Male Makeup – Those Who Wear It And Own It
In this day and age, it is becoming more and more acceptable to be a male makeup wearer. It is no longer an industry dominated by women, men from all backgrounds are getting involved in the creation of their own male makeup looks and completely owning the look.
It is 2019 and men should be allowed to be as experimental and adventurous with how they present themselves. Male makeup might be something that sounds very intense but I’m here to show you it doesn’t need to be. Here are some males who create their own looks and love what they do.
Jeffree Star
Jeffree has built an empire for himself as a creator of makeup and someone who is bold with his own personal style.
Jeffree chooses to challenge the standards of beauty and gender norms in every way possible through his own style, choosing bold colours, patterns, outfits and makeup looks. He is a pioneer with his male makeup looks and has opened up the world to a whole new level of makeup freedom within the mainstream media. More and more male MUAs are being seen and gaining traction in the media with more male faces being featured in makeup campaigns or their own products.
Star has always been the type to be bold with his look and I respect that. I respect him building an empire for himself and being unapologetic about who he is and how he presents himself. From wearing wigs and bright eyeshadow looks to his bedazzled Gucci outfits, I admire the effort and bravery behind such looks.
Whether or not you support Jeffree is entirely up to you. However, there is no denying the effort he puts into making the best possible products that he loves and can also be seen wearing. His make up is a reflection of him and how he wishes to present and we could all take a leaf out of his book when it comes to not caring how others may perceive you.
Park Jimin
Famous for being a member of the Korean group BTS, he is also known for his dramatic eye looks.
Jimin himself participates in the creation of his own smoky eye looks to bring out his eyes and give him a more seductive aura on stage.
Being a trained dancer, his expressions on stage mean a lot to him and his performance, meaning he wants to make his eyes stand out. The power of his performance lies in his gaze just as much as in the way he moves his body.
Jimin collaborates with the makeup artists in the creation of his looks, fitting with the theme of their music as well as the costume he is wearing on stage that day.
His smoky grey looks are a staple as well as the occasional red and brown smoked out eyes.
Changing up his hair colour often also gives him ample opportunity to play around with his eyeshadow looks even more in order to match his hair colour also.
David Bowie
Bowie had no time for anyone’s judgment or labels, he did his own thing and rocked his male makeup looks.
Ahead of his time, Bowie was eccentric and did not care about how he would be perceived.
He created his own persona of Ziggy Stardust back in the day and famously uttered the lyric “not sure if you’re a boy or a girl”, blurring the lines between gender and expectations of gender. Bowie was a rebel against the confines he was expected to stay in.
Famous makeup looks featured the lightning bolt on his face as well as his bright blue eyeshadow. His looks went down in history and went on to be copied by many who loved and respected him as a true artist who expressed himself beyond his music.
Bowie was also interested in face painting and contouring, giving himself very alien looks sometimes in order to keep up this persona of someone from another planet.
The power and influence he had reached beyond generations and still continue to inspire people today to be more creative and artistic with their personal presentation of self.
Cody Fern
This American Horror Story star embraced his inner devilish side with this look.
It may be on the subtle side but it still has an impact.
Being the antichrist doesn’t mean you can’t also be stylish. On the show, Fern dons lengthy blond locks and various eyeshadow looks all within the red colour palette in order to channel the demonic vibes his character is supposed to give off.
The looks he wears make him very sinister but alluring, he captures attention and dominates the space he is in which is partly down to his acting but also somewhat enhanced by his makeup looks.
The red carpet is no different. Fern grabs attention and gives off a strong look all at once.
He even chose an edgy smoky eye for the Golden Globe awards, showing a playful and experimental side to him off camera and pairing it with a very different red carpet outfit with sheer panelling and feminine cut trousers.
Fern has asserted that he is not scared of exploring the more feminine elements through his actions alone. Looking forward to seeing what he does next.
BamBam
This Thai artist has no fears with male makeup and challenging gender norms.
BamBam is known for being very open and accepting of new things. From fashion to his makeup look, he is no stranger to experimenting with bold looks.
His most famous makeup looks feature red eyeshadow which provides a strong contrast to his jet black hair. BamBam also tends to rouge his lips in order to make his overall look pop more.
His eyeshadow looks have an even greater impact with the addition of his pale blue contact lenses. It is almost a vampiric look at times but in the best possible way.
Marilyn Manson
You have to admit that Manson is not shy with his look at all.
His most iconic looks feature his dark lips and black eyes, matching the themes of his music well with the dark and edgy looks he creates.
Like many, Manson was inspired by Bowie to create a look that does not act as a mask but allows him to be seen, unlike KISS whom he also looked up to.
Manson has expressed that he does not wish to look feminine or hide who he is, he simply likes his look and the ability to transform himself with the use of makeup.
Baekhyun
Baekhyun loves to look his best with very dramatic male makeup looks that set him apart from the rest of his group mates in EXO.
Baekhyun’s most impactful looks have always been his strong black liner and dark smoky eye looks, enhancing his natural features.
Baekhyun has naturally delicate features, therefore, a dramatic eye look adds more impact when he is on stage or at a big event, hardening his features into a more mature look.
Male makeup wearers are not met with the same scrutiny in South Korea as they are in Western culture. Makeup is part of the artistry of the industry and there to enhance the visual element of the performers. Men compliment one another for looking handsome rather than asking why they are wearing makeup. It is a very different world where this form of artistry is not frowned upon or ridiculed but enjoyed by many.
