The World of Male Beauty Influencers

In the past, the beauty industry used to be dominated by women. However, with men becoming progressively interested in taking care of their appearance, more and more men started putting on makeup, representing a huge market opportunity for beauty brands to invest in. According to Allied Market Research, with a growing demand for men’s personal care products, this industry is predicted to hit up to $166 billion by 2022. 

As male beauty influencers have become a thing on social media, brands are taking this opportunity to scale new markets and bring something different in the crowded beauty space. In this article, let’s take a deeper look into the world of Male Beauty Influencers and how brands are collaborating with them to create influential marketing campaigns!

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Beauty brands started removing gender in their marketing

MAC Cosmetics is one of the global beauty brands that promote gender-neutral products. Back in September 2019, this brand partnered with male beauty influencer @bretmanrock to promote their new Love Me Lipstick. The video immediately caught social media’s attention and became one of his most-viewed videos with more than 6M views. Last month, this brand announced its partnership with EXO member @layzhang with the aim of breaking the gender barriers in the beauty industry.

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Last month, Kiehl’s partnered with several male beauty influencers in different countries to promote their new Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum. Reaching out to male customers, Kiehl’s picked up on the idea of men looking good and healthy in their campaign. They emphasized that the serum can protect skin against skin-aging stressors and helps men maintain stronger and healthier skin.  

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Boyish Good Looks

South Korean men are leading the world’s male beauty market. Led by K-Pop male celebrities, “boyish good looks” has become a widespread cultural trend. Chanel Beauty Korea introduced a campaign last year, #boydechanel alongside the debut of its first makeup line for men. The launch of Boy De Chanel was supported by influencer @d.hwan_92 alongside other male influencers who showcased flawless skin. 

The brand also posted a video with #BeOnlyYou, educating men on how to achieve a “Natural Look in 6 Steps”, promoting a “natural look that is still you”. 

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Leading with an Empowering Message 

Brands can also learn to lead with an empowering message for men who are exploring the world of makeup. Last July, Urban Decay Cosmetics held a wildly successful campaign with their #StayNaked collection with the concept of being #PrettyDifferent. Expanding the definitions of who can wear makeup, Urban Decay worked with the Fantastic Beasts star, Ezra Miller. 

Their message of not subscribing to typical beauty standards was also well-received on social media. Beauty influencer and #UDPartner, @ivanbaaaaah, also applauded the campaign for showcasing different kinds of beauty and his post received over 20k likes from inspired followers.   

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Other brands are also venturing into this scene. Imagined to give a voice to all types of beauty, Givenchy introduced #MadetoDisturb featuring its Volume Disturbia mascara. Making a stunning appearance at one of the events was beauty influencer @danielzrotfl and @thegigigoode from Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Learning from these examples, brands can give a tribute to individuality and reinforce the message that beauty is being yourself!  

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Bigger and Bolder Looks

Brands are also making a statement with their campaigns, with influencers coming up with bigger and bolder looks. Influencer @louiecasttro swept followers off their feet in his collaboration with @maccosmetics for a #MACHalloween look. By creating a unique skeletal look, the post garnered over 230k likes from the beauty community. Followers could also tune in to a quick makeup tutorial on his Instagram Story and recreate the look for some trick-or-treat fun.   

Beyond collaborating with known makeup brands, beauty influencers have also stepped up to create their own makeup brands. Jeffree Star Cosmetics, which was started by @jeffreestar, took the industry by storm by embracing the creative freedom makeup gives and challenging gender norms. With influencer @rogermuru’s face as a canvas, beautiful strokes were added to create a visual sensation for their followers. 

Recognizing that makeup is art, brands looking to stand out from the crowd can consider collaborating with beauty influencers to deliver looks that wow.  

Bonus: How to engage your male audiences 

As beauty brands have started targeting male customers in their campaign, they need to embrace different marketing strategies to engage these audiences. Last year, Axe, a male grooming product brand, launched a campaign focused on self-care and pampering oneself. @comedianlilrel, together with influencers @jay and @krislondon led the #Bathsculinity movement on Instagram by sharing their enjoyable bathtime moments with Axe Body Wash. 

So what exactly is #Bathsculinity? According to Caroline Gregory, Global Brand Director at AXE, “Bathsculinity” is about showing that “pampering yourself and celebrating your individuality is beneficial and enjoyable - and certainly makes you no less of a man”. That being said, encouraging men to start taking better care of themselves is definitely an interesting angle to consider!  

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In general, male beauty influencers are changing the face of the beauty community. Partnering with them not only helps brands approach new markets, but also sends an inspiring message about gender equality in this ndustry.  

Are you interested in creating your own influencer campaigns with some of the best male beauty influencers in your region? Discover male beauty influencers here and find out how to find the right influencers for your campaign!