How much glam can a man get away with?
The straight man’s idea of grooming is either a basic shower or, if he’s feeling fancy, spritzing on some Axe. The minute he starts applying strawberry-flavored lip balm or slathering on Coconut Body Butter, his masculinity gets called into question.
So how far can straight guys take personal grooming without being considered too feminine?
Early in the decade, the emergence of the term “metrosexual” gave straight men more license to engage in some of the activities women do to keep up physical appearances. Males getting facials and manicures became more acceptable. But if a male student at Northwestern got a manicure, what would his peers think?
“I find it moderately feminine to use beauty products and I do judge guys who use them,” Weinberg sophomore Matthew Dunlap said. “I think things like shampoo and lotion are the only acceptable products.”
Generally, any product that is scented, sparkly, or goes beyond simply maintaining a decent level of hygiene might be considered off-limits to guys. Applying standard ChapStick is manly. Applying gloss is not. Showering with two in one shampoo/conditioner is manly. Showering with White Nectarine and Pink Coral Flower Herbal Essences Shampoo is decidedly not. Though certain products aren’t specifically for women, the way they are advertised has a lot to do with whether or not a guy will use them.
Skincare lines like Lab Series market products specifically to men, letting them spruce up without the embarrassment of having to purchase a package that looks like it should contain a My Little Pony.
“I think it’s important to educate men that its okay to look after their skin,” said Richard Sawyer, spokesperson for Lab Series. “Lab Series products are targeted to men’s specific skincare needs and concerns. We don’t make products for women, only men. We can accurately target what men want and ask for in skincare products.”
But makeup, often taboo for men outside of the theater department, is a tougher sell. The glittery pink packages characteristic of Benefit Cosmetics aren’t exactly welcoming to guys looking to avoid Clay Aiken status.
“Some of our skin treatments have a little bit of a male following,” said Kate Mulcahey, an employee at the Benefit store in Evanston. “As far as a men’s line, we don’t have anything strictly geared towards men.”
Though she says guys don’t come into the store unless they are with girlfriends or fiancées, Mulcahey thinks there’s nothing wrong with guys taking a little more initiative in terms of their personal appearances.
“Grooming-wise, I think they should absolutely use skincare,” she says. “I’ve had boyfriends in the past that have used my concealer. Guys get zits too.”
Some attention to grooming is actually appreciated. While guys who groom about as much as Andrew W.K. would never be considered effeminate, they would also never be considered sanitary, either. And no girl will be attracted to a guy who smells like the seductive mix of vomit and Chinese food (eau de Bobb).
“In general, guys do pretty well in the hygiene department if they smell clean, have non-greasy hair, and don’t have an oil wells on their faces,” Communication sophomore Sarah Rosenak said. “I think guys should stick to basic products geared mostly towards good hygiene, such as deodorant, shampoos, face wash, lotions if necessary, and cologne to top it off.”
The consensus seems to be that guys are allowed to keep clean, but when they start getting creative with the products they use for upkeep, peers start getting creative with the insults. To avoid being likened to Ryan Seacrest, guys have to find the right balance somewhere between manicures and mange.
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Men: put on that makeup and start staring at goats. Or you can return home.
What the fuck is Clay Aiken status? You’d think he’s the only gay man in history and by the way he isn’t in the least a flamer. See Adam Lambert if you want a queen to represent flaming gays.
DaveO
November 11, 2009 at 2:08 am
I find it somewhat disgusting that you have to use Clay Aiken’s name to get hits. I have to agree with DaveO’s comments. Shame on you.
CaroleH
November 11, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Ditto both of the above. Clay Aiken cares little about how he looks…and is more prone to facial hair than cosmetics. He’s a regular GUY who happens to be gay, not a flamer looking to grab attention. Find another name to get yourself some hits.
corinne
November 11, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I like Adam, but I will say he goes way overboard with the make-up and glitter even when he’s not on stage. Most of the time he looks like a woman. I’ve never seen Clay Aiken with make-up except on stage, on TV appearances, or immediately after one of his appearances.
rs
November 11, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Have to agree. You put Clay Aiken’s name in here just to get hits. Of course it worked, he has many fans and is a big star. Have seen many pictures of him that have been taken in airports and such places. He is just a normal looking handsome guy –no make up–just a nice, clean and casual look. He was once asked by a fan what kind of soap he used and his response was “whatever they have in the hotel I am staying in.” I believe make up is used by him for stage and tv appearances.
Really do have to wonder what you mean by “Clay Aiken status.” As far as I am concerned, Clay Aiken status would be a good thing and not something to be avoided. He is a fabulous singer who has sold millions of CDs and had many sold out concerts, has founded a charity called The National Inclusion Project, is a UNICEF ambassador, had a successful run on Broadway and wrote a best seller.
Fortunately, he is way too busy to worry about silly articles like yours.
Peg
November 11, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Well, you got your hits. Too bad you had to do it this way.
Why not do some research and find out who uses make-up etc. instead of just throwing out a name.
The only time Clay uses make-up is on the stage or TV. Try looking at Adam Lambert who uses about a pound a day or foundation, eyeliner and mascara.
Marty
November 11, 2009 at 8:54 pm
You don’t know a think about Clay Aiken. If/when he wears make up on stage it’s very discreet and you don’t notice it, and he prefers not to wear it at all if possible. Why don’t use Adam Lambert as an example? Maybe you could hire him for advertising make-up, ,,errr, maybe not, he wears women’s makeup not men’s.
mary
November 12, 2009 at 12:19 am
The Clay Aiken reference got a little chuckle out of me. It was probably the funniest part of the article. The reference makes sense because everyone thought Clay Aiken was gay for the longest time, before he ever came out. So a “Clay Aiken Status” would be someone people think is gay, which is a humorous way of putting it in my opinion. I didn’t even think about “getting hits” when I read this, and I’m sure it wasn’t the writer’s intention either.
Ziggy
November 12, 2009 at 4:15 am
Just curious. Has the person who wrote this article ever even seen Clay Aiken? If so, can she please tell me when, other than when he was on Broadway in Spamalot, when did he EVER use makeup??? Has she ever seen him in concert with makeup? It would really help if writers did some research before making these comments.
madeleine
November 12, 2009 at 8:19 am
One person saying that Clay Aiken doesn’t wear make-up is enough. You don’t have to repeat the same thing 7 times. Holy crap.
Do you read the comments above you?
November 12, 2009 at 9:21 am
Quoting the post above this:
“One person saying that Clay Aiken doesn’t wear make-up is enough. You don’t have to repeat the same thing 7 times. Holy crap.”
I beg to differ with you–the fact that so many have said the same thing actually speaks volumes.
Sandi
November 12, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Clay may not wear makeup for casual use, but he always wears it for concerts and public appearances where he expects to be photographed. In fact, it’s often commented on by fans, because he tends to lay it on thick, perhaps to hide his freckles, with which it seems he’s never been comfortable. But, I don’t think that was the author’s point. Clay’s just a handy reference for obviously gay, like it or not, justify or not. *shrug*
Samantha
November 16, 2009 at 3:56 pm