Products Skin Men Care Makeup Companies Make Call

Cosmetic companies make a lot of money each year selling "skin care products" (products applied to the face and body to make it look younger) and "cosmetics" (color liquid, creams, and powders applied to the face to change its appearance) to women. Now, it's "going after" (trying to get) men.

"Grooming" (making yourself look neat and clean) products, including skin care and "makeup" (cosmetic) products, for men are nothing new. According to a 2012 Los Angeles Times article, 1 in 4 men use some kind of skin care product. According to this article, some of the "burgeoning" (beginning to grow or increase quickly) interest in men's skin care and makeup products can "be attributed to" (is because) baby boomers are getting older and trying to compete in the workplace with younger men. Some of the new makeup products becoming more popular are "concealers," a type of cosmetic the same color as your skin used to cover "blemishes" (imperfections) and dark circles under the eyes, and anti-shine powder, which goes on the skin to make it appear less oily.

Companies are "capitalizing on" (taking advantage of) this growing interest and are being more "aggressive" (more forceful) about marketing to men. How do you market products to men who may be "squeamish about" (having a strong view against) using products that seem too "feminine" (with characteristics traditionally associated with women)?

First, you don't call the products "makeup." Instead, companies are doing two things: creating "packaging" (the container that a product is placed in to be sold) that are "manly" (with characteristics traditionally associate with men, such as strength and courage), such as ones that look like cigar boxes and "liquor" (alcoholic drinks) bottles, and giving products names with manly "associations" (connections), such as "fuel" (material used to produce heat and power, such as gasoline) and "power."