Gender equality has also affected the care of appearance – the times when men’s cosmetics were limited to soap and shaving cream can be considered past for a long time. And with them, the strict division of care products into men’s and women’s has gone. We tell which of them is worth “drag” from each other.
It just so happened historically that scrupulous care for appearance in our country settled in women’s territory. Going to beauty salons, keeping jars and bottles in the bathroom, wearing perfume: all this in the public mind was often recognized as not a man’s business.
In this we are different from many European countries, where a lot of attention is paid to men’s self-care. Italian barbers and English barbershops have never been idle, and Western cosmetic brands have been producing lines of care products specifically for men for a long time.
With the fall of the Iron Curtain, the grooming trend gradually began to take root in the territory of the former USSR – now we have no shortage of barbershops, and the shelf above the sink in many houses has been replenished with jars of various sizes with the inscription For Men.
But is it really relevant to divide cosmetics by gender? From the point of view of physiology, male skin does not differ from female skin – there are only characteristic nuances. For example, in the stronger sex, it is more often prone to fat content and is usually denser. Experts say that the treatment of acne in men is more difficult – androgen hormones are to blame. In addition, women are practically not burdened with facial hair – they do not have to care for a beard or shave.
It is clear that these characteristic features largely dictate both the formula of the means and the tasks they are designed to solve. But there are also interesting psychological moments: for example, focus groups that regularly hold cosmetic brands show that men are not ready to spend as much time on daily care as women.
To delve into the cosmetology wilds and figure out what a tonic, lotion, serum, milk, and so on are, many of them are also not very interested. Finally, many men are simply too lazy to apply several products every day.
In response, manufacturers are much more likely to formulate products for men’s lines that combine several actions at once. For example, they soothe, moisturize and mattify the skin of the face. Or wash your face, body and hair at the same time.
And this is a very valuable property – it is convenient to take such a men’s jar with you when traveling light or to the gym, instead of dragging a whole cosmetic bag.
Shaving products can also be extremely well adapted for women’s care.
For example, pre-shave oils and balms are designed to soften the skin, make the hairs a little less stiff and prevent minor razor cuts. In the same way, this oil will work on other areas of the skin, so for those who prefer shaving to all methods of hair removal, this oil will come in handy. Thank you and the delicate skin of the armpits, if it is usually prone to irritation.
Cosmetics should be selected according to your tasks and skin type, and gender here plays a third-rate role or does not play it at all
In order to quickly stop bleeding from a cut while shaving, many men use an aluminum chloride spot remedy (popularly known as alum). It will be very useful if the attempt to get rid of inflammation on the skin ended in a mini-tragedy: bleeding and redness will immediately subside*.
Men’s deodorants tend to be more powerful, so for those who suffer from excessive sweating or bad smell, they can be a lifesaver.
The state of the hairstyle – especially the volume and shape – is perfectly monitored by men’s pastes and waxes. For the most part, they are matte, do not leave greasy or unnatural shine, and, according to an inexplicable pattern, they almost always smell more interesting and calmer than women’s or “general” ones – instead of a heart-rending chemical-fruity fragrance, aromatic compositions of woody, spicy, aquatic notes are often added to them. .
It is worth saying a word and for the right of men to finally go beyond purely male care products. Without exception, they can use all adult skin care products with exactly the same efficiency as women, even if For Her is written on the package, and only representatives of the so-called weaker sex starred in the advertising campaign.
Cosmetics should be selected according to your tasks and skin type, and gender here plays a third-rate role or does not play it at all.
*You need to consult your doctor.