How to look your absolute best throughout the festive season and beyond
Pimples, redness, dark circles and other complexion trouble spots are not the preserve of women and yet the products designed to tackle them have traditionally been aimed at just one half of the population. Until now. According to strategic foresight consultancy The Future Laboratory, while the men’s beauty market may be led by Asia, it’s rapidly establishing respect globally. In fact, this increased demand for personal care and colour cosmetics for the everyday man is driving a global male grooming market forecast to be worth more than £61.7bn by 2024.
‘The men’s makeup market is unrecognisable,’ agrees Danny Gray, founder of UK-based men’s makeup brand War Paint. ‘If you went back ten years, you’d struggle to find grooming or cosmetics products for men beyond maybe shower gel and shaving gel. It’s a whole new category and it’s an exciting market to be in right now.’
SMASHINGSTEREOTYPES
‘We get to see first-hand, week by week, the slow but steady societal shifts that are making men’s makeup an acceptable choice in the mainstream,’ explains Gray. ‘Even in the past couple of years we’ve seen huge changes in how people view self-care, mental health and masculinity.’ His average customer? There’s no such thing according to Gray:
‘Honestly, the War Paint demographic is very varied. It’s mostly men, but we also have a lot of women who buy for their family members, partners, friends, or even themselves. Our customers vary from students covering up a breakout to businessmen building confidence for a big meeting, grooms prepping for their wedding photos and older men looking to maintain their appearance.’
Stereotypical strongholds aside, while more men might feel open to exploring cosmetics – and thanks to brands such as War Paint there’s greater choice than ever before – they don't necessarily know what to do with them. According to Mintel, 37% of men already find it difficult to know which products to use when it comes to hair and skincare, let alone makeup. Luckily, we’ve enlisted top makeup artist Kim Brown to help you navigate the route from Gruffalo to groomed – whether that’s covering mascne or just looking your best for the festive period. ‘I think most men generally just want their skin to look a bit better so that they can feel more confident,’ says Brown. ‘It’s about appearing undetectably polished with minimal effort.’
LAYING THEFOUNDATIONS
Enjoy a spot of problem-solving? That is exactly what makeup is designed to do. The key is finding the right product for the job.
‘There are so many idiot-proof foundations out there now that are beautifully sheer and easy to use,’ says Brown. ‘Modern formulas mean that you can even out your skin tone without looking like you’re wearing makeup, but for the uninitiated I’d advise just using it where it’s needed, such as around the nose and under the eyes.’
What about when experiencing a breakout? ‘Use a fine-tipped brush to spot-conceal where needed – concealers tend to offer more coverage – and then use your fingers to pat it onto the skin,’ Brown says. ‘In general, I’d advise steering clear of anything “illuminating” as it’s more likely to contain shimmer. The aim is for the makeup to look undetectable; it’s just about skin looking healthy.’ Brown suggests using blotting papers or a touch of finely-milled powder for those prone to excess shine.
