Hard on the heels of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales atrocity comes this blast of fetid air from the zeitgeist :
The youngest generation’s greater willingness to embrace nontraditional gender norms has opened up a new market within the beauty industry: men’s makeup.
One-third of young men said they would consider wearing makeup, according to Morning Consult polling, while 23 percent of all men said the same. Founders of men’s cosmetic brands credit the increased interest among young men not only to a wider acceptance of the idea that gender is fluid but also to the pressure to be picture perfect at any moment, thanks to social media.
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In August 2018, Chanel debuted a line of men’s makeup, called Boy de Chanel, that includes a foundation and an eyebrow pencil.
Okay, you all may snigger at this, but even I am not immune to the siren call of male cosmetics: a little dab of Hoppe’s No. 9 behind the ears does wonders for the self-esteem.
I even carry a small bottle in my gun bag purse for the occasional touch-up. (And all you Kroil and CLP devotees can get knotted. If Hoppe’s was good enough for my Dad, and his dad, it’s damn well good enough for me.)
Wouldn’t that burn a hole in a fairly short time?
Nope, I like Hoppe’s and its wonderful unique scent, it just barely causes my fingerprints to erode. Just this past year I started using nitrile gloves when I clean my guns and I suppose Hoppe’s could be a health hazard for me after more than 60 years of using that stuff. For those who feel a bit light headed after working with Hoppe’s I suggest a couple of doses of Scotch whisky with a drop or two of water.
Quite a few of life’s ailments can be thus cured… just sayin’.
Men’s makeup is nothing new; it just went out of fashion in the late 1700s. It’s also rampant in the film industry.
A year or so ago I bought a new quart jug of Hoppes 9. First thing I noticed was that the color of the fluid was considerably lighter. Used to be darker amber. Now pretty light…..Hmmmm… did I get an off run of the elixir ? So when I went to the NRA show in Indy back in the spring of this year, I tracked down the Hoppes booth….cornered the guy and told him about this problem. He said they changed the formula…..cause….Kalifornia. Google it and you will find a number of posts on them changing the formula…and the smell….damn you left coast !
Kroil was good enough for my dad, so… 🙂
Only makeup that has touched me was stage makeup for a play in high school. Otherwise, no. I am so glad I’m north of 50 and don’t worry a fig about looking perfect for social media.
I myself used makeup on a semi-regular basis as a young’n.
Of course it was in different shades of green, brown and black and applied in situations that involved running around the woods on recon patrols, E&E and such.
If I ever find a woman that uses Hoppe’s #9 for perfume, I might reconsider my my vow of singularity.
Hope’s is nice, but i also like the fresh scent of WD-40
Didn’t you predict this, almost precisely, in the Pussification essay?
I prefer Eau du Ballistol, myself.
Ugh. Ballistol, while a fantastic cleaner/oil, smells like sweaty feet.
Doesn’t stop me using it, though.