Makeup For Men. How This Has Been “A Thing” Since Early History.
This is just something else we see and can be cringe-worthy.
Masculinity was important in ancient Egyptian culture, and makeup actually played a role in that. As early as 4000 BCE, men used black pigment to create elaborate cat eye designs. A few millennia later, kohl eyeliner, green malachite eye shadow, and lip and cheek stains made from red ochre were also popular. The purpose was not what it is today, to look more attractive — green eye shadow was believed to evoke the gods Horus and Ra, and therefore ward off harmful illnesses. Dramatic eyeliner was customarily worn to communicate wealth and status.
The earliest records of men wearing makeup date as far back as 3000 BC in China and Japan. Men during this period used natural ingredients to create a sort of nail polish, which was a sign of status and wealth. Additionally, the earliest archaeological discovery of makeup tools used by men was found in China. Source: Google
For generations, makeup has been seen as a “girls-only” enterprise, so we forget that it wasn’t always that way. For millennia, stretching from 4000 BCE through the 18th century, men traditionally used makeup in myriad ways.