"Eyo! hiyo ni make up umejipaka? hiyo ni make–up?!" shouted a random guy in downtown Nairobi. He is pointing at a tall lean man walking on the curb in the busy river road in Nairobi CBD.
Dennis Karuri Ngari, still a budding make-up artist back then in 2019, hastened his steps as the bulky man followed him with his rowdy friends perplexed by the idea of a man beautifying his face.
"I passed a group of idle men and they noticed I had makeup on. When they shouted, everyone started looking at me. The guy that was shouting started following me as others joined him. So I suddenly stopped and casually asked what's up? And quickly continued walking. I was very terrified but he backed off," narrates Dennis.
Falling in love with makeup
"My love for makeup was sparked in 2016 when makeup was done on me and I liked it. I started by modeling for slum fashion week, then for many other photoshoots and modeling gigs that followed. After that I started correcting makeup mistakes on others –mostly my friends," says Dennis, now a professional makeup artist.
Initially, the 25-year-old thought he would end up in agriculture just like his father, but the cosmetic world was more alluring.
In 2015 he started modeling while still a food and agri-business student. Back then he wanted to cover his university costs after suddenly losing his mother in 2014 who was a vital support for his education.
"At the time there were more women than men in the industry. After having my makeup done, I was like wow! I thought I looked better. On seeing the pictures that were taken, I was very satisfied with how I looked," says Dennis.
It wasn't until 2019 that Dennis started applying makeup on his face. "My friend, Sarah, who introduced me to modeling was also my pathway to makeup. When she got her first makeup job, she asked me to assist her to do the work because she had noticed my growing interest," says Dennis.
Dennis Karuri Ngari, is a Kenyan make-up artist who wears makeup occasionally.
For the four years Dennis worked as a makeup artist, he encountered more women than men.
"My first job working at KBC, then with film casts and models I worked on both women and men. Actors were very comfortable because they are used to the makeup. The men that I have encountered that have a problem with the makeup were for example those in bridal makeup sessions. The bride would ask me to touch upon the groom but they would often say something like, I am okay I don't really need that," Dennis says.
It wasn't until Dennis started applying makeup on his face and sharing pictures on social media that he became well-known.
"I was hanging out with DJ Pierre Makena and her PA, and Makena asked me to do make-up on herself and her PA who happened to be a man. So when I saw that the guy was looking nice, I was like let me also do this on myself. When I did it on myself I was like wow! I took a selfie afterward and posted it. It got the most likes ever! No one was like, you look weird in makeup or whatever, there was no backlash," he says.
More men embracing make-up
"I started seeing other male makeup artists sharing photos of themselves with makeup. Others were telling me; 'Dennis you inspire me.' I was like wow, okay I think I am doing what I am supposed to be doing," says the make-up artist.
Although professional male makeup artists were vocal and boldly stepping up online, ordinary men were not so much.
"I got guys calling me for photoshoots. They would call and say, can you give me a face for a photoshoot, others were coming for themed looks such as Halloween while others were brought by their friends or girlfriends or wives," says Dennis.
Dennis Karuri Ngari.
Photo credit: Courtesy
"There is a product called crème to powder foundation, which is not a foundation or a powder per se. It is a combination of both. It is creamy and looks absolutely like your skin. So it is not so noticeable and just elevates your natural good look. You look like you are just from the shower and looking fresh. That is the most common product for men," says Dennis.
Although most of his clients remain women, he gets three to four men monthly with most being from the entertainment industry and a few being from the LGBTQ community.
Dennis also gets requests from men for online classes to learn the makeup that maintains their masculinity and doesn't make them look like women.
"I get one request per day from a man to help them learn to do make-up anonymously online. Most men are quite shy so I send them tips. I tell them just buy the powder, then make sure you start with the under eyes and spread it all over," says Dennis.
Dennis has learnt what his boundaries are and seen firsthand the reaction that Kenyans have on men who touch up their faces.
"I wouldn't walk somewhere that is 'dangerous' or could get me into trouble. I walk in less crowded areas and over time I have built my name so people seeing me in makeup are like Aaah we know this guy," he says.
Dennis says Kenya is open to makeup especially compared to other African countries. Still, he admits makeup for men is still not that popular.
"I don't wear makeup daily. More men are doing it now," confirms Dennis.
There is a stereotype that men who wear makeup are from the LGBTQ community, which the makeup artist refutes.
"There are some very straight men who use makeup and are open-minded, and there are those who have to put on makeup because of their line of work. Please don't judge," says Dennis.
He is all for men using makeup to enhance their looks. "Makeup elevates something in you—the confidence, the outward look. When I am wearing makeup, I am more expressive, I am more myself, comfortable, and confident. But without makeup, I don't feel so nice. It is the same as dressing smartly," says Dennis.
"I don't understand why there is a problem with men wearing makeup," he affirms.
More beauty products for men in the market
With the rise of the metrosexual man, the androgynous fashion trend, and the popularity of image and video sharing apps like Instagram and TikTok, men are increasingly taking note of their looks. Male influencers giving makeup tutorials to fellow men are all the rage on YouTube.
As an effect, male grooming is now common, accepted, and practiced.
High-end designers like Chanel jumped on the trend in 2018 when it launched its first made-for-men skincare and cosmetics line known as "Boy De Chanel". In 2016, shortly after Coty acquired CoverGirl, the brand made history with the launch of its first-ever "CoverBoy" featuring popular YouTube makeup artist James Charles, who was 17 at the time.
There are local companies that are looking to tap into this market, such as the newly launched male grooming company, Beard Gang, which is selling products for facial hair grooming. The other company that has notably stepped into the male grooming industry is Marini Naturals, a popular local company producing natural products for women.
"When Marini started we had a range of six products targeting women. What ended up happening is that men ended up using the shampoo and the oil a lot," says Wendy Kageni, the Marketing, and PR manager, Marini Naturals.
She adds, "Most men who were our customers kept asking for products that will help curl their hair. And others wanted something for their beard. So we released products for men."
The reception from men has been really good, she says. "We are so grateful that men now take their grooming seriously. It is no longer taboo for men to spend a whole day in the saloon. Social media has played a big role," says Ms. Kageni, whose customer base is split 70 percent, women and 30 percent men.
While Marini has outlets in major towns across Kenya, Nairobi and Mombasa record the highest uptakes.
What has it got to do with women?
Men looking dapper and picture-perfect flood our socials. Here, women like and comment on the male posers. Through this encouragement, men have upped their game in grooming and are slowly opening up to makeup.
For anthropologist Dr. Dennis Khamati Shilabukha, there is nothing sinister with a man using makeup, as what constitutes gender norms is a construct of society.
"Ask yourself a very simple question. What is the definition of an attractive man?" the anthropologist and research fellow at the Institute of Anthropology, Gender, and African Studies, asks.
He explains, "An attractive man varies from culture to culture. Gender is socially constructed."
Society, he says, guides us on how a man or woman should look like something that has been changing over time. African men historically adorned colourful body art, something that is still prevalent in pastoralist communities. It was not until colonialism set in, that masculinity shifted to a formal plain look.
"We were colonised by what you would say in fashion terms very colourless masters. The British are not known for their fashion sense. They are considered to be dull and not appreciative of men's fashion. Because of that in most of Africa, we lost our traditional style," explains Dr. Shilabukha.
The industrial revolution and move to formal work also contributed to the idea that men, who were needed to run factories should not have time for beauty.
"Putting on makeup consumes a lot of a man's time. And spending time in front of the mirror over time has become something feminine. So it is part of the gender socialisation in most of our societies," says the anthropologist.
Masculinity also has to do with our psyche on what we think a man should be. While our male ancestors were colourful during ceremonies, most times as hunters or warriors they would be rugged. Looking unkempt was synonymous with a hardworking man, one who will be able to feed and protect his family through his sweat.
"The rough-looking man is the original alpha male that will protect his family against external aggression. So if a man is spending time on the dresser, how will he face enemies or how will he fight for a woman who has been wronged? This explains why many men in our society shun makeup," says Dr. Khamati.
"Women would go for men who are rough looking, the ones who don't seem to care about their looks, because they are seen as hard-working. The hard work involves sweating. You just need to be hygienic, take a shower regularly and remove the unnecessary hair but sometimes that hair is a masculine enhancer," says the anthropologist.
However, this does not rule out the growing penchant for beauty enhancements among the men of today, something that experts say continues to grow exponentially with generation Z (born mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s).
"Culture is not static, but it is very hard to change instantly. But after every 40 or so years, you will notice things have changed," says Dr. Shilabukha.
The traditionally narrow vision of beauty is changing. In 2021 and beyond, make-up will be for everyone and will be expressed in many different ways, regardless of gender.
Male cosmetics use in figures
Men's personal care market is expected to hit $166 billion in 2022, according to Allied Market Research. Nearly 40 percent of adults aged 18-22 have shown interest in gender-neutral beauty products, according to market researcher NPD's group iGen Beauty Consumer report, 2018. Male-targeted skin-care product sales jumped 7 percent in 2018 according to an NPD report The new generation of beauty consumers prefers a non-binary approach. In a survey conducted by Euromonitor, more than 56 percent of US male respondents admitted to using some sort of facial cosmetics like foundation, concealer, or BB cream at least once in 2018.
