If you go to Korea and see a woman take out her own lipstick and apply it to her partner’s lips in public, don’t be shocked because apparently it’s normal.Women aren’t the only ones caking on makeup these days—the dudes are too. Last year, South Korean men spent $495.5 million on skincare. Supposedly, the rising trend is due to tough competition for jobs and ladies. Women in South Korea have the expectation that men will put in the effort to pamper and keep their skin flawless because effeminate male beauty is an indicator of a man’s social success.
I’m curious if this trend will ever make its way to the U.S. Although there’s plenty of celebrity “pretty boys” in America who are considered good-looking, Western notions of male attractiveness still center around masculinity instead of effeminacy. The only downside with men wearing makeup is that the men will start hogging the bathroom too!
(Thanks, Philip!)
