Japanese men using make-up

[Homerduff]

I've heard it before; it's common for Japanese men to use make-up, while in Europe and North America it is considered to be done by merely homosexual men.

I haven't really payed attention to it when I was in Japan, but are there particular make-up products or utilities for men in Japan ? In other words, is it really booming there ?

What is your opinion about it ? Would you use it yourself or do you agree that real men don't have to pay so much attention to their looks.

[kameron]

Same situation in Australia, if men wear makeup they are seen as pretty gay and will probably get punched if they go to a pub. Japanese men are typically more feminine than those in European countries so I guess that could explain something.

I don't like makeup on anybody, perhaps a bit of eye makeup is okay but other than that it kind of shows a person's insecurity in my opinion. This applies to both men and women. My two cents to those who can't go without makeup is try to take better care of your skin.

And yes, I did use makeup a few years ago but these days I would never touch it.

[nice gaijin]

common? I suppose it depends on the kind of guy. Gyaruo (male ganguro) (http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/dbfiles/picture/face.5E1.jpg) and Visual Kei (http://music.3yen.com/wp-content/images/malice_mizer_-_au_revoir_01.jpg) are the only examples I could think of, but they're kind of extreme cases. I never saw any "average" guys wearing foundation or anything like that, or is there something (http://www.aolcdn.com/red_galleries/pete-wentz-400a0613.jpg) in (http://www.bbc.co.uk/slink/images/377x212/makeup.jpg) particular (http://images1.comstock.com/Imagewarehouse/BX/SITECS/NLWMCompingVersions/133001-133250/bxp133167.jpg) you (http://www.boingboing.net/images/makeup4.jpg) are (http://www.benbest.com/personal/painted.jpg) thinking (http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/84/32/0000038432_20070313144148.jpg) of? (http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41385000/jpg/_41385902_fruits_afp416.jpg)

please note that of the images linked in that sentence, none of them are Japanese, and as far as I know, none of them are homosexual (that last one is questionable though...)

[pipokun]

Same situation in Australia, if men wear makeup they are seen as pretty gay and will probably get punched if they go to a pub.
...

So in terms of the makeup or pub, Japan should not learn anything from the great Aussie multiculturalism.

[Kyoto Returnee]

So in terms of the makeup or pub, Japan should not learn anything from the great Aussie multiculturalism.

You could hardly call men wearing makeup "multiculturalism".

Personally, I find it VERY strange for a man to wear make up, Japanese or not, although the JP men who trim their eyebrows, definitley deserve what they are asking for!

On ya Kameron:122:

[pipokun]

It is just a hate crime, isn't it?
I was a bit surprised to hear a man from Oceania who still believes in the idea, "Men should pay everything in a date with your girlfriend (even though your girlfrined is richer than you)". I bet the garuo does not care much about it.

[centrajapan]

The macho Aussie ockers. Very nice friendly open minded rational people. Australians seem to be really nice friendly people. Tolerant, open and warm.

I have heard of the machoness they have in Australia. A Scandinavian friend of mine who studied there said Australians for the most part look like David Hasselhoff. David Hasselhoff on a walk about punching people with make up. Cool.

Thanks for the vital info Kyoto!

[Dogen Z]

In the 6 years I've been living in Tokyo, I haven't seen any male wearing makeup. So I guess the OP's claim is false :okashii: . I have seen guys wearing earrings and that could be taken as a bit queer. Long hair, too maybe. Of course, Johnny Depp does all these things and he's cool. :cool:

[kameron]

Of course, Johnny Depp does all these things and he's cool. :cool:

hehe, reminds me of this quote from family guy:

CLEVELAND: Okay, Johnny Depp or Richard Grieco?

QUAGMIRE: Aw, that's gross!

PETER:: Oh! Let's not do this!

CLEVELAND: C'mon! If you're secure enough in your masculinity, you can answer a simple hypothetical.

QUAGMIRE: Aw, all right... Johnny Depp, cause he kinda looks like a chick, I guess.

CLEVELAND: What about you, Peter?

PETER: Aw, man... well, I don't know. Richard Grieco will probably appreciate you more... you know, not take you for granted. I mean, with Johnny Depp, it's like... it's like he wouldn't really need you, you know? He'd probably sneak out after you fell asleep. Of course, with Johnny, you get the financial security... I'd go with Johnny.

[Homerduff]

In the 6 years I've been living in Tokyo, I haven't seen any male wearing makeup. So I guess the OP's claim is false :okashii: . I have seen guys wearing earrings and that could be taken as a bit queer. Long hair, too maybe. Of course, Johnny Depp does all these things and he's cool. :cool:

For one thing, nowadays makeup (I'm not talking about cosmetics) is supposed to be invincible for the eye. Sure if there would be Japanese men using makeup, they will most likely hide it.

[centrajapan]

Im sure there are quite a few straight Swedish boys using make up too. Not many. And if they do I doubt they will get punched in the face like in Australia.

[Goldiegirl]

Of course no one fights in Norway. They aren't good fighters I here wether they wear make-up or not! :) I don't think the Norwegian homosexuals have it all that well.
www.youth-suicide.com/gay-bisexual/news/norway-gay-lesbian-suicide.htm

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

In New Guinea and African one part,A man makes up.
In Europe of a the 17th century .18 century,
The noble did a wig and makeup.

The young samurai of the Japanese Heian era made up.
There is a description in "The Heike Monogatari" of classical literature.
The Japanese court noble made up.

A tattoo is makeup from the ancient times, too.

[Kyoto Returnee]

The macho Aussie ockers. Very nice friendly open minded rational people. Australians seem to be really nice friendly people. Tolerant, open and warm.

Thanks for the vital info Kyoto!

You are very welcome Centrajapan and it's nice to know you have some good words about the Aussies.
http://www.kangaroo.at/kangaroo.gif

[kireikoori]

It is just a hate crime, isn't it?
Indeed it is. For countries that claim to be so influenced by feminism, there sure is a heavy amount of gender roles.

I don't know much about the make-up either. I didn't see any guys wearing it while I was over there, but then again I heard female students were discouraged from wearing it as well.

Here in the US a male would be scared to even take of cheer leading. But in Japan male Ouendan is quite common I hear.

[Chi65]

In New Guinea and African one part,A man makes up.
In Europe of a the 17th century .18 century,
The noble did a wig and makeup.
The young samurai of the Japanese Heian era made up.
There is a description in "The Heike Monogatari" of classical literature.
The Japanese court noble made up.
A tattoo is makeup from the ancient times, too.

Yes, a good reminder indeed!

I have not seen male make up in the streets in Japan consciously though, except on special places around the Meiji shrine. . .
But the theatrical tradition uses a lot in Japan, and in films I also see it a lot. Somehow also colouring your hair belons to this, right, and thats pretty common now, but everywhere and thus nothing special just in Japan.

I personally would not mind any visual additonal attraction. And I still love the many matsuris in Japan, that are also reasons and give opportunities for making up in many ways, although masks and interesting clothings are obviously preferred there.
Since I have not been in any younger clubs in Japan, I wonder, if they are more frequented by male make up and if the males do it in the rest rooms or if they are already fully made up on their ways to them?
Please educate me.
(photgrapher's interest in visuals, hehe):-)

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I find guys who wear makeup to cover up their flaws particularly vain, there's no way if i was single that i would ever go out with a guy if he plucked his eyebrows and wore foundation and false eye lashes and stuff etc. Vanity with makeup with guys is too feminine behavior and not something i find attractive in men- i don't want to go out with a guy who spends longer than me getting ready in front of the mirror lol!

[Derfel]

I was a bit surprised to hear a man from Oceania who still believes in the idea, "Men should pay everything in a date with your girlfriend (even though your girlfrined is richer than you)". I bet the garuo does not care much about it.

Where's the problem with that? Men who don't have pride should stop considering themselves men.

Men with makeup are lame. Genetically men are supposed to look strong and masculine nay? Long hair? Thats another question. It grows by itself, so its quite natural to have long hair.
Personally I wouldn't punch or pester a guy with makeup, but definitely i'd find him rather funny.

[pipokun]

I heard a stupid news story...
When a punk head tried to extort money from a geek-looking guy in Akihabara, but the otaku was a bit strong with his black belt in judo. And the punkish guy was arrested...

It seems me that some Japanese digest and suvive the post-modernism era in their otakish way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IQbEZHrgAs
This is not in the PRC or DPRK, but (was) in Japan. And there still remains the post-modernism-loving daydreamers here. Youtube is great to tell us some old-fashioned guys. Tell me when you upload your punching movie.

I also have my black belt, but I don't like anime/manga. So far I can live here peacefully like the otaku guy.

[akita]

What I don't understand is this whole thing about punching a guy who uses make up. why would you take as an offense that he wants to use make up? it's his problem his life his believes.

Personally I think that this macho thing was good but for Stone age when man need to hunt and kill to survive.

I saw just a Thai boy with a little make up in Moscow but he really was a smart and friendly boy. I don't know if he was gay or not and I don't really care.
I remember that usually our boys were trying to protect him outside campus whenever was the case. Same places in Moscow tend to be dangerous for an Asian or black man alone.

[Derfel]

Well, my view is, that wearing makeup is neither good or bad, its simply pointless. And since we do millions of other utterly pointless things, we can forgive that little makeup some guys might wear. Still, I refuse to not find it funny :D

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Personally I think that this macho thing was good but for Stone age when man need to hunt and kill to survive.


Hm there's a lot of reasons why women are generally instinctively attracted to macho men- one them is that men who are very feminine in appearance and in their ways are less likely to have lots of male hormones in them and that could mean that the man has poor male gene's, possibly even inbred gene's, so is not very good fathering material for any children a woman wants to have with him.
Of course a woman though doesn't want the other extreme either, she doesn't want a brutish thug of a testosterone powered muscle man with only 2 brain cells in his head and who has no concept of other people's feelings or tact in social situations etc.

One thing i have often noticed though is that the less macho looking guys (but still quite manly) often tend to be more intelligent and quick witted and more socially aware in general etc.

We often like to think ourselves at the end of the day way above all of these basic animalistic instincts, but the fact of the matter is that we are still largely controlled by them like any other animal, and that a great of what we look for unconsciously in a potential lover comes down to finding the best fathering or mothering material for any children that may arise out of our couplings etc. Some things are quite easy to explain when looking at what we do in this light, for example men are generally attracted to women with a more curvy body physique (big boobs, small waist, big hips, nice thighs and bum) because it is a sign of good hormone levels/gene's in the woman and such women are less likely to have difficulty/problems delivering children during childbirth- so men which slept with such women were more likely to pass on their gene's successfully and so evolution has made men more attracted to this physique in women etc.

[bakaKanadajin]

Men have always used make up; blush, powdered wigs, etc., were common in the old days and today plastic surgery is definitely becoming more commonly practiced among men as well.

As long as you're well-groomed and do your best I think that kind of effort shows through much more naturally and is better-received than someone terribly insecure, covered in make up and unnatural looknig plastic surgery.

[Derfel]

Find a healthy balance. Macho people are just as funny. Besides, a bodybuilder kinda body is disgusting imo. Also, it has this "Look, im so dumb." aura about.
Times change, but in the end men must be capable. Back in the old days physical power was the deciding factor, now its brains.

[Chi65]

Find a healthy balance. Macho people are just as funny. Besides, a bodybuilder kinda body is disgusting imo. Also, it has this "Look, im so dumb." aura about.
Times change, but in the end men must be capable. Back in the old days physical power was the deciding factor, now its brains.

As for tricking muscle men out? (joking)
Would you accept a certain amount of healthy feelings too as part of the brains?
(because I would)

Well, I must admit, I would accept a certain amount of make up too, if done with humour or taste, but once you wish to go swimmming with that one, it has to be permanent make up, hehe.

In the end its only colouring hair. . .if the natural one is boring, or not all grey or not a nice grey too. Only the female purple in Japan may not be so fitting. . .;-)

[Numark]

I feel that if a woman can plaster her face in makeup and that is acceptable, then a man can wear a little makeup if he wants, I mean really who cares?

Anyone that would "punch someone in the face" for the way they do their hair, dress, or present themselves (especially when it is such a benign fashion) really needs to take a look at their life.