Make up for men hardly ever makes the headlines; we never hear as much about Kit Harington’s go-to make up routine as much as Kendall Jenner’s, even though he’s probably getting pretty loaded up too. That’s despite the fact that the market for men’s grooming worldwide is estimated to be around half a trillion U.S. dollars, set to reach more than $800 billion by 2023.

That’s exactly what we’re here to change, with our quick guide to make up for men.

Know Yourself

Is your skin dry or oily? Do you want to apply make up for the whole day or a quick occasion in the evening, and will your skin be able to take it? What features do you want to accentuate and what products will help you do it the best? Asking yourself these questions and buying your products accordingly is half the battle won.

Know Your Products

If you’re just starting out and are wondering what products to start with, here are a few ones. Start with a good face wash, moisturiser and exfoliator. Moving on to the actual make up, start with these:

• Highlighter: helps subtly highlight and contour the best parts of your face, though knowing what to highlight and what not to is a skill in itself. The only way to choose the right highlighter is to go to the shop and match it on your hands, as it’s important to keep your highlighter colour in line with your skin colour.

• Concealer: Concealer is great to hide blemishes or otherwise uneven parts of the face, and could be used in combination with the highlighter or a light foundation (again, everything matched to your skin colour) before you head out for an occasion. Do take care to find out if your skin is okay with all of it though.

• Anti-shine: Ever noticed the glistening foreheads and chins flashing you from everywhere in the summer months? There’s a way to fix that. These products help keep the bad type of shininess away, and provide a matte, natural look. An anti shine powder works best on foreheads.

   

   

• Eyebrow: If you don’t know where to start, just go for an eyebrow grooming kit, and go to town on those brows yourself. Occasionally investing in eyebrow-grooming appointments at your local salon may not be a bad idea, either.

Contour

Mastering the art of contouring requires a lot of practice and knowing what the hell you’re doing. It’s incredibly powerful and if done right, it gives you the power to completely change the structural look of the face. So if you’re looking to give your visage a chiselled look, this is how.

General Tips

Talk to your female friends for help, or take them shopping for products, always use sunscreen, eat right (lots of fruits and Vitamin C) and go to the salon for facials every once in a while.