Getting Comfortable with Man-Beauty + The Products to do it with
In the past, the coupling of the terms ‘male’ and ‘skincare products’ in the same sentence has always left me feeling a little awkward and, it would fair to be say, less than enthused. As a male whose skincare ‘routine’ has only ever comprised the occasional application of magic-lotion-in-a-red-tub to dry lips, I’ve been turned off male skincare products because the phrase conjured up images of Matthew Fox (you know, the actor who plays Jack in Lost) and an uneasy television advertisement for another line of male skincare products in which he appeared a few years ago. But not anymore. Thanks to the new line of skincare products for men from the Australian owned and run company Facestuff, I’m now unashamedly comfortable with male skincare products.
You may remember the television advertisement in which Matthew Fox starred. Most notable was the excruciatingly self-conscious way in which he attempted to wash his newly exfoliated face whilst talking to the camera. This ad left me with three distinct impressions. Firstly, like Beatles songs that are covered by bad artists, driving with headlights on during the day and adding syrupy flavouring to coffee, male skincare products seemed to unnecessarily complicate something with which I was more than happy. When it comes to our society’s expectations about self-maintenance, I enjoy the simplicity of being male. Shower once a day, shave once a week, remember to wear deodorant and you’ll be fine. Secondly, male skincare products were portrayed as an elite product, designed for those in the top echelons of society. Being unable to rival Matthew Fox in the time, money or looks departments, even if I was interested in the product I wouldn’t have felt included as a potential consumer of it. Thirdly, the thing that struck me most about this ad was how much effort old square jaw was putting into looking masculine but how transparently his grimacing eyes betrayed his feelings of discomfort around the use of skincare products. If Matthew Fox, with his perpetual five o’clock shadow and alpha male status, felt his masculinity threatened by using skincare products and if this threat was so intense that he could not mask it (even with his considerable experience in acting) then what hope did I have of preserving even a shred of masculinity if I used these products?
Using Facestuff challenged all of my impressions about male skincare products. Facestuff’s tagline reads “It’s stuff for your face. Let’s just use it, and get on with it” and their product lives up to this motto. Facestuff’s down to earth approach is exemplified in the product itself. You don’t have to have the time, money or looks of a celebrity to use it. Facestuff is a normal product, with a normal price-tag for normal people. The appeal of Facestuff’s products lies in their simplicity. The cleanser, exfoliant and moisturiser ($23.99, $29.99 and $27.99 separately or $69.99 together in a gift pack) are all so straight forward to use that they can easily be incorporated into a low-fuss daily routine.
Their products also serve a number of different purposes. The cleanser and exfoliant not only stay true to their namesake by effectively cleansing and exfoliating, they also prepare the skin for shaving, resulting in a smoother, closer shave. The moisturiser not only revitalises dry skin but also contains sunscreen and acts as a soothing aftershave balm which takes the fire out of shaving rash. The packaging of Facestuff is also simple, efficient and unique. Each tube is numbered, colour coded and personified as a female ‘agent’ in clear James Bond inspired instructions. All this ensures even the least savvy consumer is left in no doubt as to how and when to use the product as well as being able to have fun with it.
The refreshing layer of normalcy that Facestuff brings to male skincare also means that it poses no more of a threat than shaving cream to even the most ‘blokey’ types of masculinity. I used to assume that only metrosexual males could ever enjoy using skincare products. Skincare products seemed to be designed with this type of male in mind, who could lather them on whilst sipping lattes, having chest hair waxed and shopping for designer jeans.
Happily slouching around the middle of the masculinity scale (which ranges from alpha male to milksop) when I first heard I’d be trialling male skincare products I readied myself for the challenge of channelling my inner metro. I wasn’t expecting it to be pleasant but nothing was going to stop me from giving it a proper go. I was quite relieved then to find out that when it comes to Facestuff’s products, the metrosexual and his perfectly coiffed hair is yesterday’s news. So too is the machosexual, a type of male who arose in response to the meterosexual and modelled himself on the habits of caveman ancestors in an attempt to reinstate traditionally scruffy ideals of masculinity.
Facestuff products are designed for the modern bloke or the moke as he is more affectionately known. The moke embraces a broad type of masculinity, adopting the positive elements of metrosexuality and machosexuality without being restricted by their narrower and more extreme definitions of masculinity. He’s like David Beckham and Hugh Jackman rolled into one, neither completely dishevelled nor squeaky clean, caring about his appearance without being obsessed by it, familiar with both using and fixing a shower and able to look sharp without being too brand or fashion conscious.
Although Facestuff designs with the moke in mind, I think their products would appeal to all types of males purely because they are so nice to use. Think back to the last time you ate a mint. Not a weak, lolly-like mint but a really strong mint which left a top-of-a-snow-capped-mountain freshness in your mouth. Facestuff’s cleansing gel and exfoliating cream leaves the skin on your face feeling this fresh. Pores are unclogged, dirt and grime is lifted and your face starts to breathe again. Facestuff’s moisturiser is then applied to this newly fresh skin and soothes any rawness, feeling as wholesome and comforting as a cup of soup and clean, dry, warm clothes after swimming laps in a cold pool. The universal appeal of Facestuff’s products is also enhanced by the way in which they leave your skin not only feeling pleasant but also smelling nice (with notes of patchouli, rosewood and citrus) in a subtle yet still noticeable way.
So if you are a male who is looking for a low-fuss way to make your skin look and feel good without compromising your sense of masculinity, if you’re buying a gift for a male who fits this description, or indeed even if you’re uber-male Matthew Fox, I recommend giving Facestuff products a go. They are high quality, easy to use products, which represent value for money and which successfully achieve their low-fuss goals.
Facestuff is available for purchase in selected retail stores and online – see www.facestuff.com.au for more details.
Image courtesy of FlickrDelusions on Flickr
