Makeup Counters For Men Could be Coming Soon
This could be the next push for inclusivity in the beauty world.
Lately, many beauty brands have made it their mission to promote inclusivity in the industry. Last year, CoverGirl made history when it announced 17-year-old James Charles as its first ever CoverBoy. And earlier this year, popular beauty boy Manny MUA landed a huge campaign with Maybelline. Now, L'Oréal has pushed this movement even further with the idea of beauty counters geared specifically toward males.
In a recent interview with Daily Telegraph, Vismay Sharma, L'Oréal’s UK managing director, shared that as the idea of men and makeup continues to become less of a taboo, male-targeted counters could very easily appear within the next “five to seven years.”
"Today you have a very small proportion of men who want to use make up products but that proportion is growing and it will continue to grow. I think its just awareness—two things are happening, men know they can use makeup, and they know what it does when you use it,” he said.
This push for diversity in the beauty industry does not come solely from the brands. For the past several years, beauty bloggers and influencers like Manny MUA, Bretman Rock, PatrickStarrr and James Charles have stood at the forefront of this movement, gaining millions of followers on Instagram and YouTube. Not only are these talented beauty boys setting trends, but they are helping to break down the negative stigma around boys and makeup.
“Traditionally, it was mainly women who wore makeup. Of course men [did] sometimes, but it was never something that you’d walk around and see, a guy wearing a full face of makeup. It’s still very "whoa!" but I feel like it’s changing, and social media has really helped people creatively express what they really feel and I [think] that’s the way it’s evolving. It’s amazing. I’m so excited, Manny MUA told Glamour in a recent interview.
Up until now there has never been a beauty counter catering to male needs in any department store. While men should be able to feel just as comfortable visiting any makeup counter, male-focused beauty counters may just be the next step needed to help the beauty industry continue to break these gender barriers.
