BOYS OVER FLOWERS

Meet a new generation of male beauty content creators who are challenging conventional beauty standards and making waves for diversity, one makeup tutorial at a time.

- Letty Seah

Actor and influencer Braven Yeo’s (@bravenyeo) beauty routine usually consists of regular monthly pico lasers, a gentle cleanser, skin-evening retinol serum, some type of brightening product, base makeup, setting spray, contour, eyeshadow and eyeliner.

For some, this process might seem too involved and overwhelming. For the 28-year-old who creates grooming content full-time, this regimen not only completes his look, but is also an avenue for self-expression. “Like fashion, makeup and skincare is genderless. While the stigma that men should not wear makeup still exists today, I believe that everyone should have the freedom to do whatever they want,” says Braven.

Braven is not alone. He represents a growing number of male beauty influencers who are giving the beauty scene a fresh new take, while challenging gender norms in a landscape that has traditionally adhered to rigid standards that determined what was “feminine” or “masculine”.

“My main motto has always been to prove that makeup is an art form. And there’s no gender to art,” shares 25-year-old Melvin Tseng (@melvin_tseng) who was the first male content creator in Singapore to be selected to join the Sephora Squad, a coveted ambassador programme.

He believes that while labels such as “feminine” or “masculine” style makeup can help viewers to “visualise and understand”, a lot of the makeup tips that we follow are inspired by drag queens who don’t conform to gender.

PAVING THE WAY FOR CHANGE

The growing prominence of male influencers in the beauty landscape doesn’t just fight existing gender stereotypes but could also move the industry in the direction of being a genderless space. In recent years, international beauty brands such as Cerave and The Ordinary have intentionally adopted non-gendered branding.