Makeup for men brand called out for promoting toxic masculinity

People are saying how the brands advertising of men wearing masculine makeup is problematic

People are up in arms on social media over a "make-up for men" advert that they say is showing the fragility of toxic masculinity.

The beauty video is marketed by UK cosmetic brand War Paint which promotes itself as "Make Up Design By Men, For Men." Recently, the brand shared a short clip to advertise their product - but much to the dismay of many onlookers, the man in the video is decorating himself with typical masculine art such as skulls and war images.  Meanwhile, the company is proudly boasting they had created a brand that is especially formulated for men's skin.

PHOTO: FILE

Twitter users had something to say about the controversial video, condemning the advertising as promoting toxic masculinity.

NPR correspondent and host Sam Sanders was, the least to say,  unimpressed as a man who himself wears makeup.

As a man who has purchased makeup for photo and video work for YEARS now, I can say definitively — the same makeup that works for women can also work for men. This is stupid. Toxic masculinity is stupid. Grow up and go to Sephora. https://t.co/WfBLRt4RKR

— Sam Sanders (@samsanders) May 8, 2019

Other female tweeters seemed to have a problem with the way the cosmetic brand is marketing itself for men.

https://twitter.com/andizeisler/status/1126275722933260290

Makeup doesn't seem to be the only thing War Paint is trying to promote 'over exaggerated' masculinity with.  People also picked up on the brand marketing canned water as a manly 'thirst killer.'  Their Twitter account has since been inundated with relentless ridicule.

One user commented how "upsetting" everything is about the advertising.

https://twitter.com/eveewing/status/1126336395348467713

While everyone else seemed to be just plain annoyed.

how is masculinity this gd fragile???????????????????????????? https://t.co/CunIkC9ZZL

— jonny sun (@jonnysun) May 9, 2019

https://twitter.com/PAPPADEMAS/status/1126302390003462144

It just seemed to be going from bad to worse for the brand when the artist of the song played in the warpaint advert, Two Feet, also chimed in to criticise the brand for using his music.

https://twitter.com/TwoFeetMusic/status/1126253377996955648

The company has since clarified what they mean by "formulated specifically for men's skin," by explaining that " men have whole shed load of testosterone, their skin is both thicker and oilier than women's."

The creator of War Paint took to Twitter to address the reason why he started the company, explaining that he suffers from body dysmorphia because of childhood bullying and that he started the brand to create something he felt "confident" wearing.

https://twitter.com/warpaintmufm/status/1126849338276220928

The vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand has since taken down it's advertisement on Twitter over what seems to be a copyright issue.

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