18/01/2026

ON SUNDAY January 18, 2026 II theSunday Special

The rise of men’s makeup

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

R EMEMBER back when we still used words like metro sexual to describe men who are conscious of how they look, take care of their skin and pay attention to what they wear daily? We no longer use such terms because this is 20 years on and every man is a metrosexual . Men have evolved so much that RM250 haircuts, facial serum and designer sneak ers are now the norm. That brings us into another, for some, quite a new uncharted territory: Men’s makeup. Men, especially the younger Gen Z, are not afraid of makeup. A little bit of brow gel, lip gloss and highlighter on men today is not as scary as it was in the 1990s. Men today have embraced makeup as a way to enhance and perfect their look, without being described as androgynous RU H̆ HPLQDWH Men of today care about the way they look in social media posts or when they are tagged in a group photo by their friends. The men’s skincare industry in $VLD 3DFL¿F LV DOUHDG\ ZRUWK 50 ELO OLRQ LQ UHÀHFWLQJ VWURQJ JURZLQJ demand among male consumers for grooming and skincare solutions. But men’s makeup is also on the rise, with an estimated value of RM34.5 ELOOLRQ LQ 7KDW PDUNV D VLJQL¿FDQW OHDS IURP DURXQG 50 ELOOLRQ LQ

the company’s annual dinner, a high school gathering or even a birthday party. For men who are still a little afraid of the word makeup, these makeup artists cleverly replace it with less intimidating words like men’s grooming. C RQ¿GHQFH ERRVWHU Makeup artist Zulyasrani combines his makeup service with barbering and hair cuts. Formerly a runway model, Zulyas rani discovered his passion for grooming DQG KHOSLQJ SHRSOH IHHO FRQ¿GHQW LQ WKHLU appearance. “Post-pandemic, I decided to expand my skills and venture into makeup, focus ing on men’s makeup, which is an area that is still quite new and not widely R̆ HUHG 7KH SRVLWLYH UHVSRQVH HQFRXUDJHG me to continue building my makeup business while still providing barber services on a home-service basis for my loyal clients,” he said. At the beginning, many people were unsure about men’s groom

The demand for men’s makeup has JURZQ VLJQL¿FDQWO\ ,Q WKH SDVW PDQ\ PHQ were hesitant even to consider makeup. Today, grooms are much more open to looking their best on their wedding day. More male clients are seeking grooming services for photoshoots, campaigns and public appearances. It has become typical and even expected for men to want to appear polished and confident during important moments. “Men who wear makeup should not be shamed or judged. Men’s makeup is not about changing who you are but about UH¿QLQJ \RXU QDWXUDO IHDWXUHV DQG SUH senting yourself at your best. Many well NQRZQ SXEOLF ¿JXUHV IURP FHOHEULWLHV WR leaders, wear makeup before appearing on stage or in front of cameras. To me, it LV DERXW SURIHVVLRQDOLVP FRQ¿GHQFH DQG self-presentation, not about diminishing masculinity,” he said. T KLV FXOWXUDO VKLIW KDV GH¿QLWHO\ EHHQ beneficial. Social media has allowed someone like Zulyasrani to showcase his work and normalise the idea that men’s grooming and makeup are professional services. Male influencers and brands embracing self-care have made it easier for men to feel comfortable seeking these services. As a result, his visibility has grown, leading to more opportunities, collaborations and the chance to reach clients who previously never considered makeup as part of their grooming routine. T KHQ DQG QRZ Makeup artist Iqbal Rafael started doing makeup for television screens 13 years ago. He was just 20 years old at that time, when male actors were not so particular about their looks. He also did makeup for weddings, but back then, the groom’s makeup was usually just hair styling and touch-ups. It is a world apart from what men’s makeup and grooming are today. “Actors, celebrities, corporate clients and grooms all want to look polished, which starts with skincare to full-on makeup. They understand makeup doesn’t change who they are. It just helps create a better version of themselves,” he said.

Men today understand that makeup grooming is not about vanity but about SUHVHQWLQJ WKHPVHOYHV ZLWK FRQ¿GHQFH and professionalism. Looking polished is no longer limited to special occasions, it has become part of everyday life and this shift in mindset has made self-care more widely accepted among men. “For men, I always focus on achieving a natural look that enhances their features while still keeping them masculine. The process usually involves skincare prepara tion, light base makeup, subtle contouring and touch-ups to control shine under camera and lighting conditions. Unlike women’s makeup, men’s makeup is never heavy. It’s clean, natural and designed so they still look like themselves but IUHVKHU DQG PRUH FRQ¿GHQW ´ =XO\DVUDQL explained.

ing, but now they are much more open and accepting. Today, cli ents actually seek out these services with FRQ¿GHQFH 7KH ELJ gest driver has been social media and greater global exposure.

2020, showing that the region’s perception of male beauty and personal care is shifting fast and the industry is clearly taking no tice. Along with the rise

of men’s makeup b r and s , male make up artists are

now in higher demand than ever. Not only for special occasions like weddings, men now hire makeup artists for events such as

Men who wear makeup should not be shamed or judged.”

Zulyasrani

For Zulyasrani, the goal is to achieve a natural look that enhances their features while remaining masculine.