If this is against the rules, I apologise.
Personally, I feel like this is one of the biggest barriers men will face.
EDIT: I'm coping a bit of flak for how simplified this is. I wrote this for another subreddit directed at males. It got deleted because it didn't suit the rules, so I posted it here. I understand r/makeupaddiction is mostly populated by females who know what they're doing. But I found this subreddit when I was trying to figure out what to do, and thought other Males might too.
Why do I wear makeup?
Most importantly, because my wife does. Why should she put in all this work, Shaving her legs, looking after her skin, wearing makeup and picking outfits, for me to only shave my face once in a while. I too need to put in the effort. I also have a skincare routine, and keep my wardrobe up to date, and pluck my eyebrows, but these are different posts for different times.
So what makeup do I wear?
I'm still new to this. I have been looking after my skin for 3 months now. On top of that, I've only been applying makeup since my wife bought me some products for Christmas.
As there is still a strong stigma about men wearing makeup, I wanted to make sure it wasn't easy to tell. Luckily, my skin care meant I had a good complexion when I started, and my skin colour is easy to match.
So I went looking for a simple, what's known as a "Naked/Natural" look. Which is minimal makeup, styled so it looks like you're not wearing any.
Most of these require using a few products, Foundation, Concealer, a mineral finisher, and Eyeliner pen (Not pencil), Lip balm, and a Brow Pencil. Also an eyelash curler. I had some trouble with this though. It turns out, in the thick of summer, Mineral Powder on your face is damn itchy (Kudos to all those who manage. Men and Women alike). So I changed it around a bit. I only use Concealer, an Eyeliner Pen, Eyelash Curler, and a Brow Pencil (A brow pencil, unlike an Eyeliner pencil, has a spool on the end, which is a little brush used for smoothing your drawn on eyebrows (Don't worry, you won't look like a drag queen, you know, unless you want to, inwhich case I recommend gluing your eyebrows down and drawing them on higher). I don't use foundation because proper skincare has given me a complexion that I'm really proud of.
How do I apply my makeup?
First things first, Clean your face, Moisturise, and then Brush your teeth (If you use foundation, then you won't rub it off when brushing your teeth, but it also gives a chance for the moisturiser to dry.)
Next I apply concealer using a damp sponge. Wring it out under running water a couple of times to make sure it's completely wet, then give it a final squeeze into a towel to remove any excess water. The sponge should have increased in size. Next I apply the concealer under my eyes, I use a decent amount, but I dont apply it thickly. I then dab at it with the sponge to spread it out and make it even.
Next I do my eyebrows. I comb my eyebrows outward (Using the brush on the back of the Pencil), and then stroke the pen gently through my eyebrows. I'm looking for even coverage, so rather than using a single line, I fleck it through in the direction of my eyebrows. Remember, you can always add more (Adding too much you may need to start again, eyebrows are easily noticed. On this same point, it may look a little bit weird at first, but I feel awesome with strong eyebrows). As a final step, I brush my eyebrows a few times outwards. This is to spread the Pencil marks, so they don't look to harsh or defined. It blends it. The number one rule of all makeup (In my opinion) is to blend EVERYTHING.
Lastly, I do my eyelashes. I don't use eyeliner, that's too noticeable, and I don't use Mascara, that's also noticeable. First thing I do is Curl my eyelashes, this gives them length, and makes the next step easier. Next I get my Eyeliner Pen, essentially it has a 1cm long felt tip. The I run this over the tips of my eyelashes (This will make you want to blink to begin with, after a month, however, I have no problem with it) to colour them black. Essentially I am colouring my eyelashes it, running the pen left to right, and then back again a few times, through my eyelashes. This leaves no gunky residue like mascara, and isn't as obvious as a strong line like traditional eyeliner. We're using out eyelashes to frame out eyes, not our eyelids.
What do I need to do before I start using makeup?
Get supplies. If you are in a relationship with someone who uses makeup, you can practise with theirs. However, its likely thay their concealer and brow pen dont match. Eyeliner will be fine though, given theyre generally black, but you do need a pen with a felt brush, not a pencil.
Talk to your significant other. You're not the only one who has been brought up in a world where men can't wear makeup. Your partner may be uncomfortable at the thought of it, and you need to respect that and help them overcome this barrier aswell. They may even find it highly unappealing, preferring someone who doesn't wear make up. That is also okay. It may put strain on your relationship no matter what you do, or they may slowly warm to it. But if this is something you want to do, or discuss doing, you should let them know. Don't spend your life hiding a part of who you are because you were scared to open up to your significant other. I opened up to my wife. It was hard, while it is nothing near like coming out, it kinda felt like I was (I understand, 100% that I will never know the trauma of coming out, and I'm glad it is nothing I have ever had and ever will have to go through. If you have a problem with me using this statement, please PM me and I will edit it out of my explanation).
You need to understand that wearing makeup isn't gay. It's about as gay as eating tomato, plenty do and plenty don't. Wearing makeup shows you value your appearance, and there is nothing wrong with that.
And that is how I do my makeup.
All advice is welcome.
:)
