For those of us with acne, applying makeup is like preparing our face for the onslaught of mental battles we face every with our skin.

When I discovered War Paint I was immediately attracted to the packaging and thought; this is the perfect brand for any man wishing to cover up their insecurities.

It was created by Daniel Gray, who as a child grew up self conscious about the way he looked. Twelve years ago, Daniel would either borrow his sisters concealer or go into a shop and buy makeup ‘for someone else’.

      This is how War Paint was born; a men’s makeup brand, designed by men, for men.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Daniel in London’s Covent Garden to find out more about men using makeup.

War Paint was founded because of your experience with breakouts. Can you describe how this affected your confidence?

At a young age I had a lot of confidence issues, due to being bullied by my facial features, then I was more focused on my looks and breakouts were a big factor toward this. The breakouts made me feel like I was not able to go out the house, socialise with friends because I didn’t have the confidence to do so. The worse my skin condition was, the worse I felt within myself. Comments from other people left me feeling really insecure about my appearance. This grew into a serious issue with body confidence that has greatly affected me since.

My boyfriend is keen to see if his friends would notice if he was wearing makeup. Did your friends notice when you first started concealing your breakouts?

 I was very subtle when I first started wearing makeup, so no one noticed. I have many people now compliment my skin, then when I mention that I wear makeup it is always very well received as they are surprised because it looks so natural.

Daniel Gray | Founder of War Paint

What is the best way to shave blemished skin without causing irritation and further infection?

 The two main things I concentrate on are always shaving after I shower as the heat helps loosen the pores for less friction. The second, is always shaving the same way, whether it is against the grain or with the grain, making sure you’re consistent with this is important as shaving the opposite will cause inflammation for a few days and can cause ingrown hairs.

If you have spot-prone skin I would say to steer clear of soap-based shaving foam or gel. Those with soap in can cause your skin to be more oily and increase irritation when shaving. I would recommend a soap-free shaving foam with emollients. For example glycerin, as the softening agents help the blade glide over your face, reducing any irritation or inflammation. To prevent further infection, I would recommend something as simple as an anti-bacterial gel or anti-bacterial face wash as this will not only purify your skin but get rid of the dead cells that block up your skin and create more blemishes, blackheads or ingrown hairs. An oil free sensitive moisturiser or post shave balm can also help if you have any dryness or tightness of your skin after shaving.

What are your essential products for concealing your breakouts?

 For concealing bad breakouts I would recommend our Men’s concealer stick and, it can also be used as a foundation all over the face. It is very high coverage to the point in which it can cover tattoos, however still leaves the skin with a natural look rather than caked in makeup. In the future we are also looking to release colour correcting concealers to help with imperfections. For all over cover I would recommend using our Men’s foundation as a base and then using concealer to cover the bigger blemishes on top.

Something to also note is the aftercare of your skin is just as important as the makeup you put on, always make sure that you take your makeup off properly otherwise this can worsen your skin. Also make sure to use an oil free toner or cleanser and a face wash to keep on top of day to day imperfections.

What advice would you give to a man who is thinking about trying makeup for the first time?

Do not be afraid! Start with something simple, a foundation, BB cream, concealer or a bronzer. Nowadays a lot of men compare themselves to other men they see on the TV and in the media however everyone on television; down to presenters and news readers all get their makeup done beforehand. If you’re not sure where to start watch some video tutorials online so you can get an understanding of how to use products and what products would suit you. Also making sure you get the right colour is important to ensure a natural look, as you don’t want your face to look a different colour to the rest of your body. Just remember not to be afraid, more men wear makeup than you would believe and you wouldn’t even be able to tell. You’re not the only one!

HOW TO USE

• Men’s Bronzer: Use with our Men’s Powder Brush dipped generously in the Men’s Bronzer and blow or tap of the excess powder. Lightly sweep the brush along the outer sides of your upper forehead and along your hairline. Then underneath your cheekbones and across your jawline. You can also apply a light layer to the rest of your face and neck so your face doesn’t look to dark compared to your neck.

• Men’s Face Sponge: Our sponge can be used with our Men’s Foundation, Men’s Concealer and other cream or liquid products. Before using the sponge, run it under a tap so it expands and squeeze out the excess water to make it damp. Dab the sponge on to your face pushing the product into your face to create a blend.

• Men’s Concealer: This is best applied with our Men’s Face Sponge or using your finger. Apply a small amount of concealer to the desired area, such as a spot you would like to conceal. Use the sponge or your finger to dab the concealer into the desired area and blending around. Use more product or a second layer if you require more coverage.

If you are using makeup for the first time, check out the War Paint website for video tutorials. Click here for some male inspiration. 

Written by Joanna at www.beautifulbybreakfast.com

Bronzer has been around for years, worn mostly by women to create a tanned look. However, the limits of bronzer don’t stop there! Over the past decade there had been an undeniable rise in men now using bronzer in more than one way.

Why would I wear bronzer?

Bronzer can used to achieve a bronzed, Greek god “just come back from holiday” look, or alternatively just to add a bit of warmth and definition to your face and body. If you’re new to bronzer it can be difficult to decipher which bronzer to use; powdered or liquid, matte or shimmer, light or dark. It can also be confusing to figure out where exactly on your face you should apply bronzer, this is all dependant on the finished look you would like to achieve. Do not fear! We have put together a handy guide to help you decide how bronzer can work for you.

If you want to look tanned:

So you want the “I’ve just spent two weeks in the Caribbean” look? Go for a matte powdered bronzer. Apply straight to your face with a powder brush start at the middle of your face and work your way out, apply more to the top of your forehead (areas that the sun would hit most if you had been in the Caribbean for two weeks). Don’t forget to also blend the bronzer into your neck - you don’t want to have a bronzed face with a pale neck otherwise it won’t look natural at all! You can also use bronzer on your body, when wearing a T Shirt applying some bronzer to your arms can give the illusion of an all over tan.

TIP: Build up the layers of bronzer gradually to keep in control rather than piling it all on at once.

If you want to contour:

What is contouring? - May be your first question! Contouring is defining your facial features most commonly by using bronzer. But why would I want to contour? - Is probably your second question. Contouring can allow you to define features on your face such as your cheekbones, your nose and your forehead, allowing your face to look slimmer.

So how do I contour?

1. Always apply your foundation first.

2. To cheat your way to chiseled cheekbones, simply suck in your cheeks, and using the angled brush, buff the darkest powder into the hollows using swift back and forth motions.

3. If you want to make your forehead appear smaller, dust the darker powder up into your hairline until blended seamlessly. Using the same brush, bring the powder down towards your temples. This has a slimming effect on your face.

4. Define your jawline and slim down your neck by brushing the darker powder along the length of your jaw and around your chin. Just be sure to blend downwards using swift motions to create that flawless shadow.

TOP TIP: Be sure to tap your brush to get rid of the excess powder to make blending easier.

Remember: Bronzing powders can sometimes appear a little too dark, so those with fair skin should invest in a lighter bronzer shade.

Use Bronzer To Define Your Muscles!

So you want the bulked up “I go the the gym everyday” look? You can use bronzer to define your muscles, biceps and abs. Get the six pack you always dreamed of without even stepping foot in the gym!

1. Flex your muscle to find the natural lines of your biceps/ abs. Use your other hand to apply a light line into the hollow of your muscle using the bronzer.

2. While still flexing, identify where the muscle naturally hollows, and apply the bronzer where your muscle would naturally concave.

3. Use your brush to smooth out the lines so that you have a natural-looking muscle tone.

Top Tip:

When using Bronzer start off lightly and build up your layers, as you want it to look natural and realistic.

How To Use Concealer To Hide Spots

When you can’t get rid of acne, often you can cover it up. For men acne can be a lot harder to deal with as most men don’t have a range of makeup to cover the blemishes. Using concealer can help to cover whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples.

When you conceal a blemish, you don’t want it to break out more. That is why concealer is best applied with a brush. A brush needs to be thin enough that you could use it to apply makeup at the corner of your eyes, and firm enough that it will not cake makeup all over your face. It’s easy to lose brushes, and best to keep them in a bag.

How to Apply Concealer

Wash and dry your hands, and then take a tiny lump of concealer, about the size of a pea. Place the concealer on the back of your non-dominant hand, the one you do not use to hold the brush, and run the brush back and forth through the concealer to coat the brush. You don’t want any lumps or granules of concealer on the brush. If you are using a concealer stick you can apply the concealer straight to the blemish with and blend with a brush or your finger.

If you don’t have a brush, you can use your fingers, but you need to be extra-careful not to load too much concealer on the blemish, and not to puncture the blemish with your fingernails.

Put just enough concealer on a pimple to cover up the redness. Then to conceal your concealer, place a thin layer of foundation makeup (which you have chosen to match your natural skin tone), or use a second layer of beige, brown, or yellow concealer to make the blemish less noticeable. If the pimple is still visible after applying the rest of your makeup, add just a dot of concealer over it as the last step your routine.

It is important to remember that making blemishes less noticeable is the purpose of using concealer. Using a single layer of concealer that is very different from your natural skin tone can leave your skin looking worse rather than better, so be sure that the concealer is right for your skin tone.

#8 Concealer Mistakes You're Probably Making

Mistake #1: Applying too much, too fast.

When it comes to base makeup, the less you wear, the more natural it looks. Loading on concealer all at once rather than building it up gradually makes your skin appear cakey and overdone. Instead, dot on and blend each layer of makeup one at a time, allowing you to more accurately judge how much you'll need to conceal the blemish.

Mistake #2: Using a colour that's too light.

When you use a foundation or concealer that is too light, it's essentially highlighting your blemish. To make that blemish disappear, find a shade as close as possible to your skin tone, or blend two together for an accurate colour.

Mistake #3: Not blending enough.

After applying it to the blemish, always blend it into the rest of the surrounding skin for an effect that's as natural as possible.

Mistake #4: Skipping exfoliation.

It is great for your skin to get rid of the dead cells on its surface, but did you know that not exfoliating can make your makeup look worse? When you have flaky, dead skin cells, especially around a blemish, your makeup can't blend smoothly onto your skin. Instead of getting a natural finish, you end up with an uneven and flaky surface.

Mistake #5: Popping the pimple beforehand.

Don't pick at your skin, even if it's really tempting, as you could easily cause more blemishes, or even scar your skin.

Mistake #6: Skipping the primer.

You should be using a primer if you want your skin to have a smooth finish. The primer will help even out the texture of your skin, giving you a smooth surface to apply concealer to.

Mistake #7: Using dirty brushes.

If you're using brushes on your face and not cleaning them regularly, you could be spreading bacteria all over your blemishes, making it more likely that you'll get more. Wash your brushes at least once a week with warm water and a gentle shampoo between uses.

Mistake #8: Applying products in the wrong order.

Applying concealer before foundation can result in rubbing off some of your coverage, so remember this order: first comes primer, then foundation, then concealer, and lastly, a translucent powder to seal the makeup.

Author - Andria Cheng, Forbes Contributor

The Surprising Trend In Beauty? Skincare Sales Growing The Fastest Among Men's Grooming Products

If you intend to, but haven’t bought anything for Father’s Day yet, consider adding an anti-aging cream or even facial sheet masks to your gift list of razors, game tickets or smart home devices.

It turns out more than one-third of American dads -- and the percentage goes up to about two-fifths among those with two children -- say they care about preventing the signs of aging, compared to 23% of men without kids, according to a Mintel study released this week that surveyed about 1,000 male personal-care product adult users in the U.S.

In another telling sign, while some 95% of men in the survey say they use deodorants and 87% say they use body cleansing products, 70% of men say they use sunscreen/sun protection items while nearly two-thirds say they use facial skincare. Among those between 18 and 44, facial skincare users actually jump to as much as 84%, the study shows.

Try searching for “men anti-aging cream” on Amazon and more than 1,000 results will appear under beauty and personal care category, spanning products from mass-market and drugstore labels (L'Óreal "Men Expert" and Neutrogena Men) to department store brands (Estée Lauder-owned Clinique for Men sells an anti-age moisturizer for $44).

In fact, while the stubble/beard trend has hurt industrywide U.S. shaving product sales, the largest men's grooming category, demand for men’s skincare items has seen healthy growth. Sales of men’s shaving products were $2.8 billion last year, declining an average of 1.1% a year between 2012 and 2017. In contrast, the annual average growth for men’s skincare products during the same time period was 7.2%, with sales reaching $345 million in 2017, according to Euromonitor data.

Last year alone, men’s skincare product sales jumped an even faster 11%, outpacing growth in all other men’s grooming categories including bath and shower, deodorant and hair care. In total, men spent a total of $6.9 billion in the U.S. on grooming products last year, Euromonitor data shows.

Men ages 35-44, and especially dads, will drive the overall grooming market demand as they are “more invested in the category and less price sensitive than other groups,” Mintel said. Nearly three-fifths in that age group say they “pay attention to” the personal care products they buy, compared to less than half for the entire male adult group surveyed, according to Mintel.

Major brands, such as Unilever’s Dove, L'Óreal, and Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena, have responded to the market potential for men's skincare.  Retailers aren't blind to the demand either. For instance, on beauty retailer Ulta’s website, there’s a separate tab for men’s products, including "anti-wrinkle" serum and other skincare. In April, Target picked men’s skincare brand Oars & Alps among 10 beauty startup labels it would mentor and grow under its startup accelerator program. Target said it’s seen a lot of customer interest in smaller niche brands including those for men.

However, the hustle and bustle of activity may not be coming fast enough: Only 4% of men’s personal care products unveiled in the U.S. last year included anti-aging claims, according to Mintel study.

“The discrepancy between the number of men interested in preventing the signs of aging and the number of products touting these benefits indicates a significant opportunity,” the report said.

Expect to see an expanded beauty and personal care aisle for men at your local drugstores and beauty retailers.

Copyright: Forbes. Author - Andria Cheng, Forbes Contributor

If as a man you’ve never used concealer before, you will be surprised what it can do for you. Read our 5 top ways to use concealer for men.