6 men demonstrate the amazing power of 'no makeup makeup'

Beauty vlogger Jake-Jamie, famed for his skin-perfecting YouTube tutorials, shares some powerful stories of how natural makeup can generate confidence whatever your sex

Jake-Jamie, aka The Beauty Boy, started experimenting with makeup aged 19 following terrible acne breakouts.

"It seriously knocked my confidence, so I turned to cosmetics and I have never looked back. Although I no longer suffer with active acne, I continue to wear makeup. Why? Because it makes me feel good, complete, and ready to take on the world."

After years of perfecting his own ultra-natural makeup, he started his YouTube channel to share his findings with others and help banish the taboo of men wearing makeup.

"Male, female, gay, straight. Yes, straight men already wear makeup – you just don't know about it! I receive emails daily from straight men thinking about buying their first foundation or concealer after years of feeling unhappy, however they're scared of beauty counter through fear of being laughed at. It's very sad."

He thinks the beauty industry is missing a trick, with 72% of Jake-Jamie's viewers being male; it's proof that makeup is for everyone to enjoy.

Especially for Cosmo, Jake-Jamie invited his viewers to show off their 'natural' makeup looks, using all the tips and tricks that they have learnt through watching him. "The individual stories and results speak for themselves" he says. Here they are:

1. Philip, 23, acne sufferer

"I have always battled with oily skin, acne, redness and scarring. It definitely wasn't easy during my teen years but I learnt to live with it.

I had always wanted to try and cover it up with makeup but because I thought it was just for girls, I felt like I should just 'man up'! But after years of putting up with my skin I started to notice more and more men were using cosmetics. I didn't know how to make it look natural, so I had a personal makeup lesson with Australian makeup artist Lan Cox.

I definitely have more confidence wearing makeup, I used to keep it a secret but now I've started to open up. I was so dubious about telling people but much to my surprise, my male mates told me that they secretly wear a little makeup too. There's still such a stigma attached, which seems silly when secretly most men are already experimenting."

2. Creag, 27, psoriasis sufferer

"To have my skin condition is soul destroying. It makes me feel like a monster. Basically my skin regenerates 10 times faster than normal and my brain tells my body I'm cut, so it tries to repair skin, which causes layers. So basically I'm a reptile superhero…

When my psoriasis is in remission and I have normal skin (see middle picture), I'm a very outgoing, confident and happy person however, once I get the dreaded Bacterial Tonsillitis (my trigger) I change into a scaly, depressed hermit! I liken myself to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, that is the extremity of my feelings.

Then I found makeup. This gives me enough courage to leave the house. Looking presentable is a huge thing for me, the ability to sculpt my face into what is deemed suitable in this cruel judging world, means so much to me. Without makeup I wouldn't leave the house. I owe my survival to it!"

3. Maxim, 19, has dark circles and oily skin

"I wear makeup most days as I have dark circles under my eyes and uneven skin, my skin is very oily around the t-zone and dramatically dry around my cheeks and hairline.

To me, makeup is one of the best inventions right after electricity. I don't mean the superficial part of makeup - it's how it makes you feel.

I'm confident without makeup and with, but with makeup I feel like I'm putting my best face on and it gives me a boost; letting me concentrate on the most important things in life. I'm not worrying about my pimples therefore I can just enjoy my day!"

4. Alex, 17, rosacea sufferer

"I've always just got so, so red without explanation. When I was younger I became interested in body painting and this manifested into makeup. I noticed how much more confident I felt, just adjusting this one thing about myself - its empowering!

At first I hid it from my family because I was scared of a bad reaction, but after a bumpy ride they have accept it. I can go days without makeup, but when I do I feel less like my normal self, and I hide away more.

Now I say to others, do what makes you feel most like you, never what society thinks you should be. Makeup is not to do with gender or sexuality; it's to do with empowerment and I wish I'd had someone to tell me that years ago."

5. Stuart, 30

"I started wearing makeup in my early 20s as I felt self-conscious in photographs on nights out. I always hated the way I looked in pictures with flashes and bright light surroundings.

Using make up allows me to enjoy a night out and gives me the confidence to have my picture taken in different lighting. It's very difficult for men to drastically change their appearance from a normal day to evening. I enjoy the process of getting ready and watching a transformation take place. I'm also naturally quite pale so I wear bronzer to give a healthy glow.

I introduced makeup in to my daily routine and whilst this is very minimal, it again gives me more confidence in my day-to-day life."

6. Danny, 20, acne sufferer

"I have been dealing with acne (and all the scarring that comes with it), on and off for the last 5 years. It wasn't until I started wearing makeup that I actually started to think that anybody could find me attractive.

Now, I don't really go out unless I have makeup on. Even when my skin is going through a 'good patch', I still feel like makeup enhances my appearance and in my opinion, the more guys that talk about it on a public platform, the better it is for advancing our cause."



Follow Jake-Jamie on Twitter @makeupbyjakej and Instagram @makeupbyjakejamie


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