Carol
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 |  Subject: Men’s Cosmetics Becoming a Bull Market  03.09.10 18:20 | |
| - Quote :
- WHEN cosmetics began disappearing from her bathroom drawer a few years ago, Gretchen Bain, who lives in Merchantville, N.J., knew the culprit.
It turned out that Mr. Bain, 34, a Customs and border-protection officer who is 6-foot-3 and weighs 240 pounds — and whose uniform includes a 9-millimeter handgun — had developed a fondness for his wife’s under-eye concealer, which hid his occasional dark circles. He was also swiping her face lotions and mud masks.
“At one point I just started buying stuff for him because I don’t want him stealing mine,” Ms. Bain said. Now she orders products online for him at Menaji.com, which bills itself as a “masculine” and “undetectable” line of cosmetics and skin-care products. His favorites are an eye gel and stick concealer that target dark circles, and an anti-shine powder that comes (shhh!) in a compact.
“When you looked at him you wouldn’t think he’d have his own supply of men’s skin-care products in the cabinet,” said Ms. Bain, 40, a fashion buyer for Lane Bryant Outlets. “He’s got a short, military haircut — and he’s very butch.”
Whether they admit it or not, more men are using cosmetics, judging from sales figures and the number of new products arriving on store shelves. But please don’t call it “makeup” — cosmetics marketers pointedly steer clear of the term, which men tend to find emasculating. And the products men are using promise not to add color to masculine eyelids or stubbly cheeks, but rather to mask imperfections like razor burn and blemishes.
“Having makeup become part of guys’ daily habits is kind of far-fetched,” said Jason Chen, the grooming editor at GQ, who admits to occasionally using an inexpensive concealer for blemishes. But he acknowledged that certain products, like moisturizers that can even out skin tone or reduce shine on the face, have been growing in popularity.
“There is a little bit of that stealth makeup thing going on, where you’re not slapping foundation onto your face but as part of your other routines — it sort of creeps in,” Mr. Chen said.
True, neither the “manscara” look of Adam Lambert, the “American Idol” star, nor the “guyliner” stylings of Russell Brand, the comedian, will likely be adopted anytime soon by the guy who fixes your car. But men’s use of stealth makeup like concealers is on the upswing. More here http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/fashion/02skin.html?_r=2 | |
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