Why don't men wear make up?

[E_Lewis]

This is something that bugs me. It's completely normal and even encouraged for a woman to paint and pull her face, until it looks pretty. Why doesn't it make sense for men to do the same? I could understand if it was both sexes, or niether that did it, but why only one? Why is it weird for guys to wear make up and not girls? They might  look prettier too, the only reason we thnk it would look weird, is becuase we're not used to it.  There's a long history of people wearing make ep, including a mascara bottle people found that was from Ancient Egypt. Were woman just painted for fun and it took off centuries later? Is it a sexist thing, or did it just happen like that?

I'm not saying guys should wear make up, I just don't get why women do, but they don't.

 

[Meagan Doohan]

Well, I'm a girl who doesn't wear makeup, so I'm probably not an expert in these things, but this discussion is really interesting. Some people pointed out that men don't wear makeup because it tends to accentuate feminine facial features, which sort of works against attractive male features. It draws attention away from what already looks good about the guy.
However, there are some guys who naturally look more feminine than masculine. These guys are usually not muscular, they have delicate facial features, and their jaws are more curved/pointed than square. I personally think these kind of guys can be even more attractive than the standard "hot guy" stereotype, and since their attractive features are very similar to the features that make girls "feminine", these guys look very good with makeup. Maybe not as much as some girls wear, but just enough to draw attention to what nice features are already there.

[Mr. E]

Reason 1: Men are shallow. Women wear makeup to appeal to our skin-deep perception of beauty. Women appreaciate other qualities.

Reason 2: All my sweaty macho-dude activities would make makeups smudge and run.

Reason 3: Um, makeup on dudes would be gay. (not that there's anything wrong with that, if that's what you are, but I'm not)

[Katelyn Eads]

1: You make it sound like women are somehow better than men. Evolutionarily, those "other qualities" women appreciate boil down to wealth and power.

3: If you look gay, you're doing it right. Gay guys know how to sexualize men. I'm being serious - not necessarily with makeup, but with the way you dress, dance, ect. It's the reason women always complain about how hot gay guys are / how all the hot men are gay. Gay men dress well, to emphasize their looks, and aren't afraid to express their sexuality in a self-centric way. (Straight men are generally told the only way to be sexual is to go after the girl. This is not true. Looking at women and gay men, it's possible to be sexual simply in the way you dress, dance, pick up a pencil, ect.) This doesn't fit into the prescribed gender role for straight men, but if you can buck that trend and dress to your best advantage (you will look a bit gay, but that will be a good thing) you'll find women find you more attractive and you'll quickly become comfortable with it. Same with the way you act.

I'm not saying you have to do that, of course. I just like to get people thinking about these things.

[Delainey]

The only reason is that right now, at this moment in history, this little blip in time, it happens to be fashionable for women to wear makeup. Of course, part of the reason that it is fashionable is that our society's current gender roles dictate that women are generally more artistic and should put more effort into their appearances.

However, I'd guess that in a relatively short amount of time, about as many men will be wearing makeup on a daily basis as women. More and more male celebrities wear makeup on a daily basis, instead of just for photos and the such like.

In 100 years, people will be taking history classes and giggling and saying "How quaint! Only women wore makeup! It was considered a feminine thing! Wow, those old timers..." except, of course they'll be saying it in cool futuristic slang.

[Katelyn Eads]

I firmly believe this will also soon apply to skirts.

[Brittaneee]

Psychologically : Blush and lipstick (supposedly) recreate/ give impression of a woman post-orgasm. Men find that attractive (apparently).

For me I just like wearing make up. I think it's fun and honestly I really don't give a shit as to why women are expected to wear it.

Also there is nothing wrong with some guy-liner. Anything other than that though is a bit feminine in my mind.

[Charles]

Fashion always changes there was a time when men and women painted there faces all white and wore powdered wigs. Now men don't wear makeup for the most part mostly because it's seen as feminine but it's making a comeback some guys are wearing eyeliner.

[Eystein,]

I think men don't wear makeup no more because some 200 years ago western noble men (who were ones wearing makeup) wanted to indentify themselves more with the great explorerors (the super-stars of the time) that didn't wear makeup. Didn't want to look all poofed up no more. And from there, it's spread to the rest of the world, more or less.

Fine women weren't supposed to indentify with these adventurous men, and so they continued to paint their faces until make-up were made affordable to the masses, when only women still wore it.

[Emily]

I think it is just a cultural stigma. The only time I have heard of men wearing make-up in certain cultures were like warrior make-up. Stuff in like tribal dances etc. I would find it a little odd if a guy had on lipstick or eyeshadow or something. I dunno how the idea of make-up came about, and why women were chosen to wear it, but at this point if men were to do so (other than like tribal, traditional, or goth, emo kids etc.) it would be a bit odd.

[Kenny]

Because women are stupid and/or shallow enough to think men care. Like right here:

On the right we have a very attractive plastic barbie doll. On the left we have one of the most gorgeous women alive.

[Magoonski]

Men do care. Why do you think millions of dollars on advertising for axe commercials have gorgeous women in them? Or why men on television or in movies can be unattractive yet have a beautiful woman ten years or more younger portraying his wife? Because society cares more about how a woman looks than how a man looks. Or how about every female action hero wearing the tightest skimpiest clothing along with high heels, it's not like they're trying to appeal to women with those movies, women in "chick flicks" tend to be clothed comfortably if you care to take the time to make the comparison.
As for the real world, a woman is more likely to get help if she's pretty and she's more likely to be hired as well based on her looks.
Woman aren't stupid, women just try to make the best of an impossible standard.

[Nicole]

Makeup is used by women to look prettier, more fun, and more attractive.

Guys, however, try to act masculine, fun, and attractive.

I think that most women take pride in their appearances, while guys always have to physically prove themselves to be awesome. That's why they generally dress more plainly, but women have accents and colors and patterns and textures and layers and whatever else. Not to be sexist, but men are hunters, and women are just the pretty targets that try to get themselves hunted.

I don't know. That's how I see it. This is false for many, many people. (Although true for many Americans...)