Gold Coast makeup artist proves it’s OK for boys to wear makeup

A GOLD Coast teen is proving it’s OK for boys to wear makeup having built up a substantial following on his Instagram makeup account.

A ROBINA teen is leading the way for Gold Coast boys to wear makeup in public.

Jordan Player, 18, who has gained nearly 1500 Instagram followers since he started posting photos and tutorials, said it was becoming “normalised” on the Coast for boys to wear makeup.

“I love the way makeup makes me feel, it gives me so much confidence and when I turned 18 my eyes were opened,” he said.

“There are so many drag queens and other guys wearing makeup when you go out at night.

“Places like Brisbane are probably a bit more accepting than the Gold Coast, but there will be rude people everywhere.”

Jordan Player says makeup makes him feel more confident. Photo by Richard Gosling

Mr Player said he had learnt to ignore bullies online.

“I wanted so badly to wear makeup to school but I didn’t want to face the bullying,” he said.

“I got this one really horrible comment on my first tutorial that I posted but all my friends rallied around me online, it was amazing, you just have to ignore the haters.

“Now I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable wearing makeup out to dinner or the shops and I’ve realised that everyone is different, if you want to wear purple blush then you should wear it.

“Never be anybody but yourself.”

Jordan Player is a male makeup artist. Photo by Richard Gosling

Boys wearing makeup is not a new phenomena: Boy George, Prince and Marilyn Manson were doing it decades ago.

But social media has given rise to a new kind of celebrity, like makeup artist Jeffree Star, who has more than five million Instagram followers and a cult following.

“I used to watch all my friends do their makeup and I’d think ‘I can do that’ so about three years ago I started teaching myself by watching YouTubers like Nikki Tutorials and Jeffree Star,” he said.

“Pretty soon after that I met a girl who said she was bullied because she had a lot of acne and she asked me to do her makeup.

“From then on I was so inspired by the confidence makeup can give you.”

Mr Player said his female friends always went to him, to do their makeup.

“I’m lucky to have such a supportive group of friends … they all trust me to do their makeup,” he said.

“But I actually think anybody can learn to do it really well.

“Just like any sport, it’s all about practise, that’s what makes perfect.”