An increasingly large number of men are investing more in their looks. As a result, the male grooming industry has become a multi-billion dollar global industry. Hair removal products, pore strips, moisturizer and face wash have now become a common feature in the bathroom cabinets of many men. And now it appears that the same is true for makeup.
Considering the fact that there already exists a male spokes-model for Cover Girl, stores now have entire beauty sections targeting men and men’s magazines lauding the benefits of concealer and numerous other makeup products. For that reason, 2018 will likely be the year that men’s makeup products finally make their way into the mainstream market.
For decades, makeup manufacturers have been trying to get men to start using makeup. However, as marketers know, the hardest part is getting the men to see makeup as manly. To do this, some manufacturers gave their products masculine names: mascara has been branded as manscara and eyeliner as guy-liner.
Other manufacturers made the point that their makeup offered ‘masculine benefits’ by fixing ‘skin problems’ (such as ‘lifeless eyes’ and ‘patchy beards’), by attracting women, or by making the men’s jawline more pronounced through contouring.
Among the most effective strategies of convincing men to purchase makeup has been through male makeup vlogging. An increasing number of men are offering other men (and women, sometimes) tutorials on makeup through vlogging platforms such as YouTube, which are particularly popular among younger audiences.
Often, vloggers will offer viewers incentives in the form of promo codes, such as the glossier promo code, which allows you to get great products at the best prices.
Using makeup vlogs to reach a vast online audience
One of the most popular topics on vlogs is makeup, with YouTube makeup vlogs by Jeffree Star, James Charles and Patrick Starrr amassing over six million subscribers between them. Approximately 11% of their audience are males and roughly 20% of them are under the age of 17.
Makeup vlogging is demonstrably lucrative, with leading makeup vloggers raking in tens of thousands of dollars every month solely from their subscriptions. Furthermore, many vloggers have also come out with their own makeup and clothing lines.
In addition to that, top makeup companies line up to have their products featured in the vlogs. The companies offer the vloggers freebies or enter into official contracts with them. For these reasons, there’s a good chance that many makeup reviews are not impartial seeing as the makeup company sponsors the video.
Even though some of the vloggers expressly say that the mentions of the products are adverts and not editorial content, viewers tend not to pay attention to these disclaimers. It is therefore wise to beware of the false advertising that has become rife on makeup vlogs.
Choosing the best makeup products
Men’s makeup vlogs are popular because they’re a fun and easy way to learn about buying and applying the right makeup. But don’t rely on them too much. Do your own research and safely test out a few products to find out which makeup products work best for you. That way, you’re more likely to get the best results.
