This is a guest post by reader Joseph B., a grooming enthusiast who had quite the realization…
Allow me to set the scene: I had a big meeting coming up, but I had a problem. I woke up with a big ugly zit on my face. After looking in the mirror I knew there was no way that people would be able to concentrate on what I was saying, with that zit staring at them. I complained to my wife, but she wasn’t fazed. “I’ll just dab on some concealer and you’ll be good to go”, she said.
Although I was uncomfortable with the idea of wearing any sort of makeup, I let her put it on. It was magical. The zit was completely un-noticeable. I had never considered wearing “makeup” before, but now I realized that I needed a concealer in my bag for emergencies like this one. Thing is, I really wanted something that was made for men’s skin, and that I can feel comfortable carrying around with me.
So, when I got home from my presentation (which went well, by the way), I started Googling “concealer for men”, and, at first, I came up with nothing that looked like it was truly made for men. Then, after some digging, I found that there are a couple of companies catering to this very need!
Here’s what I found, and these are my quick thoughts:
Stryx — This is the one to get, guys. Super sleek, clean, and a real men’s brand. Not only is the formulation specially customized for men’s thicker, more oily skin, but the packaging is super discreet and cool. They’re not just selling you a re-packaged women’s product, but actually created uniquely designed and formulated products for men. A novel concept, apparently…
Tom Ford — Of course, Mr. Ford is the king of men’s style, but it seems like this might not carry over to his cosmetics line. This is no doubt a great product and formulation (I tried it!), but it is really no different than female products in both design and formulation. Plus, as usual, the price is exorbitant…
Menaji — The formulation being natural is a plus, but the packaging is weak… I mean, it just looks and feels a bit cheap, and not something I would really want to carry around with me every single day.
Formen — This honestly feels like a bit of a joke. I can’t ever see myself putting this on or being comfortable with anyone seeing this in my bathroom, let alone in my daily briefcase. How could this company seriously call this product “Formen” when these products look no different than female products? I have a hard time believing the formulation is any better for men’s skin either. The fact is that we want to be using a product that was actually designed for us, as guys. Not a women’s product with “for men” slapped on the front of it.