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Anti-wrinkle creams, manicures, massages, lifting: it seems that men today are more free to take care of themselves. Are they invading the traditional feminine space or inventing a new masculinity?
Personal care is vital for a modern man. It is unlikely that a business partner will be able to seriously concentrate if his gaze stops at the dirty nails or unkempt hair of the interlocutor. What can we say about women who (not without the help of the film and glossy industry) have developed a certain stereotype of the appearance of a successful man: with matte skin, a fashionable haircut, sleek arms, a sculpted torso and, of course, fashionable perfume. Not surprisingly, for many young people today, manicures are becoming as much an integral part of preparing for a first date as buying flowers. Men, no less than women, like to feel like objects of attention and care. Visits to a beautician or massage therapist give them pleasure … although, looking back at the age-old image of a harsh warrior, they, gritting their teeth, are silent about such “weaknesses”. Now, when the situation has changed and it has become fashionable to be sleek, any macho can enjoy cosmetic benefits without a twinge of conscience. A man, coming for a manicure or hair removal, no longer risks his own image, as well as buying anti-wrinkle cream. And if a few years ago in men’s companies it was customary to discuss only news from sports arenas, politics and cars, now there you can also hear opinions about certain cosmetic innovations. Men’s, of course.
New criteria
Every Sunday, 44-year-old Alexander, a sales manager, takes a long bath with essential oils, applying a tightening mask to his face. “I am heterosexual, I have a girlfriend, and you can’t say that I am a victim of fashion or cosmetics. But I appreciate the small pleasures of life, especially if they are good for health and appearance,” he explains his beauty ritual. And at the same time, he emphasizes that his bath is “with lavender, but not with rose”, but the Masque Liftant mask from the men’s line, Eisenberg Homme. “It seems to me that all women appreciate it when a man is smart, well-groomed and smells good,” says 32-year-old Mikhail (lawyer, divorced and in the stage of “mass seduction”). He admits that he regularly does massages, pedicures, manicures and carefully monitors his figure, being sure that “three extra kilos make you three years older!”
Added to the famous triptych of male anxieties – baldness, a fat belly, penis size – are wrinkles, bags under the eyes, a flabby body and being overweight. “In our market society, physical form has become a calling card,” says philosopher Michela Marzano. “Thin, fit and young, as a rule, it is easier to get both career advancement and success in their personal lives.” And the sociologist Jean-François Amadieu sees in the cult of male youthfulness also a consequence of female emancipation: “Equality has led to the fact that female and male stereotypes have become common. Both sexes now have the right to wear tuxedos, ride bikes, smoke cigars, as well as get masks, massages and spectacular hairdos.”
See also: New codes of male beauty
Great Conservatives
Of course, not all men try to bring their appearance to perfection. For the most part, they remained the children of their fathers and the grandchildren of their grandfathers, who considered self-care only a hygienic procedure. Shaving foam and aftershaving lotion are still top sellers. Periodically, these hereditary conservatives agree to use lip balm and hand cream – those used by their wives or girlfriends. But the decision to buy an anti-wrinkle or lifting serum is harder for them than the notorious annual report. But, when they see that the drug works, they often become its devoted adherents. “The most regular clientele are men,” notes Irina Kravchenko, Biotherm consultant. – They do not like to experiment and rush from brand to brand. This is especially true for adult clients. But it’s not easy to persuade such a buyer to test the new product.” That is why men’s cosmetic lines are updated much less often than women’s, and many hits in them remain unchanged for decades. Unlike women’s brands, where the cream “lives” on average only a couple of years: women are more willing to believe that there is no limit to perfection, and more often change the usual cream with an advanced novelty.
A big difference
By the way, the division of funds into male and female is not just a trick to increase sales. In addition to several thousand hairs on the chin and cheeks, the skin of men has a number of other features. It is 15% thicker and denser than women’s and is characterized by high sebum secretion throughout life. This causes shine and breakouts, but at the same time gives the face excellent protection. Outwardly, men age later than women: their skin is dense and elastic. The first wrinkles appear on it after 35 years, but, as if to console the weaker sex, they are deeper and sharper than women’s. The disadvantage of male skin is intensive blood circulation, due to which (as well as due to alcohol abuse, smoking and other things) redness and dilated blood vessels often appear on the face. And because of the increased acidity, men’s skin is often sensitive and prone to irritation. Especially in shaved areas. All these nuances are taken into account when developing cosmetic formulas. As well as tactile preferences (men hate rich textures and oils), color nuances (no pink creams and pastel jars), fragrances (neutral or deliberately cool).
Read more:
- What does it mean to be a man?
Not complicated
Interview
- 70% of men use aftershave*.
- 46% have already tried the diet**.
- 14% weigh themselves more than once a day (against 8,5% of women).
- 10% of men used aesthetic surgery services (compared to 1% of the same visits 5 years ago). Causes: baldness, sagging eyelids, bags under the eyes, puffiness, figure (from 50 years old), penis lengthening***.
* Beiersdorf Facial Consumer Study, 2009.** Survey conducted by scale manufacturer Tanita, 2009.*** Based on imcas.com, 2009.
Another stumbling block is the so-called end result. Unlike young girls who are able to believe in the effectiveness of the cream, just inhaling its aroma and reading the advertising slogan, men need a noticeable, fast and lasting effect. Before buying a cream, a woman usually applies it to the back of her hand, studying the texture and smell. Her companion, on the contrary, will either prefer not to test the product at all, but carefully read the instructions, or apply the drug immediately to the face: “I must see the real result!” Last but not least is the ease of use. Everything should be very clear here: this is applied in the morning, this is in the evening, this is washed. Why is not a male issue in cosmetics, Irina Kravchenko notes: “They never ask the consultant for the composition of the funds. Works – and well! What can not be said about the ladies who can spend hours figuring out the purpose of each ingredient. And it happens that this information is forgotten after a minute. By the way, a woman, as a rule, encourages her partner’s desire for grooming. Unless, of course, it comes to fanaticism and does not harm relationships. Moreover, life next to a metrosexual makes her stay in shape. And if self-care becomes a shared hobby, what could be better?
Pass the tests
- What ancient hero are you?
Understand men… with Maria Taranenko
You can give men cosmetics. And it is necessary. But here it’s not enough to choose a remedy, you can’t do without a comment. After all, many of them find it hard to believe that the word “cream” is masculine.
Not so long ago, men allowed only foam and aftershave to their faces. And although today many have known the joys of good cosmetics, there are few advanced beauty users. Go to a perfume shop with your loved one – he will not only save, he will be frightened. Paradox! All people want to be beautiful, but the strong half is embarrassed to make an effort. To change the situation, you need to unobtrusively and clearly explain the purpose of the remedy. It is important for a man to know that he needs it to fulfill some super-task, and not just for beauty.
For example: “Well, air! You go to work and, not sparing yourself, breathe this muck! And the skin, it turns out, absorbs it all. Look, here is a special protective agent for men, like an anti-corrosion coating … “Or:” You look younger than your peers, only your eyes give you away. And you can safely get eye gel out of the bag. The most difficult and risky thing is to give shaving products. Here men are categorical: it is not given to a woman to comprehend this sacrament. You need to act either conservatively or creatively. That is, to present either a familiar remedy, or something out of the ordinary: “Of course, I don’t understand anything about shaving. But I love watching you wield a razor professionally. So I couldn’t resist seeing this unusual tool. I think you can easily figure out how to use it. But I would give the palm to the laconic speech of my friend, with which she gave her husband a set of anti-aging products for their silver wedding: “The years go by, and we always did everything together. Let’s get younger together!”
Maria Taranenko, corporate beauty director of ELLE and Psychologies magazines, beauty expert.