‘You don’t have to be gay to wear make-up’: Straight Aussie blokes embracing feminine flair

Mascara, nail polish and skirts are becoming more mainstream for straight Aussie guys, with predictions male make-up “will be completely normal” before long.

Makeup wearing new Bachelor Jed McIntosh at Melbourne’s Ms Collins before Christmas. Picture: Andrew Avi

Hetrosexual Aussie men are driving a revolution in the make-up industry as they pick up foundation, eye-liner and nail polish at a growing rate.

From the cult following of international superstar Harry Styles to the Australian-grown fan base of Olympic boxer Harry Garside and Channel 10’s new Bachelor Jed McIntosh, some famous men are leading the way in wearing everything from eyeliner to nail polish and swapping pants for skirts.

The fashion and cosmetics industry in 2022 was flooded with new brands and companies offering skincare and makeup for men — championed by the likes of Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Idris Elba.

Boxer Harry Garside enjoys being unique. Picture: Richard Dobson

Garside with his partne, Ashley Roscoe. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Male makeup brands like War Paint have sent tidal waves through the beauty industry for their male-centric products “made for men’s skin” and “designed from the ground up for men”.

Olympic boxer and ballerina Harry Garside is leading the charge in breaking down stereotypes and expectations of how male athletes should dress and behave, gaining praise for rocking an Armani skirt to the GQ Man of the Year Awards, which he attended with his girlfriend Ashley Roscoe.

He also paints his nails.

Garside captured the imagination of the nation at the Tokyo Olympics when he won the men’s lightweight bronze medal – Australia’s first Olympic boxing medal in decades.

But being a champion boxer doesn’t restrict him to stereotypical ‘tough guy’ clobber.

Garside recently shared a photo of himself wearing a dress, in a social media post that gained roaring support alongside a fair whack of hate.

He told News Corp he tried his best to block out haters, but occasionally gave in and read comments on his posts.

“There are some super negative trolls that hang around, but then there’s also the ones who genuinely ask me questions around ‘what impact are you having on young people’,” Garside said.

“I genuinely believe that as a society we should be supporting individuality, uniqueness and the herd supporting that, rather than the herd supporting people who feel they need to conform and be like everyone else.

“I think you realise as an adult having different uniqueness is actually a superpower, but when you’re younger you feel this need to conform.

“I felt that throughout my childhood, this need to not want to be too different or else you’re going to get isolated.”

Harry Styles arrives at a premiere. Picture: Getty

Styles in a gender neutral outfit on the cover of Vogue. Picture: Tyler Mitchell

Garside said as he had grown older, he had realised his uniqueness was his “superpower” and being different made people more special.

“I just want to try and show young people that it’s actually beautiful to walk in your own essence and try things,” he said.

Meanwhile, one of the three stars of this season’s Bachelor, Victorian Jed McIntosh, 25, says he’s proud to stand out from the crowd in face make-up and nail polish and hopes to inspire other young men to have the courage to do the same and feel comfortable in their own skin and fashion choices.

Renowned Melbourne make-up artist Merton Muaremi has been in the beauty industry for 18 years and has worked with top names in fashion and cosmetics, including Dior and Alex Perry.

He said the industry had always been welcoming and accepting but the rise of social media has popularised male use of make-up.

“I think it’s a positive change — nobody needs to wear make-up to look beautiful but it’s a form of self expression and it makes us feel good, so it’s great that more people are experimenting,” Mr Muaremi said.

“In the last few years, there have been lots more inquiries from males wanting their make-up done.

“I think guys are just realising that if something makes you feel good and feel confident, then you can go for it,” he said.

He said social media has broadened people’s understanding of self expression and has encouraged people to not be judgemental.

“You don’t have to be gay to wear make-up.

“We’re all beautiful without make-up but it’s something that we can have fun with and play with.”

Mr Muaremi said for men starting out experimenting with make-up, it can be less intimidating to start small and work up to bolder, more colourful looks.

“I do a lot of corrective make-up on men, which includes things like covering up eye bags or blemishes - it’s a very non-intimidating place to start for guys.”

Brands including Tom Ford have also expanded their range, selling a concealer stick specifically for men.

“As time goes on, the market is going to open up even more and it will be completely normal to see a guy wearing make-up,” he said.