“Cultural ideals of who can and how to wear make-up will definitely change.” –London College of Fashion researcher Babette Radclyffe-Thomas
A recent article in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) discussed the rising trend of men using beauty products, something already fairly prevalent in nearby South Korea. As a regular view of the tvN show “Get it Beauty,” a South Korean television program that discusses various trends in cosmetics and skincare, there is always at least one episode devoted to products for men.
The SCMP piece by Laurie Chen mentions a likeness to the Korean culture regarding beauty, but also discusses how it has clashed with traditional Chinese customs.
“A recent appearance by a boy band on a national back-to-school television show saw them denounced as ‘sissies’ by the state news agency Xinhua,” she wrote. “That triggered a backlash in other sections of state media as commentators and women’s groups weighed in to support the right to adopt different forms of masculinity.”
In her piece, she also spoke with University of Hong Kong Professor Geng Song, who studies Chinese masculinity, and pointed out a cultural shift towards a focus on looks.
“It’s not that all women in China particularly like this type of young, handsome, effeminate man – it’s that men have begun to realize that appearance could be important for them in terms of career success,” she explained.
Chen also talked with Babette Radclyffe-Thomas, a researcher for the London College of Fashion, who discussed the evolution of how male skincare is viewed.
“Skincare trends also hold different cultural significance in Asia compared to other regions,” she explained. “Notions of skincare and grooming ideals in this region are interlinked with ideas surrounding cleanliness rather than gender or sexuality.”
Radclyffe-Thomas also noted, “As there is an increase in male beauty vloggers and men who wear make-up, cultural ideals of who can and how to wear make-up will definitely change.”
Her mention of skincare as a matter of cleanliness is the reason I ended up with a beauty regimen and Chen’s article similarly talked to average men who picked up beauty routines to either combat acne or to improve their skin tone.
My personal routine, which has evolved since last discussing the issue in a column last March, has a day and night process. The morning schedule starts after the gym with a regular foaming face wash from a widely-distributed Korean cosmetics company. Once through with the shower, I apply toner, an emulsion, sunblock, and a spray of collagen water. At night, before the shower, use a cleansing water to wipe away surface dirt and oil, then use the same face wash (along with an exfoliant every other night). Then, before going to bed, it’s another application of toner, along with a serum, eye cream, moisturizer, and a final spritz of collagen water; plus, on Saturdays, 15 minutes out of the day are devoted to a face mask treatment.
The trend also appears to be growing elsewhere in the world, with reports earlier this year about David Beckham launching his own line of men’s beauty products. According to Bloomberg, his company, House 99, is a partnership with L’Oréal that sells face creams, beard oil, and pomades.
“The majority of guys I know do look after themselves,” the Inter Miami owner is quoted as saying.
In addition, just last month, Chanel announced the launch of a makeup line for men called Boy de Chanel.
A Harper’s Bazaar piece quoted a company release, noting, through the new venture, “Chanel reaffirms the ever-changing codes of an unchanging vision: Beauty is not a matter of gender, it is a matter of style.”
According to Chen’s article, the male cosmetics and skincare industry in China, as of May 2018, was worth around 20.13 billion CNY (around P159 trillion or $2.9 billion).
While there may still be lingering prejudices against men using beauty products, with major companies like Chanel diversifying, high profile figures like David Beckham entering the market, and the world now being saturated with innovative beauty trends, Radclyffe-Thomas is probably right in predicting changes in cultural ideals of who can wear make-up./WDJ