Luxury Makeup for Men Is Here

For better or for worse, women and femmes have always had a wide array of beauty products at their disposal, whether it’s concealers to cover up malevolent chin zits or neck creams for… you know… fixing whatever is wrong with their necks. Is this a blessing (there’s a purported, purchasable solution to every problem) or a curse (the beauty industry invents problems to sell us products to resolve them)? Depends on how you look at it—but as a woman, there have been both times when I’ve envied my dude friends for their lack of cuticle-related concerns and times when I’ve wished it was acceptable to offer them recs for their rosacea. 

Men’s skincare is a veritable goldmine, and companies are finally starting to crack the code of how to sell serums to the other half of the population. The latest brand looking to “rewrite the narrative” that has “overlooked the distinct needs and desires of men for too long” is called Obayaty. 

According to the brand, its mission is to emerge as a “groundbreaking force challenging the status quo” by reinventing and celebrating “a modern, inclusive interpretation of masculinity.” The brand’s greatest concern, aside from reinterpreting deeply entrenched ideas about  the relationship between masculinity and beauty, is creating thoughtful formulas (“Obayaty products act effectively as both skincare and make-up” with both “instant results and long-term benefits”) with eco-friendly design; almost all of its products can be refilled in their packaging. There’s also some science stuff to back this up; the Enhancing Lip Balm, a moisturizing balm with buildable color, includes vetted ingredients such as vitamin E, hemp seed oil, and licorice leaf extracts. It was also tested via third-party clinical tests “on multi-ethnic male subjects” between the ages of 20 and 60 (those results say 100% of participants liked the stuff and found it effective—do with that what you will).

As any woman who’s begged her boyfriend to put hand soap in his bathroom or let her extract his blackheads can tell you, sometimes, men could use a little help when it comes to the self-care department. And frankly, there is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to having a well-stocked medicine cabinet and toiletries kit. In this case, Obayaty is offering “a carefully curated introductory collection featuring multipurpose skincare products and color cosmetics, each uniquely developed to address the specific needs of male skin,” ranging from contour and highlighter sticks to nail colors (in shades like “Off Black”) and even colorful eye pens. Obayaty’s highly futuristic website showcases its star products, such as the Utility Kit, which includes the core trifecta of the Eye Booster, Retouch Stick, and Soothing Lip Balm.

Before you stop and ask whether men really need—or will realistically use—contour sticks, just remember that more and more of them are getting facial fillers and even jaw surgeries in attempts to achieve a more masculine, “Chad”-like appearance. Why shouldn’t they have access to safer, more affordable options like cosmetics? Why should we gatekeep concealer from certain genders? As to whether any of this is a necessity, that’s another story—but the same could be said about beauty products marketed toward women. 

Well, Obayaty is definitely aiming for the luxury market with not only its branding, but its price points; the contour stick, for example, is $71. If men start using the more “advanced” products, i.e. colorful eyeliner, we recommend they download TikTok and start watching GRWM videos. If you’re going to start wearing makeup in your 20s, 30s, or beyond, you’re gonna have some catching up to do. 

Read more about Obayaty and see its full collection of products here. 

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