“Men’s Cosmetics” — Saturday Night Live, 2021, 1:45 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va5T077Kbro

Contributed by Mary Scafidi, Cabrini University

This satirical commercial features masculine makeup. Because makeup is strongly associated with women, an exaggerated form of masculinity is deployed to reclaim makeup as an acceptable product for men. The idea is men will only accept something that is considered feminine if it is hyper-masculinized. Even the term “makeup” is absent from the commercial because it is a word associated with femininity and women. Instead, “Man Stain” and “Guyshadow” are just for the guys, and “Double IPA Tinted Dude Fluid” helps block impurities in the skin. The packaging also appeals to hegemonic masculinity such as the Eye Dirt Pizza Compact and blush in a gun.

If this commercial were real, would it further stigmatize or destigmatize men wearing makeup? What other products have masculine versions with similar themes?

From the video’s description: In this Cut for Time sketch, a commercial advertises a line of male cosmetics that are absolutely not makeup.