For S. Korean men, makeup a foundation for success

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- Cho Won-hyuk stands in front of his bedroom mirror and spreads dollops of yellow-brown makeup over his forehead, nose, chin and cheeks until his skin is flawless. Then he goes to work with a black pencil, highlighting his eyebrows until they're thicker, bolder.

"Having a clean, neat face makes you look sophisticated and creates an image that you can handle yourself well," the 24-year-old college student said. "Your appearance matters, so when I wear makeup on special occasions, it makes me more confident."

Cho's meticulous efforts to paint the perfect face are not unusual in South Korea. This socially conservative, male-dominated country, with a mandatory two-year military conscription for men, has become the male makeup capital of the world.

South Korean men spent $495.5 million on skincare last year, accounting for nearly 21 percent of global sales, according to global market research firm Euromonitor International. That makes it the largest market for men's skincare in the world, even though there are only about 19 million men in South Korea. Amorepacific, South Korea's biggest cosmetics company, estimates the total sales of men's cosmetics in South Korea this year will be more than $885 million.

The metamorphosis of South Korean men from macho to makeup over the last decade or so can be partly explained by fierce competition for jobs, advancement and romance in a society where, as a popular catchphrase puts it, "appearance is power." Women also have a growing expectation that men will take the time and effort to pamper their skin.

Evidence of this new direction in South Korean masculinity is easy to find. In a crowded Seoul cafe, a young woman takes some lipstick out of her purse and casually applies it to her male companion's lips as they talk. At an upscale apartment building, a male security guard watches the lobby from behind a layer of makeup. Korean Air holds once-a-year makeup classes for male flight attendants.

"I can understand why girls don't like to go outside without makeup -- it makes a big difference," said Cho Gil-nam, a tall, stocky 27-year-old insurance fraud investigator in Seoul who starts important days by dabbing on makeup after finishing his multistep morning cleansing and moisturizing routine. He carries a multicolored cosmetics pouch so he can touch up in public bathrooms throughout the day.

While U.S. cosmetics companies report growing sales in male cosmetics, American men are often wary of makeup. "Men Wearing Makeup a Disturbing Trend" was how American columnist Jim Shea titled a recent post.

[EDITED]

http://www.usatoday.com/n...57792806/1

Do you think this will become the norm outside of South Korea?

I don't want you to think like me. I just want you to think.

imago	OMG, this thread is useless without more pictures of Taeyang
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Timmy84	jone70 said: SUPRMAN said: Do you think this will become the norm outside of South Korea? You do realize you're posting this on a website devoted to a guy who is rarely seen without full make-up, right? Shit there's been a group of dudes here and in United Kingdom that wore makeup for YEARS.
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ThisOne	i would like to see the men of the org dabble in a bit of make up then foto whore their pics mailto:www.iDon'tThinkSo.com.Uranus
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dseann	Beautifulstarr123 said: jone70 said: You do realize you're posting this on a website devoted to a guy who is rarely seen without full make-up, right? You mean this guy There's also David Bowie, Kiss, Eddie Murphy and a host of other males in this hemisphere. Men in full make-up isn't as abnormal as one would think.
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Rococo	[img:$uid]http://bigbang.musicasia.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Taeyang_07.jpg[/img:$uid]
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Timmy84	Nikademus said: Timmy84 said: Shit there's been a group of dudes here and in United Kingdom that wore makeup for YEARS. [img:$uid]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YEfz6ZumaZQ/T3ztbV_yyBI/AAAAAAAAAz8/T9Zbb3kGK3o/s1600/duran[/img:$uid] My point exactly. [img:$uid]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9hi9d4WiV1rngjk0o1_500.gif[/img:$uid]
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