Boys getting their glam on…
Boys Will Be Boys? – Cosmetics for men could be the next big trend.
By Marshall Pearson – Assistant Editor – Happi Magazine
Glam boy - photo by Future Touch
Not long ago, the only men caught wearing eyeliner were a handful of rock stars and glam icons who used it to sell albums and promote a sexualized image. The rise of men’s cosmetics since then has been a slow process that is often rebuffed by its stigma in American culture. However, according to experts, the market men’s cosmetics will do nothing but grow in the coming years, albeit slowly.
The market for men’s cosmetics may not represent a significant chunk of the industry, but it has shown strong development in the last few decades. In the 1980s, L’Oréal introduced hair color products for men that, at the time, were largely seen as too feminine to catch on—how times change! Bands such as My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy have promoted men’s makeup and popular brands such as Clinique and Jean Paul Gaultier have featured men’s eyeliner and concealer products in their lines.
Procter & Gamble’s recent acquisition of Zirh and The Art of Shaving may indicate that the market for men’s cosmetics is ready to expand further. Antoinette van den Berg, the founder of consulting firm Future Touch, closely follows the men’s market and sees P&G’s entrance into the market as significant.