Male make up questions

[halfaliter]

Hello,

I'm a guy and I really don't know anything about make-up, but I'd like to cover sometimes a bit of my skin and I'm too shy for asking a shop assistant to help me with this problem, so I thought maybe somebody here could me help me.
I don't want to hide really big things like scars or anything, just some spots.
What do I need and what do you think generally about men using make up ?

 

[MulletProof]

Funny, just last night I had this discussion with my sister as one of her male friends wears foundation.. he didn't tell anyone, just left his foundation bottle somewhere visible by accident. Poor guy was so embarrassed and they talked him out of it because apparently, foundation looks wrong on men (and that's how the discussion started ).

First of all I don't think it's up for women to decide how a man should look, it's okay to have preferences but it's kind of outrageous to talk to them out of something because it isn't 'masculine' enough.. it's as outrageous as having a man telling me to ditch something because it isn't feminine enough.

Secondly, I see makeup as either 'nature'-enhancer or fun, or both. For most activities, I think natural makeup is the way to go, for both men and women.. it covers imperfections, highlights features.. and when applied properly, you can't even tell someone's wearing it, they just look like a 'clearer' version of themselves .

Now, I knew this guy when we were both teenagers and he was one of the ultra shy ones with acne that doesn't even look at anyone in the eye. When I met him years later in NY, it was a completely different story, he actually looked quite handsome, very confident, great skin. I feel bad that they talked him out of something that was, partly, working wonders for him.. he doesn't have acne anymore, just a few scars and his foundation covered that.. he also applied it in moderation so it's not like he looked like a mannequin, you couldn't really tell.

I love MAC's Face and Body Foundation, I have pretty even skin, only a few freckles but don't really require a lot of coverage and F&B does the job, it's the lightest and most effective foundation I've used so far.. you could try it at the MAC store, at the one I go to, the SAs are so nice but in an indifferent way, they approach you, ask a few things and know immediately what you're after and what will do the job.. and they seem to work with all kinds of people, I'm sure you wouldn't be their first male client.

I say go for it.

 

[hautechild]

Yes I agree with MAC. Firstly because their concealers are good (I like their Select Cover Up) and secondly because I'm sure MAC SAs wouldn't bat an eyelash at a male customer (they have male SAs and yes, usually wearing their products), same with Sephora.

The point of a good concealer is that you can't really tell that it's there anyway! don't think it is a big deal for men to wear makeup.

 

[tigerrouge]

Most forms of make-up wash off at the end of the day, so I feel that it's a great way to express yourself, to experiment or to enhance your features, and that everyone should be free to make as much or as little use of it as they wish.

A considerable number of men that appear in the media will have been seen by a make-up artist at some point, so why not find out what it can do for you? I would never say that anyone needs it, but it can be a handy way of feeling a little bit better about the world.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Nils]

I'd say go for it. I'm a man myself, and I sometimes use make-up as well. There really is nothing wrong with it. I think you'd be surprised to know how many men actually use it, gay and straight. Like others have said, you're just presenting an improved version of yourself.

My advice would just be to not go overboard with it, unless that's what you want of course! I like to keep it as natural as possible, just covering the occasional blemish, and I use a little bit underneath my eyes as well. Also, make sure the product you use matches your skin colour! This is really important! It's such a pet peeve of mine, I hate it when people use foundation that's either too light or dark for their skintone. Horrible. Also, if you use the right coverage in the right amounts, people will not notice. When I was younger, I used to worry about that, so that's why I'm mentioning it.

And if you need any help with the application of the make-up, there's always youtube! There are a ton of make-up tutorials on there. And if you're in a store, don't be afraid to ask questions! Those people are there to help you! I can guarantee you, you definitely won't be the first man they'll have seen, and definitely not the last. Experiment away, I say!

 

[halfaliter]

Thank you for the all the replies, now I'm sure of getting some basic stuff

 

[Street_a_Licious]

for beginners, better start with tinted moisturizer or mix your foundation with some regular moisturizer. sheers it out a bit, so it'll be even less noticeable. oh, and don't forget to set with transparent powder

 

[ad041715]

I started wearing makeup last year when I was starring in my high school play (I was the lead and nervous as hell). I have redness and blemishes so I started with a simple concealer- boy have I learned so much about makeup since those days. I am currently trying to rid my face of post-acne marks and redness and am seeing a derm soon but in the meantime makeup does the trick to make me feel my best. I don't think it's a big deal. To this day I don't know why makeup is viewed as less masculine, it's just another part of personal beauty care (otherwise why do men shave? Why isn't that viewed as "unmanly" behavior? Why is shaving viewed as feminine to begin with?) Gender norms are ridiculous.

Makeup has given me loads of confidence and has made me feel attractive for the first time since I began suffering from acne...but I warn you- at times I feel I can't leave the house somewhere as simple as the supermarket without a dab of foundation. It's become a crutch for me. Luckily it sounds like you have minimal "imperfections" so I say go for it! If it's not noticeable and brightens your complexion I don't see why other people would/should give you crap about it. Now I'll be honest, people may give you funny stares while your sitting at the counter (I got my makeup done for prom at Sephora and received the occasional odd glances- makeup on men is considered taboo) but who cares? As my male makeup artist that day said "don't let it bother you".

Good luck with everything and I wish you the best!