Melbourne Herald Sun, Wednesday April 7 2010
If a cosmetics maker has a dream of heaven, it's the day when men take up the use of make-up and lotions in the same volumes as women.
And they have certainly tried. Eight years ago they thought they had cracked it with the evolution of the 'metrosexual' male. You might recall that he was the young, affluent city dweller who spent all his cash and attention on himself, his body and his clothes. David Beckham was the great idol of the breed.
Such was the influence of this movement that no less than Mark Latham, in his vitriolic autobiography, claimed this country was in decline: "Australian mates and good blokes have been replaced by nervous wrecks, metrosexual knobs and tossbags," he cried.
But when the cosmetic moguls awoke they found that the world had not followed their dreams. Aussie men are more resistant to the trend than their European counterparts.
In the US, Unilever are bringing out a new Dove range of men's products, personal wash, hair care and deodorants, called Dove Men+Care. In Australia, however, only the deodorant part is coming. Is the Australian male shy about his grooming?
Not according to Melbourne success, Natio. This company is minuscule compared to its rivals, but it has jumped to number one men's skincare brand in David Jones. What do they know that the others don't?
"It was our product team came up with the idea of a men's range," said their Managing Director Max Ross. "I thought it wouldn't work because we're in female products, but I'm pleased to say they proved me wrong."
Their men's face creams jumped off the chemists' shelves far more quickly than expected. "We found out what was happening - it was women buying the products for their men, to stop them pinching their expensive face creams."
They have since expanded the men's range to 16 products including lip balm, moisturiser, eye cream and body wash. How far can they take it? Well Ruff hears that their skin bronzer is also being pinched in the bathroom, so that may be the next in line.
Then there's the fringe. In America, singing star Adam Lambert is planning to launch his own range of cosmetics for men. Foremost will be guyliner - eye liner for men, more popular on the rock arena stage than in the local high street. But also foundation, concealer, shadow, mascara, lip gloss, and nail polish, said an announcement last month.
Lambert is very publicly gay so maybe it's easy to dismiss this as a "gay thing" that doesn't touch the mainstream. But then Max Ross confided that one of the important features in the success of Natio was its popularity in the gay community. From there it rapidly spread into the mainstream - as do so many fashions and attitudes.
But don't worry fellas, it will be a while before you can't go out without your lippy and a touch of blush. This revolution is moving at glacial pace.
In Australia's $1 billion cosmetics market, a mere seven per cent is classified as male grooming. "Cosmetics is a mature industry," explained IBIS Research General Manager Rob Bryant. "Companies are looking for areas of innovation, and men's products are an obvious target."
So expect more attention to be paid to men's skin and crow's feet, from the cosmetic companies' advertising, but particularly from their women.
As for me - the opera season starts this month. But I think I'll go to opening night without my guyliner.
ray@ebeatty.com
