Made (Up) Men You can give a man makeup, but how will he choose the right purse to carry it in?
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Men want to look good. OK, maybe that isn't a news flash.But men are now venturing into concealers, bronzers, tinted lipbalms and other products to help create that healthy glow, saysPeter Lamas, make-up consultant and founder of Beautywalk.com."The casual, run-down look is no longer in," he says."Men are highlighting their hair and painting theirnails." Although everyone from members of boy band 'NSyncto former vice president Al Gore is "freshening up" abit, Lamas credits younger men in particular with feeding therecent boom in the $6 billion men's cosmetics and skin-caremarket.
Michele Probst, 38, who counts Gore among her clients, iscapitalizing on the trend. This makeup artist founded Menaji, askin-care and cosmetics line for men, with husband RobertHenderson, 44, in 1997. "We try not to use the M word-makeup.Men are terrified of that word," says Probst. Hoping to sell$750,000 worth of products this year via dermatologists,apothecaries, plastic surgeons and body boutiques, Probst doesabout 60 percent of her business online at www.menaji.com. Menlike privacy, she says: "They're terrified of departmentstore cosmetics counters."
Bolder men venture into Scarlett Messina's two Pennsylvaniacosmetic stores. Messina, 35, projects the stores, which are calledScarlett, will bring in total sales to both sexes of nearly $3.5million in 2001. Says Messina, who is aggressively targetingcollege-age and professional men, "The category isexploding."
