But while young women obsessed with skin care share their enthusiasm with their brothers and partners, a teenager like James Charles plays the role of CoverGirl, and male beauty experts on YouTube show other men how to apply cosmetics, traditional genre lines are blurred, if not completely disappear. And even if it is too early to say if men will adopt makeup with something close to women’s fervor, a trend is evident, observers say: beauty brands are turning to more non-sexist products presented in unisex packaging.
According to experts, new brands enter the door with a gender fluidity already integrated into their DNA, using advertising that reflects the diversity of race and sex and packaging the products to avoid old stereotypes. “They’re more inclusive, and they touch on more things that are important to young consumers today, like” sustainable “or” clean “or” genderless “,” said Larissa Jensen, senior beauty analyst at the firm of NPD Group market research. “This is something that is more of a movement from the perspective of young consumers.”
The brands often cited and popular with generation Z (defined by the Pew Research Center as people born from 1997) such as Milk Makeup, Glossier and Fenty Beauty all present various moldings in advertisements, interact with their customers on social media offers many shades to suit different skin tones and use neutral colors in packaging such as gray, white, pale pink, nude and silver. (Milk Makeup and Glossier did not respond to requests for an interview about their advertising and packaging strategies, and a representative from the public relations firm of Fenty Beauty declined to comment.) “Our goal is really to do evolve the dominant conception of beauty while creating a space for people to express themselves in an authentic way, “said Laura Kraber, co-founder and general manager of We Are Fluide, a non-sexist makeup brand founded in 2018. “Our packaging and product development has tried not to be extremely masculine or feminine, and we get rid of these notions generally because our belief is that gender is more of a constellation than an extreme of either other, “said Kraber, who is the parent of two teenagers. “If makeup is fun, transformative and fun, no one should be left behind.”
Young consumers are widely credited with the erosion of gender norms and definitions, and studies suggest that they have less rigid definitions of masculinity and gender identity than older customers. A 2019 Pew survey of 10,000 Americans found that about 59% of Gen Z members said that forms asking for a person’s gender should include options other than “male” and “female,” versus 50% of millennials (aged 22 to 37 in 2018). ) and 37% of baby boomers (54 to 72 in 2018).
David Yi, founder of Very Good Light, an online grooming publication for men focused on generation Z which aims to “redefine masculinity and men’s beauty standards”, attributes the opening of this generation to its innate fluidity with social media and his worldview. Yi, who writes a book on the history of male makeup, notes that men around the world have used cosmetics at various times in history, and that it is more associated with femininity in Western cultures. “We are slowly sorting this out with Generation Z,” he said. “They are aware that American or Western culture is not the end, all things considered.”
According to NPD Group, although sales of makeup products in all areas have declined, sales of skin care have increased. Jensen said that, for men, there is less barrier to entry for skin care because it lacks the “gender focus” that makeup as a category has traditionally worn. Clare Hennigan, senior beauty analyst at Mintel, a market research firm, has seen growth in the men’s skin care category and notes that “overall, we have seen men take more care of their personal routines ”.
One brand on the verge of profiting from this change is the Ordinary, which Jensen called “the ultimate genderless skin care.” It offers serums, creams and acids ranging from about $ 5 to $ 20 in a single package with a clinical appearance. Her unisex look is intentional. “Since its conception, [the Ordinary] was never intended to target a specific gender identity in any way, ”wrote Nicola Kilner, co-founder and managing director of the Ordinary’s parent company, Deciem, in an email. “The packaging of the line, like the formulations, has always been simple and educational.” She adds that the brand does not showcase models in campaigns or on social media, but rather uses its own employees because “we feel like we are a representation of our fan base – diverse, passionate, care-loving of the skin and ultimately just human beings. “
Ursa Major, a skin care brand co-founded by Oliver Sweatman and Emily Doyle, has also chosen gender-neutral products. The line, which customer Sweatman and Doyle call “the careful explorer”, includes facial, hair and body products containing natural ingredients that are sold in eco-friendly packaging with blue, green and mountain whites.
The couple, veterans of the beauty industry, launched the brand in 2009 after moving from New York to Vermont “to restart” and realized that they shared many products. “My personal view is that the lion’s share of the products can be used equally by any gender,” said Sweatman, whose goal is “a healthier product that provides food regardless of sex.”
Aside from the colors, recent packaging tends to be simpler and more refined. “When you think about packaging trends, and I think skin care has more, it’s not pink, it’s neither black nor blue; it’s very clean and very simple,” Jensen said Steve Seeley, president of Elitefill, a cosmetic and skin care packaging company, has noticed that packaging has become simpler in the 20 years he has worked in the field. beauty. “I think it’s probably Apple’s concept of being just basic, clear and clear with your message,” he said. ” [brands] done, it’s simple: say what it does and let the product speak for itself. “
At this point, the types of products marketed to customers identifying men are also simple. According to NPD, the fastest growing products are tinted moisturizers, lip glosses, lip balms and eyebrow products – all of which contribute to a minimalist, sleek look.
Glen Jankowski, lecturer in critical and social psychology at the University of Leeds Beckett in England who studies body image, wonders what effect it has. “It is about promoting a very unrealistic standard in a pernicious way,” he said. “At least with expressive and daring makeup, people know it’s decoration and it’s not part of your appearance. With this more hidden and subtle makeup, it looks more like” This is what a human should look like . “”
Phillip Picardi, former editor of Out and Them, started a grooming column for GQ in November, with topics such as how to look younger, how to care for eyebrows, and a beginner’s makeup guide. He recognized the possibility that keeping men and women at beauty standards could be a step backwards. “It is not a good thing for us to sell consumerism to men and women,” he said. “The answer would be to eradicate it all. But it’s just not the world we live in. “