrappy teenager, in a cardigan too big for his lanky frame, eager to invent himself. As the millennial superstar slowly strolls away, the sweet smell of success lingers: a soft-smelling fragrant mist—the romantic mixture of wildflowers, chamomile, and the dreamy mood of Sunday lunch in the English countryside.
