All around social media, makeup tutorials and just makeup in general are trending worldwide. Millions see all over YouTube and Instagram videos these popular trends of makeup and beauty. The problem is, we mostly see women in these apps blending their Shape-Tape concealer or putting on their Liquid Frost highlighter. Men all around the world are in the shadow of women when it comes to the beauty industry. So, I’m here to say that men need way more representation in the beauty community than ever before. Yes, it is acceptable for women to be and will be supported in the beauty community, but often times the tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of men that are also seeking to be in this community are forgotten.
For example, take James Charles, a 19-year-old man with 8 million subscribers on YouTube and is known for his classic “Hi sisters!” video intro. He was the first male CoverGirl ambassador and went on the Ellen Show, and still is successful to this day, yet he’s still not mentioned in any big magazines or websites for his successes. It’s also not the first time this has happened to male beauty gurus. Another example, Jeffree Star, a little older than James, but still very successful, having his own fan-favorite cosmetics line and just getting 7 million subscribers on YouTube. Yet again, like James, still not mentioned! Popular makeup brands, such as Sephora and Morphe, regularly forget about male makeup artists (MUAs) like Star and Charles.
Even in their magazines and subscriptions, we always see women portrayed and little to no men have pictures or even mentioned. If anyone looks on the Morphe website, the first thing they will see is female MUA, Jaclyn Hill, releasing “The Vault,” her new makeup line. Scrolling down, there is a Morphe “Gallery” slideshow, where anyone can send in pictures of them using Morphe makeup and editors on the website will go through photos and pick themselves. Going through the slideshow, there is are only women and no men whatsoever. One may believe that men are a huge minority in the makeup community when compared to women. Even if there is a minority of men who wear makeup, these men should still be noticed and included in not only this little slideshow, but in the entire world of beauty. People like James Charles and Jeffree Star are breaking gender norms, and so should we. The world should know that it is now the new “normal” for not only women but men to wear makeup as well.
Therefore, males need more representation in the beauty community because they belong in this community just like everyone else. The community shouldn’t discriminate men and leave them in the shadows. Men are just as important as women, and vice versa. Now is the time for men to be represented, to show that we can break the gender norms, to show that men wearing makeup is the new normal, and to show that just because there’s a minority of men who participate in beauty doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be mentioned and represented.