Makeup kits, concealers, lipsticks, eyeliners – yes, this
is for all those men who wish to look pretty, a thought that often raises eyebrows and
leaves everyone gaping. Makeup on men is an abhorrent thought in India, often
raising questions on their sexuality, greeting them with awkward stares and
alienating them because it isn’t ‘appropriate.’

Beauty has always been associated with feminity. While what
made looking pretty synonymous with women is yet to be discovered, some men
have taken matters into their hands to get rid of this perception.

Meet these five social media influencers who are breaking
stereotypes with a makeup brush in their hands, proudly giving styling advice
to men, because who doesn’t want to look pretty.

1.      
Jason
Arland

Raised in Nagpur by progressive parents, Jason Arland discovered his affinity to cosmetics, art and fashion with the help of his stylish mother. After studying fashion in Pune for three years, he has built his own career and risen majestically. He is a model and a beauty endorser.

He walked the ramp with Bollywood actor Prateik Babbar at Lakme Fashion Week, Mumbai, India in 2018. He also starred in an adorable ad on Netflix for Valentine’s Day in 2019. He has shared many videos on Instagram on his skincare routine and trending makeup looks for men. In 2018, he was associated with the makeup brand MyGlamm.

2.      
Ankush Bahuguna

From an architect student to an engineering
drop-out to being an internet sensation, Delhi-based influencer Ankush Bahuguna
has been breaking stereotypes on gender roles. He has a whopping 576K followers
on Instagram. Bahuguna puts up quirky content with a dash of humour, helping
men style themselves. He has uploaded many videos applying concealer, night repair
serum and giving tips on wedding makeup.

“Why do we have to define our masculinity
by stupid things like men can’t do ‘girly’ things?” Bahuguna wrote in one of
his videos on Instagram.

3.      
Siddharth Batra

Delhi-based digital creator Siddharth Batra
calls himself a ‘fashion and grooming rule-wrecker.’ A fashionmonger, Batra
started his debut videos helping men in grooming, doing rounds on the internet
with #GuyBeauty.

“Woke
up in the morning and wore an eyeliner today. Slapped on some shimmer, some
blush and a quick lip-tint. What you do after you wake up doesn’t define
anything. Doesn’t make you someone, something or puts you in a bracket, for
god’s sake. You just wake up and you do your thing. Period,” he wrote in one of
his posts on Instagram.

Also Read | Eyebrow grooming to glamour up our masked existence

4.      
Akshay
Tyagi

Akshay
Tyagi is a celebrity stylist who firmly stands for beauty for men. Varun
Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Hrithik Roshan – these Bollywood stars have been
styled by Tyage many a times.

5.       Shakti Singh Yadav

Shakti
Singh Yadav is another male beauty influencer who helps men style and groom, in
whatever way they want, helping them tailor their choices.

“Time
to personify modern masculinity, be confident and step out of your comfort
zone!” he wrote in of his posts on Instagram.

Grab your brushes, men, because makeup is manly.