Make Up...For Men?

Listen to this Forbes.com article:

"Don't be surprised if very soon your toiletry kit contains not only shaving cream, deodorant and toothpaste, but concealer, oil-absorbing face powder and brow gel.
That's because guys are relying on an increasing number of made-for-men products like these to put their best face forward."

"Experts say it's only natural that men would turn to makeup to look their best. Grooming, after all, has never been more acceptable. Last year, $4.8 million was spent on male grooming products in the U.S., a 7% increase over the year before and a whopping 42% increase from 2001, according to Euromonitor, a London-based marketing and research company."

"KenMen, a Montreal-based cosmetics line founded in 2004 by Lee Gilbert, includes skin tints, body and face highlighter, and skin correcting sticks (otherwise known as concealer)."

"Holly Doss, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist with an eponymous cosmetics brand, also believes discretion is the key to introducing men to makeup.
"Most of the feedback I've gotten," she says, "is that they want to buy makeup without ever having to leave their home. They don't want to go and try anything out in 'real life."
Doss, who has worked in the entertainment industry under the tutelage of celebrity makeup artist Trish McEvoy, primarily sells foundation and concealer from her unisex line to men who want to look polished, but not pretty. She says they like that they can use their fingers for a fuss-free application."

Finally,

"In order to get that competitive edge, they have to look better," she says. "They're going to do whatever it takes -- and there are products out there that can help them achieve this."

This, unfortunately is not surprising to me. With the quick uprising in outer image and sexy appeal, both men and women are taking hold of this "cosmetic" idea and applying it to their face (or wherever on their body) to look "polished." I believe this is part of the feminization of our culture. A big time evidence of it. If you look around evangelical churches today, where are the men? Where are the husbands who are at home shepherding their wives, their children and their neighborhoods from the Scriptures? Where are the men who lead the daily devotionals at home over a meal with their whole family (something that has been also lost today).

In today's generation, instead of wanting to be at home with their wives (and even the term "wives" should be questioned in our culture), men want to be spending the time and money on themselves so they look better. It is all for the image. For the facade.

May we, who are actively serving in evangelical, Bible-teaching and Bible-believing churches, actively step up and be male leaders in the church. The Lord demands it and women need that male leadership.