A recent study reveals that makeup not only enhances the natural beauty of women but also makes men more masculine.
Though some people still think it’s improper for men to use cosmetics, a little dab of concealer, a touch of rouge and some guy-liner matched with a healthy skincare routine can actually emphasize the manly contours of a masculine face.
Keep reading to learn more about men and makeup!
Long before Prince, David Bowie or Adam Lambert flaunted brilliant hues and liners that emphasized their features, men were wearing warpaint or puffing their faces with white powder.
For many millennia – dating as far back as 10,000 BCE when native Americans used body paint to the 18th century when French courtiers of Versailles puffed their faces with powder – men have been touching up their faces with makeup, pioneering the trends of today.
Though some may consider makeup feminine or suggestive of gender identity, a recent study reveals that men, “wearing subtle makeup,” were rated as more attractive.
“This effect of makeup on attractiveness is well documented for women, but no study has investigated it in men. The market for male cosmetics products is growing and evolving,” reports the study that examines if the “positive effect” of makeup on women also extends to men. “In terms of makeup, certain products that have commonly only been used by women are starting to be marketed for men.”
Cosmetically appealing
Researchers Carlota Batres and Hannah Robinson collected a group of 20 men who they photographed twice in side-by-side images that shows the models before and after subtle cosmetic application.
The makeup artist, Carmina Cristina, was instructed to give the men some light coverage to “Increase skin homogeneity, decrease facial contrast, and accentuate the bone structure without it being too obvious that the targets were wearing makeup.”
The small study of 200 participants – 124 men and 76 women – were then asked rate all 40 of the images on attractiveness.
Batres, who led the study, commented: “We found that the male faces were rated as higher in attractiveness when presented wearing subtle makeup, compared to when presented not wearing makeup. This was true for both male and female raters.”
Additionally, of the 20 faces, four were rated as less attractive with makeup and 16 men wowed study participants, who said they were more attractive with makeup. The results suggest the effect of enhancing facial structure with makeup does extend to men, who can also benefit from cosmetics to highlight bone structure for that chiseled, manly jawline.
The paper concludes: “More specifically, we found that the same male faces were rated as more attractive when presented wearing makeup, compared to when presented not wearing makeup.”
Online users disagree
According to the online community, the study didn’t include the right participants.
Hinting that makeup on men is attractive to a specific population, netizens argued the accuracy of the small study.
“More feminine, Yes! Definitely not masculine. From all the comments here, I think most agree such study is a load of BS!” writes one. A male chimes in saying, “No it doesn’t [make men more attractive]. Stop trying to emasculate us.”
A third writes: “I’d like to see him walk into a cowboy bar in west Texas!”
Meanwhile, other cybernauts used history as a reference to men wearing makeup today. “Hello doesn’t anyone remember 80’s music?!” pens one.
Another writes: “Men have worn makeup as far back as I can remember in all decades. Some have worn it better than women. Never saw a problem with it.”
What do you think of men wearing makeup?
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