Make-up for Men: Genius or Joke

by Hugh Ryan
EDGE Style Contributor
Thursday Apr 14, 2005


Last week, I investigated the idea of make-up for men. This week, I’m looking at the real thing.

While I concede that there might be a point to the concept of men’s cosmetics, how good are the actual products on the market? Armed with a basket of cosmetics (..), I took over a straight man’s bathroom for a day to see what these products could actually do for a manly-man. Here’s what I found: (...)

4VOO – A Canadian company that specializes in “premium skin care and enhancement products that work with a man’s skin to provide lasting visible results.” 4VOO shows that they really do do it better up North. Plus, they aren’t tested on animals – just on starving children from around the globe! (kidding).

Lash & Brow Styling Glaze – I have to admit, I was ready to make fun of this product as soon as I read the packaging – it’s clear, for God’s sake! What’s the point? Then I tried it. Strange as it may sound, clear mascara actually makes your eyes look MUCH better. Not only does it make your lashes thicker and more distinct, but there isn’t the danger of rubbing your eyes and smearing mascara everywhere.

For guys who are not used to wearing make-up, this can be a dead give-away that their “inner beauty” came from a tube. My eyebrows are more than thick enough, thank you very much already, so I skip using it on them. This is definitely one I would buy. It fits all the mandates for men’s cosmetics: it is invisible, easy to use, and makes you look damn good. $18.00 per tube.

Luminous Lips/Lip Serum – First off, the name Lip Serum makes me feel like a spy in a bad film noire movie, waiting to kill the hero with my poisoned lipstick. I’m a little more comfortable with the Luminous Lips. In truth, though, I can’t really tell what either is supposed to do. 

First I put on one, then the other, then both at once (as it suggests on the packaging). My lips look a little shinier than usual – is that the goal here? Do shiny lips somehow make me ultra-desirable? Overall, I prefer the Lip Serum. Though it looks the same as the Luminous Lips, it feels less like having lube smeared on my mouth. (Note: While I do not understand this product, the girlfriend of the guy whose bathroom I am using says it makes me look sexy. I guess just don’t understand the correlation between shiny lips and sexiness.) $27.00 each.

Indelible Eyes – Maybe I watch too many 80s movies, but I have to admit I have a thing for guys in eyeliner. It just makes men look sexier, giving them that dark, brooding look. As far as eyeliners go, Indelible Eyes is a good product. Though I am used to pencil eyeliners being more difficult to apply than liquid ones, it goes on easily and doesn’t smear. However, if you think this is going to go unnoticed in your office, you’ve obviously been smoking crack. If you’re going to wear eyeliner, flaunt it miss thing. $25.00 per tube. 

Each of these companies has many more products, which you can check out on their websites. They are also far from the only companies out there making this stuff. The truth is, as with any product, you might have to shop around to find the right one for you. Maybe it’s the shade, maybe it’s the scent – maybe you just like the packaging of one over the other.

If something doesn’t seem right, don’t give up on make-up as a whole. Ask some friends, try it a few more times to make sure you’re doing it right, or pick up a different company’s version of the cosmetic in question. Overall, the message of men’s cosmetics is that it is finally time for men to be allowed to experiment with their appearance a little more.

Hugh Ryan is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, New York