Men now learn to do their own makeup

The next time you see a man wield a brush, whisk up a powder puff and twirl a mascara wand in style, don’t be fooled into thinking that he is off to his day job at a salon or getting ready to doll up an army of film stars.
A new tribe of non-metrosexual men is emerging in the city: they love makeup for what it is, and are going one step further — they are taking grooming classes to learn more.Ask them what happened to the rugged man of yesteryear and why they are venturing into a woman’s domain and they say, “Why should we men walk around with ugly, pigmented skin, unsightly open pores and dark lips just because it was fine to do so in the past? With a little help, we could look fabulous too.”
Ever since celebrities like Shane Warne, Zac Efron, Ozzy Osborne, David Beckham and Prateik wore makeup and looked cool, many men today have been following suit. Now, they are attending makeup classes, either to learn to look good on a day-to-day basis or for an important occasion. Many bridegrooms-to-be are also taking crash courses in makeup. A jar of sparkling bronzer, a tube of clear gloss and a pot of concealer are therefore not for women alone anymore. Says Gouri Kapur, beauty expert who has held such classes, “Men being men will have flaws on their faces. They might have scars due to sports injuries or under eye circles due to stress or stitch marks after a fall, which they may not want to flaunt. They may not care about covering their flaws every day, but it is important when you have a big meeting to attend or if your wedding is coming up.”
According to Gouri, there is a 50% increase in the number of men coming for classes now. “It is important for men to wear cosmetics in order to look good,” she says, adding, “On a wedding day, the bride looks bright and shiny while the man looks dull and boring, which is why many grooms are attending grooming classes. Others come to learn to look their best for big events. I show men how to use makeup and look effortlessly flawless.”
So what kind of cosmetics do men need? Experts say that only a light concealer, a bit of bronzer and some clear lip balm should be enough. But some men like to go a bit further and wear a swipe of nude lip colour to cover patchy lips or a dash of guy liner, kohl or transparent mascara to enhance deep set eyes.
Says Gaurav Kumar, a young businessman who attends a makeup class, “I went to a class out of sheer curiosity and ended up joining it. Since men today are doing manicures and pedicures, this is just one step further. I was a hyperactive child and I have some scars on my face, which can be hidden with makeup. A concealer is a must for men, not to look like Boy George, but because it will help them. A bronzer is also a good idea for a special day as it adds definition to the cheeks. If male film stars need makeup, why not us?”
Zara Syed, makeup and grooming expert, who has held such classes says that men should take care of skin blemishes if it diminishes their confidence. “I teach men how to use minimal makeup and how to blend it well. Our lifestyles today are ruining our skin, either due to the junk food we eat or the stress we take on. Men need to protect their skin as they are often on the road. Both the theory and practical classes are popular among them. Dark lips, scars and pigmentation are men’s biggest problems,” says Zara.
According to Ashraf P, an entrepreneur who has attended classes, makeup is no longer for the ramp model or film star. “I am very particular about my skin as I am a business man and I travel around the world. I need to look my best all the time. I attended classes to know which are the best products to use and to learn how to look after my skin, hair and nails. Now I know the importance of toners, moisturizers, sunscreens, eye creams and hand creams. Times have changed and nowadays men require some makeup, not the way women do it, but only to project a pleasant personality,” he says.
Classes are held either for men alone or for couples and cost up to `25,000, besides which, the men also invest in products. Beauty expert Swati Gupta, adds, “Men are also coming to salons to get makeup done for special occasions. It was unthinkable some time ago, but is quite normal now. We don’t advocate too much makeup for a man as he should not become the butt of jokes. But a little bit of the right makeup will go a long way.”
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