Make-up and men were separate matters in the past, but more and more males today consider it a part of their lives. From Kohl-rimmed eyes sported by rock stars to CC creams worn by celebrities, make-up is no longer a stranger to urban men.
At the recent Elle Men Fashion Week 2015, make-up artists were no less busy tending to men than they were women. Silaviwat Chotechaungpattana, Bobbi Brown’s national make-up artist in charge of the runway shows by Painkiller, Fri 27 Nov and Greyhound Original, said that make-up is no longer seen as a women-only arena.
“When CEOs have a formal photo shoot or attend a press conference, many of them hire a make-up and hair artist to make sure they look presentable. Whether for job interviews or important meetings, looking right plays an important role. From my experience as a make-up artist, men are actually interested in make-up, but they don’t know where to start. In countries such as China, Korea and Hong Kong, it is not unusual for men to wear make-up. It might be new for Thai men,” said Silaviwat.
Men’s definition of what looks good is quite diverse, and Silaviwat said that the trend today is to embrace one’s appearance instead of trying to change it. Good features are enhanced, while less attractive parts can be corrected to boost confidence.
“Gone are the days when all men are expected to have light skin and a clean, Korean look. You can look good with a beard or a tattoo on your face. You can be sporty or rustic. There’s room for realness today,” Silaviwat said.
There are, however, features that do not look good on anyone, such as dark circles around the eyes or acne. A good concealer can help cover up those flaws. The skin should also be taken care of properly for both hygiene and good appearance.
To make skin look more fresh, Silaviwat recommends investing in a good moisturiser, which not only nourishes the skin but creates dimensions by reflecting light.
“Every man should have a good cleanser, moisturiser, eye cream and sunscreen. For those who can’t be bothered, BB cream is a good choice, since it is a combination of sunscreen, moisturiser and corrector.”
The cookie-cutter eyebrow grooming trend, according to Silaviwat, is also over. The new trend is to keep the natural shape of the brows, with minimal styling to avoid bushiness.
“The idea is to look as if you’re not trying too hard, to give a feeling that you wake up like this every morning.”
Women can also sport this look — Miss Tiffany Universe 2004 beauty queen Treechada Petcharat and female model Lalana Kongtoranin also graced the runway wearing men’s clothes, looking boyishly beautiful. It is a very simple, hassle-free look for everyday life — all you need is foundation, brow colour and lip gloss. The good thing about this look is that it is minimal and gives a youthful feel to the face. It’s also good for summer because less make-up means less accidents (think smudged eyeshadow and panda eyes).
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