I have argued elsewhere on this blog that the fact that companies don’t sell make-up to men is a triumph of gender ideology over capitalism.
That said, a few companies are trying to sell make-up to men (and their strategies are really something else, see link above). It turns out, however, that they’re not breaking new ground, as this vintage ad shows:
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Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Comments 33
Ryan — October 15, 2009
My wife worked for several years in a beauty supply store. I think you'd be surprised how many men bought concealer and other make ups.
I don't think it's marketed to them. But from what I understand from talking to reps who sell skin care and hair products the big problem selling beauty products to Men isn't that they view using these products as feminine it's that they seem to not have the "time" or "energy" for these types of grooming rituals.
Which I guess could be another way of saying their are socially conditioned to want to put the time into looking beautiful. But I never heard them talk about "guys don't want to buy femme make up", it was more that they just don't want to do anything more than brush their teeth in the morning.
Deaf Indian Muslim Anarchist — October 15, 2009
Is that really considered make-up, though?
Ed — October 15, 2009
I think you are missing a lot. There are tons of things marketed to men for the purposes of vanity alone, even if they are not face creams. (Though there are indeed face creams for young boys with acne. I used this as a boy, until I got sick of it.)
There are balding products like Rogaine marketed very successfully to men. (There are also pharmaceuticals/surgeries for this purpose but perhaps that doesn't count.) There are shampoos marketed to men regularly, in addition to colognes, aftershaves, and deodorants. All of these products are successful.
And what about the whole damn institution of shaving!? Males shaving their faces daily is a practice obviously not done in every culture - it's merely a question of vanity. (Incidentally, when I stopped shaving for a few months I got massively negative responses from the women in my life.) There are also nose-hair trimmers, hair dyes for greying hair, and tupees to go with your balding-related pharmaceuticals and surgeries. Sun-in hair bleach is also popular with teenage boys.
That's just what I can think of in a few minutes. I think you are missing a lot.
octopod — October 15, 2009
LOL, how many times could they fit the word "men" into that ad copy? I can't figure out any more.
Laurel — October 15, 2009
It's got to be for me, it's "hammerized"!
Uncontrol — October 15, 2009
whatever i'm a guy and i wear make-up every day
guess i am a capitalist fraud
Denise Lamanna — October 15, 2009
ooh it's HAMMERIZED! sounds MANLY.
Graves — October 15, 2009
I would think women are pushed to wear makeup to emphasise their fertility, while men boast of sexual conquests to appear virile? It's the same issue gendered by different means but would explain why men could care less for their appearance if they appeal to women in other ways.
Gary — October 16, 2009
Lets face it men have been using skin care products for hundreds of years! just look at the Egyptians, things don't change much we still use product for the same reasons one of which is the attraction of women..or men.. the other is if they have a specific problem. The point most men miss is the preventative benefits, they tend to be firefighters and attack the issue when its staring them in the face (quite literately)Men are starting to "get it" but education is the key...Cleanse, Exfoliate, Shave and Moisturise that simple!
Gary — October 16, 2009
By the way I have a range of natural skin care products for men WWW.himself27.com.au ;-)
MC — October 16, 2009
Yeah, I think this post is neglecting that entire obnoxious "metrosexual" trend. Hello, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? Makeup/caring about your appearance is for straight women and gay men, and I'd say an enormous amount of advertising lately focuses on getting straight men to spend all that extra money they've got thanks to the wage gap on useless products too.
And agreed with all the comments about there being tons of vanity products marketed to men -- they just are trying to capitalize on the necessity to maintain their sense of masculinity, not on the necessity of 'being beautiful.' Men are marginalized + compartmentalized into gender roles through advertising too, just in a very different way than women.
Also, entertained by a lot of the copy there, as pointed out: hammerzied! how manly! and it comes in LARGE and GIANT size, sort of like cars, or maybe penises!
This said, I really wish my $65 Chanel concealer cost 29 cents.