Recently, my dad let me in on a little secret, with male perspective: ”I was one of the first men to wear cologne 50 years ago; today my friends have had so many face-lifts, when they cut themselves shaving their skin rolls up like a shade.”
Then my friend Joann let me in on a little secret: ”In the 1950s my uncle used to wear all kinds of cosmetics. He used to tell us his face looked and felt so much better. At family parties, everyone would look the other way and roll their eyes.”
My friend Diane told me a secret, too: A male houseguest years ago put 10 jars of face cream on her guest bathroom vanity.
”I got completely hysterical laughing,” she says. ”I couldn`t believe it. But he explained it was for his skin elasticity.”
Joann`s uncle and Diane`s friend are no longer considered goofy. Cosmetics counters for men are becoming standard in department stores, and they offer much more than cologne. They have potions and lotions for thinning hair, sagging skin and dull facial color.
Consider these men`s products: One refines skin, controls excess oil and lessens the chance of pore-clogging and trouble spots. Another renews moisture, discourages tired-looking lines and gives skin a rested appearance. One adds more spunk to limp hair. Another protects hair parts from the sun. One dramatically reduces post-shave redness. Another fends off blemishes. One controls shine and surface-oil distribution. And another reduces puffiness and dark under-eye circles.
Got the picture? Men are joining our ranks. And to hear it from the sales associates, many men are outdoing us when it comes to opting for grooming concoctions.
Linda Meyer, assistant manager of fragrance at Marshall Field`s, says men are definitely interested in how their faces look.
And Tracey Williams, an Aramis counter manager, declares: ”The macho image is dead. There`s a new man out there. Wrinkles and aging and lines around the eyes really bother them. I `profile` them with a questionnaire, or talk about shaving-all men shave-and that gets them talking about their needs.”
Helen Brock, a Clinique counter manager at Field`s says the older men get, the younger they want to look:
”Sometimes women have to encourage them-like with face scrub. It buffs off fine lines. It polishes dead skin. Or with bronzing gel. We don`t like to call it makeup. Men have the same problems as the ladies. And a lot of the products are the same-same products, same price, different packaging.”
Even cologne has to keep up with the new man. Aramis now sells Crackling Cologne, which bubbles, snaps and crackles when it hits the skin. For 50 years it`s something my dad never thought his cologne would do. Just his cereal.
