MAKE UP FOR MEN - GUYLASHES, THE NEW TREND

Rise of the guylashes

We've had guyliner and manscara but now we have the guylashes - false eyelashes for men.

It's official. Men are now wearing makeup. Don't believe me? Next time you're at the mall, take a look at the cosmetics section, where entire shelves are now dedicated to men

Wearers can choose from thick or fine varieties,which are designed to be discreet with invisible clear plastic sticky strips and both styles promise to recreate that 'Hollywood gaze'.

Eyelash extensions have already been a hit on the Asian market, where eyelashes are shorter - according to the Japan Lash Association the Japanese lash is only about 5.8 mm in length, less than half that of a Westerner.

And The Japan Times reported that when Japanese cosmetics brand Shu Uemura hosted an Eyelash Night party in Tokyo in 2008 there were more men than women wearers.

It is yet another sign that men are becoming more image conscious.

According to market research company Euromonitor, U.S. consumers spent $4.8 billion on men’s grooming products in 2009, double the $2.4 billion recorded in 1997.

Meanwhile the number of chemical peels, laser hair removals and other cosmetic procedures on men has increased by 45 per cent since 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

False eyelashes were first used by Hollywood stars and made popular again in the 1960s by the likes of Twiggy and Mary Quant. Today they are a regular part of women's beauty regime.

But they have also become increasingly popular with men.

Stars such as Russell Brand, Brandon Flowers and Johnny Depp have encouraged men to dabble in the make-up box but many will be asking if eyelash extensions are a step too far.

Even famous paragons of masculinity, like Robbie Williams and Ewan McGregor (well, at least sometimes ) are confessed cosmetic consumers. Ben Affleck joined the bandwagon big time when he became the new face of L'Oreal (except in North America and Mexico), following in the footsteps of soccer player David Ginola and Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher.

Exactly how much are men spending on grooming products? More than you think...

NPD Group, a market information company, revealed that men in America spent $1 billion in grooming products in 2002, skincare alone covering $47 million of that. This is a 9% increase since 2000. More telling still was a survey that showed 9 in 10 men asserting that grooming is a business essential, while half of those thought there was nothing wrong with a man getting a facial or manicure. These numbers rival those of our European brothers who are typically regarded as more fashionable; 40% of European men buy skincare products (the most popular product being moisturizer).

There is something admirable about the man who takes his imperfections with grace and carries on with his life. Maintaining a good image is fine, but let's draw the line at face paint. Let the drag queens keep that.
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