This is my second makeup-related post, and I definitely feel that this is a new feature I’d like to continue for a long time!
Today I played with my new Wet n Wild coloricon Comfort Zone palette, which was recommended to me by the various makeup forums I’ve been checking out lately.
The colors I applied were as follows (in coordination with the number key in the image below):
- Browbone
- Eyelid
- Crease/outer corner
- Outer “V”
The other products I used -
- MAC Fluidline (for tightlining)
- LOreal Liquid Liner
- Maybelline Falsies Black Drama mascara
- MAC Concealer (undereye area)
- MAC Studio Fix (undereye area)
- Urban Decay Eyebrow Powder
As you can see, the results were pretty darn good. I’m amazed at how well this palette performs for its price ($4.99). The colors included in the set are really versatile, allowing for a lot of mixing and matching possibilities.
If the drug store brands could get this kind of quality in all of their products at these prices, I would guess that the high-end makeup brands might start seeing their profit margins shrink significantly.
This palette was just as good as Walking on Eggshells, and I highly recommend it.
The question of wearing makeup as a guy is, I think, even harder to answer than nail polish, because makeup is so ‘in your face’ (no pun intended…). There’s no hiding it, and its still one of the strongest gender fashion binary holdouts.
I’m still struggling with the idea of wearing a look like this out and about.
What would you all think of a guy wearing his eyes like this?
22 comments
patrice wassmann says:
Sep 30, 2012
I would love to see the effect it has on your whole face… your eyes look fab in this picture! How do I feel about a guy wearing makeup? Well, it is not something I am used to and it isn’t for everyone…as a 57 yr old woman I am fascinated by gender bender stuff…but not entirely comfortable with it. But I figure it isn’t any of my business if a guy wants to wear makeup. Whatever makes you happy! I think you must be seriously awesome and interesting to have the courage to do what you want to regardless of societal standards! And I just saw a news article about men in S Korea wearing makeup to look more “put together” and to get ahead in the business world.
And I love your nail polish reviews! Keep ‘em coming please!
Scott Gents says:
Sep 30, 2012
Patrice – what a great perspective! Thank you for the kind words, and I hope you keep reading for a long time!
Toby says:
Sep 30, 2012
Wow, you look amazing! I love that green on you! I got so happy when I saw this post. :) If I saw you in person I would be so very excited at seeing another guy who loves makeup!
You are a huge inspiration to me. My situation is kind of complicated – I’m a transgender man, meaning I was raised as a girl but I’m really a guy. You see, I like nail polish and makeup too, but I always worry about what will happen when I finally get to take hormones and people see me as a man wearing makeup (which is what I am!), instead of a woman. You give me a lot of hope that I’ll still be able to express myself no matter what.
For awhile I wouldn’t let myself wear nail polish or do anything “feminine”, because I felt like I couldn’t be a “real guy” then. But now I looooove it and I never ever want to go back to my dull existence that didn’t include colourful nails and eyeshadow! Thank you for your blog and for daring to be who you are.
Scott Gents says:
Oct 1, 2012
Thanks for the kind words, Toby! So to be clear, were you born as a genetic male or a genetic female?
Toby says:
Oct 2, 2012
To my knowledge, I have XX genes. I usually say I was “female assigned at birth” which is a more formal way of saying “the doctor said ‘it’s a girl’”, if that’s clear, haha.
Right now I haven’t taken hormones (family situation) and so makeup is acceptable for me, but it will change once I go on testosterone and start looking “like a man”. It’s that future I worry about, a lot… and feel really sick about it, like I should just toss all my makeup in the trash to make my future life easier. But that’s not who I am, so I can’t.
Jim says:
Oct 18, 2012
So which gender feels like you? I guess it doesn’t really matter, I am just a bit confused. I wear polish and still feel like a guy that just happens to like polish. People should dress and adorn themselve any way they want.
Lindsay says:
Oct 1, 2012
I have your blog with all my other makeup and nail polish blogs, completely thought this was another one of my other gal’s blogs till you mentioned wearing makeup as a guy! Your makeup looks amazing here. I’m glad you got Comfort Zone, it’s my favorite palette and with the exception of UD Mildew is my favorite eyeshadow(s) period.
I have to admit if I saw a guy wearing makeup like this I would do a doubletake, make sure I was seeing what I was seeing. If could get over my social anxiety I get talking to anyone I don’t know I might just ask you what brand colors you’re wearing.
Oh and keep those nail polish reviews coming please! I love your review system, you do a great job and are totally responsible for my desperate need to own ManGlaze’s Mink Mitten.
Scott Gents says:
Oct 1, 2012
Awesome commentary, Lindsay! It’s so satisfying to have my makeup confused for the makeup of other beauty bloggers – really makes me feel that I’m nailing the look. I just found out that WnW has a bunch of other palettes like this – I’m thinking I need to do a series!
Also, I’m super thrilled to hear you love my nail polish reviews!! Mink Mitten is a great polish, it’s definitely worth picking up.
MightyLambchop says:
Oct 1, 2012
This look turned out great! I’m so jealous because I don’t think I could do this nearly as well.
I’m used to guys wearing makeup. I grew up during the 80s hair band era, lived through a Goth club scene and support my local drag queen/king scene. I dig it and I think you should continue to enjoy makeup and nail polish.
Also, I love your NP swatches even though they too make me very envious.
Scott Gents says:
Oct 1, 2012
Where do you support your local drag scene? So glad you’re enjoying the makeup and nail polish reviews!
Dylan says:
Oct 7, 2012
First of all thank you! Your articles are an inspiration to me. Have have been playing with makeup when going out with friends for some time now and recently wanted to try nail polish but was kind of afraid to. Then I found your website and I’m no longer afraid. Like Patrice said men in Korea have been doingat this and is even considered to be attractive for a man to wear makeup and be more feminine. Love the website and will be subscribing!
Scott Gents says:
Oct 7, 2012
Hey Dylan,
Great commentary! It’s interesting to me that you’ve been wearing makeup with friends, but that you were afraid to try nail polish. What kind of makeup were you wearing when you were out with friends?
Have you worn nail polish out and about yet? What colors?
Look forward to hearing back from you!
Megan at Painting Rainbows says:
Oct 9, 2012
This looks amazing! You execute eyeshadow techniques much better than I do and I’ve been wearing makeup for years! I really love the colors in this palette and need it now! How do you get your makeup pics to come out so good? I seem to lose the details of application in my pictures (like the fading of one color to another, subtle color differences, finish, etc).
Scott Gents says:
Oct 9, 2012
Thanks for the kind words, Megan! I’ve played with makeup here and there for years, but this is my first attempt at sharing it with the world. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the makeup looks I post here.
Stacy says:
Nov 26, 2012
My fav nail salon recently decided to no longer stock OPI’s Here Today…Aragon Tomorrow nail color. I am so glad that I ran across your website before a purchase was made on a new one. You helped me to find an amazing polish called ManGlaze Mink Mitten that looks like it was made just for me! Keep up the good work, you rule!!!
Rachel says:
Dec 2, 2012
Interestingly enough, I hate makeup, but I love nail polish. Makeup is just so gross and runs off your face and clogs your pores. I am all about buying products to have great skin, so I don’t want makeup to cover up blemishes and then get more because of it. You wear more makeup as a man than I do as a woman! Crazy huh? But, ok, since I don’t like makeup, I also think society as a whole wears too much makeup as an act to cover up their natural beauty to meet fake standards of photoshopped models. As far as colors and textures, that is art though, and putting cool colored makeup on can be very artistic. I guess what I am trying to get out of this comment is that seeing your blog and this post makes me thing about why men would wear makeup, and why do women feel they have to? Would you wear foundation to cover blemishes? Or do you purely like playing colors as artistic expression? Does your wife think makeup is sexy on you and enhances your beauty? These are all things I am now thinking about, and I am glad you have your blog to help everyone think about the way we see the world and gender roles!
jacky says:
Jan 4, 2013
a new trend like makeup for men can be set only when more number of people start doing it. this is the request to all guys who like nail polish.. please wear it in public. if all of us start wearing it, then it will become common and ultimately no man will be afraid to use it!
Scott Gents says:
Jan 4, 2013
Jacky – this is a great summation of what needs to happen! Thank you.
Mood de Luna says:
Jan 4, 2013
I like make up on men ! I don’t see the problem because make up is a way to feel you with your mood in the moment and for me this is an art. Beautiful ! *Mood de Luna*
Scott Gents says:
Jan 4, 2013
I totally agree! How is it any different from tattoos or t-shirts? Why the weird stigma? Thanks for the kind words!!
Jacky says:
Jan 5, 2013
Its weird that a woman can use ‘manly’ things. Almost every woman is coming forward to experiment new things without looking at whether it is only for guys. And they become successful enough to make it a new trend for them. But man is not ready to experiment. He has made his range limited. According to him, whoever does something ‘girly’ (means not usually done by him) make him less a man. Who is brave? Man or a Woman? While women fight for ‘gender equality’ and all for a hold on what only men can do, men simply stand back fearing to cross the line. For example if it is makeup, man just enjoys looking them on a woman rather than trying them himself. He fears if his masculinity will be gone. I think only few of us are brave and intelligent enough to come forward.
If we ask a guy why he is not wearing nail polish or makeup, I’m sure 98% of them would say “its for girls, not for us”. They’ll never say that they are not interested.
Why men are not doing makeup and nail polish.? This is because in the past, men did all work like farming outside and women stayed at home. So men could not keep himself neat and clean. Whenever he tried something like makeup, it looked like a mess. He could not maintain them. Then he finally gave them up, thinking that it can only be done by a woman. (It is to be noted that some royal men like kings used to wear makeup, nail polish etc.) Later, people with “no makeup, unclean etc. etc.” were defined as ‘men’. Anything they did to look good made them ‘girly’.
Look at the present scenario. Both women and men work together in the same office, do exactly the same work, then why shouldn’t a man wear makeup like his co-worker?
Seems like its the time to start some awareness program. I wonder if they could change ‘nail armor’ to ‘nail polish’. Something like ‘nail armor’ is a shame to mankind. It announces that men are having fear and they need some consoling words to make them come up and use them.
Eleobel says:
Feb 2, 2013
This looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try and copy this look :)