A New Man On The Horizon

A new era for men and their skincare, and what it means to be masculine.

From virile vanity to routine ruggedness, the sweeping gusts of progressive culture have heralded the reimagined man. A new dawn of openness and vulnerability.

More men are exploring facial care and cosmetics than ever before. In fact, the number of men who seek skincare has almost doubled – from 3.1% to 6.1% over the last four years. We know what that means, right? Men are either becoming less embarrassed to flaunt the skincare trend, or we’re waking up to a new world of masculinity.

This is about young men reshaping and redefining the cosmetic norms. It’s about self-expression. And, most importantly – somewhere in the soft underbelly of masculinity, men are slowly disarming their rigid ways and ushering in a new sentiment.

Wellness. Self-expression. And skin health. Are we being far-fetched in declaring these as incontrovertibly linked? I don’t think so. You can see the tether that binds these three central qualities together in everyday life. 

Let’s rearrange slightly and begin with self-expression. Bravado, for men, has been the nemesis of self-expression. It rears its cumbersome head, swallowing any unfettered thoughts and feelings whole – all to further suppress authenticity. But what happens when you pop the bravado balloon? The cold, clammy, insecure outer shell cascades into a heap on the ground – leaving an unfeigned thought, opinion, or expression ready to take centre stage. That’s a world where conversations aren’t limited to inconsequential small talk. Haircuts are coalesced into one look. And healthy-looking skin becomes, well, the new norm.

Which brings us to skin health. When you start actively bettering something, more often than not, that something becomes, well, better. And when it comes to skincare, that can go a long way. 

PubMed, the National Centre of Biotechnology Information, amassed a nifty study on the adjusted approach to skin health. They found, in a 12-week study, that men who used a daily male-focused antioxidant saw glaring improvements across a slew of skin-health markers. Skin tone improved by about 29% by the fourth week, and a 28% reduction in pore visibility. And, by the eighth and twelfth week, their skin became notably less oily. 

So, men are taking notice of the noticeably drastic changes skin products can make to our skin. Human beings have fashioned a habit out of peddling what works. From stumbling upon earth-sourced food to transitioning to mechanised production, we find, change, and adapt. And who knows? Maybe this is the next milestone we stumble upon.

Men’s skincare is structurally different from women’s. It tends to be thicker and oilier. And with fewer to none male-focused skincare products on the market, where are men to look for that effortlessly perfect skin? But here’s the truth. Men’s skincare doesn’t merely improve our appearances. It toughens and strengthens our skin’s barrier. And reduces irritation, helping your skin look and feel generally healthier.

We’ve all shared that same new haircut experience. Where you try to catch a glimpse of the new look in every passing car or shop window. And there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s justified to feel yourself in that moment in time. You took a leap of faith, and it paid off. So now comes the flurry of self-indulgence.

Skin is the same. That moment, shortly after applying your skincare, when there’s no sign of puffed-up, irritated skin, but you’re feeling puffed-up with pride. You’re checking yourself in the mirror. Folding a misplaced curl back into place. Adjusting the smoothness of an eyebrow. Or merely fixing your shades into perfect placement. It’s in that moment when you are feeling unequivocally yourself, in wholehearted self-assurance.

That feeling of unprecedented excitement isn’t tethered to a gender. Somewhere along the way, men failed to catch up. We perpetuated the roles passed on by restrained men from bygone eras, and never sought to make a change. And this reimagined concept of masculinity won’t do a number on ‘being a man’. Rest assured, your testosterone-fuelled, grizzled silhouette isn’t at jeopardy – if anything, the classic ‘bloke’, not so dissimilar to his face, could do with softening.

Nothing's more difficult than turning up to life, saying the right thing – at the right time. Maybe a little slackening on life’s collar is what we need.

And, well, with cultural progression, social media, and awareness around mental health pervading societal spaces and imbuing a new way to live, who's to say that a redefined man hasn’t already arrived?