A World of Baseless Beauty
Shampoo, conditioner, exfoliate, rinse. Cleanse, tone, moisturise. Blah blah blah until you locate your bulging make-up bag(s) underneath the stacks of Cosmopolitan.
Soap, water, dress. Zoom out of the door.
That is the difference between men and women - or was.
The world of beauty is a fake one, built on images of people hiding behind a mask. The business of beauty is a thriving one. So much so, that in the last 10 years or so, more and more men have been 'womanised' into wearing foundation and indulging in manicures. Clinique started the trend, and specialist grooming salons continued it. What's next...?
Isn't it ironic that grooming services for men today resemble what was traditionally reserved for women, when women currently use the same methods to enhance their appearance for men? Who is pleasing whom here, and what is becoming of this beautiful world?
12 comments:
oh a topic I am dying to talk about! :)
I think it's almost become a norm that men should be groomed and I am talkin about straight men here.
I have a few male friends whose women "prefer" the men get the nails done, go thru "male" facial sessions every other week - and groom their hair well. Some even apply lip gloss for the added male beauty? :)
I've always thought women are meant to be beautiful and a man should be - tall, dark and handsome, and even though I think men should look smart, dress professionally, be hygenic etc - am a bit confused with all the groomin in today's world i.e. for a straight man where do you draw the line on being masculine?
*rosh I totally agree with you. I'm also surprised to learn your male friends' women are the ones getting them to get these treatments done!!
"for a straight man where do you draw the line on being masculine"..exactement! Is a professional manicure needed for a man's nails to look groomed, cuticle removers et al? Is a specialist facial wash, eye cream and moisturiser really needed for a man's skin to 'glow'?
P.S. We can understand where the influence comes from in the beauty/fashion industry...the top designers are not STRAIGHT!
So...straight women buy things that these men create, and straight men in turn fall for the things that their women buy!
Women in trousers...now make-up on men? HAHA!!!
e7m e7m,,,
I am sorry but not all men,,, please stop refearing that all men are alike,,,
*red dragon...e7m e7m back...I wasn't referring to ALL men! This post is about how grooming/skincare/beauty products are now influencing men in general. Look back 10 years and you will notice the difference between now and then in terms of how many grooming salons have opened up and how 'men's manicure's' are now advertised in the media etc. That goes to show there is 'generally' demand for such services for 'men' in 'general'. Get it?
I am uneasy with the fact that a highly groomed state is being seen as more "natural" than our normal state.
People now expect all breasts to have the artificial shape and roundness of silicone ones. They expect women - and increasingly men - to be smooth and hair free all over their bodies. They expect wrinkles to be removed even before they appear. Teeth need to be bleached whiter than the natural colour of bone ivory. Faces need to be tanned to dangerous levels if you are white, and bleached with toxic creams if you are not white. Nails must be grown to impossible-to-maintain lengths with layers and layers of varnish or fake tips. Hair should never be allowed to be grey, and it must always be bleached or dyed to a natural, brighter colour than nature gave us.
We are turning into a species of plastic freaks.
Grooming for either gender, beyond basic smart dress and hygiene, should be a personal choice. It should not be an expectation.
Hello *secretdubai, interesting insight. You added details I left unsaid, glad you added another perspective ;)
All in all, I don't think the majority prefer surgical enhancements - it's still a controversy, I would say. Unfortunately, it's slowly becoming more acceptable, esp. in other cultures...let's take the nose jobs for instance that are so popular amongst regional singers...
Tattoos, another story! Is that beauty or simply crazy? That too, is becoming widely acceptable...e.g. Beckham who's got his WHOLE arm(s) tatooed..for life!! You can bet many of his fans will be following his example...
For so much value to be placed on how a 'regular' person looks, unless their profession requires all kinds of enhancements, whether surgical or not, is absurd. Real, compassionate people don't judge others on how white their teeth are or how many strands of grey hair they have. We're all human after all, and it's shallow to give priority to looks when it comes to relationships.
As for men starting to get concerned about grooming etc this role reversal is quite alarming. The moment men adopt practices traditionally reserved for women shows a major shift in their attitudes...when this whole 'male groomig revolution' was taking place the term 'metrosexual' was invented. Could this 'metrosexual' now be turning into a homosexual?
Nice blog here, imaginate. Just dropped in out of curiosity.
You make a very valid point about men grooming being started by designers who are not straight. Never thought of it that way, but now that you bring it up, hmmmm....
let's take the nose jobs for instance that are so popular amongst regional singers...
Yeah - it is so sad. So many nosejobs - the majority perhaps - look really artificial. Unless someone has something really dramatically wrong with their nose, like an injury, or a near-deformity, they generally look best left alone. I personally like strong noses on both men and women, there is something very noble about aquiline noses that you see in the region.
The pressure on young girls (and now boys) these days must be immense. I'm glad I grew up in an era/society where plastic surgery was still seen as just for people far away in Hollywood.
Tattoos are something I have never particularly admired. I cannot avoid the thought that no matter how great they may look (in some people's opinion) on young, firm, unmarked flesh, this will not be the case as people age. Tattoos can be removed, but it is painful and expensive and it leaves scarring. So why not just have henna tattoos? Then you can change the design with fashion and moood, and not permanently ruin your body. David Beckham just looks defaced.
Piercings also can get out of hand. At least these can be removed though, once someone no longer has a washboard stomach, or they need to remove a tonguestud to look more professional. I would a thousand times rather see someone get a nose stud or extra earring than a tattoo, if they feel the need to modify themselves.
Yea I agree,,,
Sad but true,,, :'( feel like crying to see that some men lost their manhoods,,,
"Washboard Stomach" hahaha! You really have a way with words, SD :)
well.. just another thing to add in a globalized "modern" world
i like to do everything for myself,, including my head,, i just shave or keep it really long,, although i do go everyonce in a while,, to a barber..
but i wont mind having a pedicure .. well i dunno,, maybe,, but i cant imagine some guy fiddling with my feet,, nor i wonder how appropriate it is for a women to fiddle with my feet too!..
whhich reminds of a time i posted a pic of my feet which everyone admired so it had to go ..:P
but its really all about business and trying to sell you another service you might not need nor even want,,
peace..
but i cant imagine some guy fiddling with my feet
I never had a pedicure before I came here, but I understand it can actually be helpful for people with a tendency to ingrowing toenails to have regular pedicures.
A man could just have the basic trim and clip, he wouldn't have to have his toes painted glittery pink as well ;)
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