Men’s Grooming Secrets From A Hollywood Makeup Artist

Photo by James Devaney/GC Images.

The latest men’s grooming trends to snag now.

By Megan Kirkwood

Date February 18, 2022

Gone are the days that male celebs would shrink away from a little men’s grooming such as some well-placed concealer or hairspray before stepping onto the red carpet. “Now my clients come in and say, ‘Make me look like you did for X person,’” says LA-based men’s groomer Lauren Kaye Cohen, who has been prepping an endless list of A-listers such as Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Leonardo DiCaprio and Rami Malek for high-profile events and photoshoots over the last 20 years.

What exactly is causing this shift, you may be wondering? Beauty-conscious celebs like Timothée Chalamet, Henry Golding and Harry Styles (thanks in part to their makeup artists) have reimagined the boundaries of men’s grooming. And some experts (like TikToker Cat Quinn) note the power in primping for the “female gaze” — meaning less restriction and more creativity.

“We all want to look our best for ourselves, but the reality is, we also want to be appealing to whoever we want to find us attractive. I think that guys are getting it more and more that when they put a little bit more effort in, it gets noticed,” says Cohen.

Read on for Cohen’s best tricks and the biggest men’s grooming trends right now:

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“Clients that are in the Zoom world have become more focused on wanting their hair, eyes and skin to look really put together because their faces are taking up the whole screen and that’s all anyone sees,” says Cohen. Years of wearing masks have also had a huge effect, with many experiencing more skin irritation. As a result, more men are sporting facial hair not only to be able to skip daily shaving, but also to be more comfortable while wearing a mask. However, the overgrown beard is a thing of the past. “Now the facial hair look is a little tighter, shorter and much more clean,” says Cohen. For effortless hair between washes (and even post-gym), a cleansing texturizing spray is man’s new best friend.

Joeone F/W 22. Photography, Imaxtree.com

Golden arches for the win

Cohen says that well-groomed brows are critical to giving your look that certain je ne sais quoi since they frame your entire face. While she says over-grooming is a definite no-no, aim to define your brow’s general shape and clean up the in-between areas. “Our faces are not symmetrical, so we’re never going to have identical brows and shouldn’t try to,” says Cohen, who explains that the biggest trap for men trying to DIY their brows is standing too close to the mirror while trying to make each brow look exactly the same (and quickly getting carried away.) “Stand back after plucking every two or three hairs and make sure you’re clocking their natural shape.” A good quality set of tweezers that are easy to handle are key (Cohen says these are still the best.) As a finishing touch, Tom Ford’s Fiber Brow Gel is the most natural looking as it’s not shiny and doesn’t dry hard or flake off. “Wipe off like tip first, so it doesn’t deposit too much product and apply sparingly,” says Cohen.

Ditch tired eyes

“A lot of clients are really into eye masks,” says Cohen who is obsessed with these 111Skin gel masks because they instantly brighten and tighten the skin and zap puffy eyes. Cohen is also a fan of the Foreo UFO 2 masking device, which is great tech for guys since they can track the app on their phones and get event-ready results in three minutes. “I always use it with the Youth Junkie mask, which is collagen-infused and great for the whole face,” she says.

Photography Courtesy of Smith & Cult

Polish is here to stay

While more and more men are turning to nail colour to express themselves, Cohen (who painted long-time client Steven Tyler’s nails for over a decade!) says putting in a little extra work with your manicure will go a long way. “A lot of guys just throw polish on without a base or topcoat, but then it looks like a little kid did it and it definitely won’t last as long,” she says. While moody hues like black and navy are go-tos, the new must-haves are off-beat neutrals. Think this cool grey, sage green or chic espresso shade. Since you’re drawing extra attention to your hands, remember to treat them (and those dry cuticles) with a luxe hand cream. This anti-aging Dr. Barbara Strum formula is one of Cohen’s favourite pre-red carpet treatments because it doesn’t leave any residue behind and can even be applied the night before for great results.

A little concealer goes a long way

All you need to keep your eyes looking light and bright 24/7 is a tiny dab of well-placed concealer. “I love using your fingers for this because their little bit of heat helps to meld the product seamlessly into your skin,” says Cohen. Use your ring finger to dab the inner corner of your eye first, then work the product only slightly downward and stop. Avoiding the urge to cover your whole under-eye area is the trick to keeping the makeup invisible while still getting results, says Cohen. The other key? Applying a good eye cream first, which helps the concealer to go on super smooth and resist settling into fine lines. For a wide variety of shades and a super-light consistency, Cohen turns to this formula, which is a standby in her kit.

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