Need Advice on Best Men's Concealer

Hi OzBarginers, may I ask you guys what are the best choices of men's concealer to buy right now?

As a guy who hasn't really used any makeups so far, this will be my first time trying it out. I've been having a few breakouts recently and some under-skin red marks because of it. But I hope I can fix a little bit just for an upcoming date, therefore the question.

First post here. Thanks in advance!

Edit: I know it's bit of a weird ask, but can we talk about the actual products rather than why/why not men should use some basic level cosmetics?

closed Comments

  • +13

    Putting more stuff on your face will just irritate it. Gotta keep your face clean.

    That…and date people who don't judge you on your appearance.

    • +1

      Putting more stuff on your face will just irritate it. Gotta keep your face clean.

      Not necessarily. There are creams like below that drastically reduce redness and swelling from spots pretty rapidly. It works well for me.

      https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/59059/clearasil-ultr…

      • +2

        I think Fergy was more talking about things like concealers and such that'll block your pores more.

        • +3

          Don’t some of the pimple creams have concealer versions.

          https://www.clearasil.us/pages/conceal-and-treat-collection

          Of course you probably need to be Caucasian or you will look like Norman Gunston.

          • @try2bhelpful:

            Don’t some of the pimple creams have concealer versions.

            No idea, but this would make a lot of sense. But I'm not sure there'd be enough range of skin tones to make it not obvious OP was wearing concealer.

            And anyway, your face/looks is to get your foot in the door - and OP already has a date. From here on out, personality (and job, hobbies, etc) are probably far more important, and using concealer, as a guy, reflects badly in that department (imo). In my experience, confident but ugly guys have a lot more luck in dating than insecure good looking guys, so long as they can get a date.

            • @HighAndDry: The link showed the products with concealer. Looked pretty much “pink”to me.

              So do you think the same applies to women, once you get the date ditch the makeup. Not trying to snark just wonder how that would be viewed.

              • +2

                @try2bhelpful: For better or worse, in general (and please take this comment as speaking generally on all points) men and women are judged on different things. So while for men it's:

                From here on out, personality (and job, hobbies, etc) are probably far more important

                For women looks still fall into the "important even after the first date" territory, but even then the importance of looks decreases over time. It just doesn't decrease quite as much, or as early, as it applies to men. But women are also judged far less on their job or income (or car, or whether they have a property), etc, whereas for a man, those things are generally considered far more important past the very initial stages of dating.

                And that's not just socialised either. Men are (neurologically - and again, in general only) more visual creatures, while women (again, in general) value stability more. It is what it is.

                • +2

                  @HighAndDry: Neither my man, nor I, will ever win beauty competitions but what we do value entertaining each other, the fact we both had interesting, well renumerated jobs and being able to communicate at the same level. We are both IT geeks so we speak similar languages, although I'm networking and he is programming. The money I've saved on makeup has gone towards the house, overseas travel, our "tech", etc. I, suppose, it depends on what you value most. I wasn't wearing makeup when he met me and he has rarely seen me wear makeup over that period. We have been together 38 years. However, there is a saying that men "see better than they think"; I am being tongue in cheek before the wrath begins.

                  • @try2bhelpful:

                    there is a saying that men "see better than they think"

                    I feel there is (depressingly?) far more truth to this than most people would want to admit. But I think even most guys I know would agree with this. We just tend to be far more visual creatures, and this is borne out by scientific studies on the subject. My very amateur understanding is because men needed to see better to hunt, and this led to us using sight for many other things too, including finding a mate, but whatever the reason, this is the current reality. (Interestingly, women discern colours much better - more important for foraging fruits and berries perhaps?)

                    I, suppose, it depends on what you value most.

                    But this is the most important thing at the end of the day.

                    • @HighAndDry: I think we are in agreement here. I just wish the world was more open to not putting people in boxes. Let people just be themselves and express what they want to. It would improve the mental health of society for a start and probably reduce the levels of violence in the world. I'm a big believer in the informed consent between adults concept. Let the spectrum run free. It is far more entertaining than the drab "uniform" society currently accepts.

                      • @try2bhelpful:

                        I just wish the world was more open to not putting people in boxes. Let people just be themselves and express what they want to.

                        Yeah - but this isn't so much a people problem as it us a human nature problem. Romance and sexual attraction aren't choices (otherwise the Catholic Church and gay conversion therapy camps would all be vindicated).

                        We're attracted to what we're attracted to. Some of that is biological, some of it is influenced by social norms. But for the most part, people don't choose to be attracted to one thing or put off by another.

                        It is far more entertaining than the drab "uniform" society currently accepts.

                        Definitely, but I wonder if this does make things more interesting. Right now, people can't choose what they like - and their preferences do vary. If people could choose, then given people's innate desire to (usually) conform and fit in, I wonder if we wouldn't all end up choosing to like the same range of things.

                        • @HighAndDry: I think we are both agreeing over the same thing. We both agree that you can't "choose" what you are attracted to. My point is that people should be free to express that choice, rather than trying to conform to society's norms. Guys who are attracted to traditionally feminine things quickly find out this sort of behaviour is not acceptable. They don't stop wanting these things they just suppress them to "fit in"; this leads to all sorts of psychological problems. I really don't think, if given free rein, that people will choose the same things. Currently, women have a lot more freedom on what is acceptable in society and their choices are wider. If modern day men tried to wear the, hose, breeches, ruffled shirts and ornate jackets of some previous eras then the "this ain't masculine" brigade would go beserk. Just let people find their own level. I know it is more interesting because I live in Fitzroy - I've seen some quite, fabulous, ensemble pieces that really made me joyous to see. I wouldn't have the nerve to wear them but it makes me happy somebody thinks it works for them.

                          • @try2bhelpful:

                            Guys who are attracted to traditionally feminine things quickly find out this sort of behaviour is not acceptable.

                            I mean, part of "being able to choose what you're attracted to" is that girls are able to choose to be attracted to traditional masculinity, including things like not using concealer.

                            OP is absolutely free to use concealer, but his date is likewise free to not be attracted to that. Everything has consequences.

                            If modern day men tried to wear the, hose, breeches, ruffled shirts and ornate jackets of some previous eras then the "this ain't masculine" brigade would go beserk.

                            I think your objections are misplaced. No one here is saying OP can't use concealer. Just that doing so will be bad for his chances with the date, because in general girls may respond to that negatively.

                            I wouldn't have the nerve to wear them but it makes me happy somebody thinks it works for them.

                            Great from a third-person, abstract perspective. But speaking honestly, do you think people are more or less likely to date someone like that? Because I'd say less. And that applies here - again, OP is completely free to use concealer. No one is saying he can't. But OP also presumably wants the date to go well. And that means taking the girl's likely reactions into account - which means we have to account for social norms, one of which is that men don't wear concealer because most girls don't respond well to men wearing concealer.

                            • @HighAndDry: You can’t speak, in general, on what women are attracted to because you aren’t one of them. Most women I know would not bat an eyelid at concealer for a pimple, or think a man isn’t lmanly” enough because he did this.. No matter how many times you tell me this is an issue I know it is not true for the women I know. Please provide me with examples of girls reacting badly to men wearing concealer to cover a spot because I have never seen, or heard, of an example of this. I think you are projecting your male views onto women. I, particularly, think that the modern generation of girls don’t give a fig. They are growing up with a much more fluid view on gender identity and grooming options. Real men never wore product unless it was brylcream, real men don’t use moisturiser, etc. but they do now. The goals are moving, you can speak to what your particular views are, as a man, but you can’t comment on what the general woman thinks. Please cite me a website that shows that, in general, women support your view.

                              I can’t speak for the girl involved because I don’t know her but if she is concerned a guy isn’t manly enough because he is trying to conceal a pimple then I don’t think I would bother to date her.

                              • @try2bhelpful:

                                You can’t speak, in general, on what women are attracted to because you aren’t one of them.

                                By that logic, you shouldn't have made this comment either:

                                If modern day men tried to wear the, hose, breeches, ruffled shirts and ornate jackets of some previous eras then the "this ain't masculine" brigade would go beserk.

                                Unless you're part of the "this ain't masculine" brigade.

                                But of course you can, because you, much like myself, have eyes and ears and other sensory inputs with which to observe and gain experiences. And in the same way, I can speak in general as to "what women are attracted to" because I can both see and hear what women are attracted to, who they're dating, and who and what they say they're attracted to.

                                Heck, by your logic, you can't even say this:

                                I, particularly, think that the modern generation of girls don’t give a fig.

                                Because, with no intent to cause any offence, I'm sure you're not one of the "modern generation of girls".

                                And of course, nor could you say this, using the same logic:

                                Real men never wore product unless it was brylcream, real men don’t use moisturiser, etc. but they do now.

                                Because you're not "a real man" either I'm sure.


                                I like you try2bhelpful and you do have different insights and different views which, while sometimes infuriating, are always interesting at least, but I have to say I don't like when you give the middle finger to logic like this.

                                • @HighAndDry: Why can’t I make a comment on what women want, I am a woman with women friends who discuss what they want. Do you sit around with women asking them what they want or are you just guessing what they want. Sorry, but looking at something from the outside does not mean you understand what is actually going on. I, actually, talk to women friends about their dating and, funnily enough, strict manliness is not a big turn on. The last discussion I had was on how do you get rid of a guy when you invite him home and you have changed your mind. You think, “sorry and goodbye” would be enough, wouldn’t you.

                                  My example was to show that the definition of manliness is changing over the years. Times change and so do peoples views.

                                  You are not providing logic you are projecting your views on what constitutes acceptable masculinity and what women actually think. I speak to these woman as one of them, so the gloves are off. Your views are only your views.

                                  Funnily enough I read quite widely and, being female, a reasonable chunk of my reading is on women’s views on the world. Not one of the articles I have read was women bemoaning the lack of masculinity in their dates. Nobody was bitching about guys wearing concealler. Some of them were about how to avoid violent situations, quite a bit was on women’s careers, quite a bit was about politics. Some of them were about fashion and makeup. Some was celebrity gossip. I read articles from young and old alike and from various news sources around the world. I talk to women across all age spectrums, including the daughters of friends and nobody has every brought up how they wouldn’t date a man wearing concealler.

                                  No I’m not a real man, but I’m not trying to put people in a strict box labelled “real man” either. Why judge people on superficial things like wearing concealler, I’m more concerned if they are violent, angry, bigoted, selfish, etc. They are the red flags most people are concerned about. “Most people” would have issues dating someone with those traits and it would be great if those showed up as easily as concealler on the first date.

                  • @try2bhelpful:

                    The money I've saved on makeup has gone towards the house, overseas travel, our "tech", etc. I, suppose, it depends on what you value most.

                    Now days though, with social media like instagram. Makeup is what makes the money ie. Youtubers and the kardashians/jenner.

                    • @Ughhh: yeah, nah. My personal opinion but I'm not sure what value these people are adding to society.

                      Besides, it wouldn't matter if I got the best makeup people in the world to "pretty me" up hourly I'm never going to look like the 1% that make money out of this. What is more likely to happen is the poor schmucks who go broke trying to keep up with this "air brushed" never, never land ideal. Social media is not making people happier, it is fuelling FOMO.

                • +1

                  @HighAndDry: I found it pretty funny how carefully you needed to tread through this whole comment (in general)

                  • @chriise: I'm glad someone appreciates it. I feel it's disappointing and depressing (not to mention tiring) that in an increasing number of subject matters you have to do this otherwise you risk the discussion being side-tracked by someone perceiving offence or ulterior motives, instead of just the words that are written.

                    Still, I'll do it if it means a slightly more productive discussion (when I want that at least, otherwise I'll just rant without caring if anyone bothers to read it).

            • @HighAndDry: Nope. ( Extremely ) Good looking man always win.

              • @cameldownunder: If you're going to speak in absolutes, you've got it wrong because it would then be:

                "Nope. (Extremely ) Rich man always win."

                (Heck, South Korea exists - if you're rich enough, you can always make yourself extremely good looking.)

    • +1

      this will be a relief to the less comely women out there. Put down the makeup and find guys who don’t date you based on your appearance.

  • +6

    I don't know how serious the break out is, but I'm going to just say that girls (if this is a date with a girl I guess) will notice concealer because they use it all the time, and personally I'd rather go with slight red marks than go obviously wearing concealer. And you'll be obvious because this will be your first time using it.

    • +5

      I am probably super old fashioned but a male wearing concealer ain't a man.

      Woman needs a man.

      (Gonna get my fill of negs)

      • but i want to look like Tom Cruise at my 50s

        https://i.imgur.com/C9sNU9P.jpg

        I feel the Need … the Need for Speed !

      • +4

        I feel bad for the man who feels taking any level of interest in their own appearance is somehow emasculating. Grow up.

        I am sure there are plenty of women here who would agree they don't need that man… or any man to be fair. Can't blame them with that bullshit.

        • -1

          I feel bad for the man who feels taking any level of interest in their own appearance is somehow emasculating.

          It's not "taking an interest in their own appearance". You can dress well, groom well, be presentable. That speaks to your self-discipline, sense of style, general hygiene.

          But concealer for a breakout isn't that. Breakouts are nothing but a fairly natural and common part of growing up for a lot of people. Caring about it is fine - but caring so much so as to use concealer to hide it? To me that says either lack of confidence or vanity, neither of which are good things.

          The same thing applies to women too - a girl who keeps herself presentable and has basic make-up (no idea but I assume that'd be foundation, etc) is fine. A girl who goes overboard and dolls up her face for a quiet night in with friends is also not generally looked favourably upon. A guy using concealer is in this latter category.

          • +1

            @HighAndDry: So a girl wearing concealer is fine but a guy wearing concealer lacks confidence? I suppose we are going with societal "norms" but not sure you can apply this. Surely a guy who is willing to wear makeup is showing a great deal of confidence as he is willing to "buck" the system on masculinity; especially when the reaction to this can be violence. (WTF is the violent reaction about; speaking of people lacking confidence in their masculinity.) From what I can see the current young-uns are willing to do a lot of experimentation and more power to them.

            My personal opinion is I really don't care what either sex does. Certain things appeal to my sense of asthetic and certain things don't. I used to wear stage makeup as a kid when we did dance shows; and I have rarely worn makeup since. It seems to be a colossal waste of money, and time, to me. I do wear moisturiser because it the one thing that studies show does actually help, but I wear a fairly basic version, not the "fancy" ones.

            • @try2bhelpful:

              So a girl wearing concealer is fine but a guy wearing concealer lacks confidence?So a girl wearing concealer is fine but a guy wearing concealer lacks confidence?

              Yes.

              The base reason is that girls are judged more on their appearance than men. But the more immediate issue is that wearing concealer is far more common for girls than it is for men, and therefore a girl doing it is normal, while a guy doing it is breaching a (minor, granted) social norm. The "why" of it being a social norm is almost entirely irrelevant, it's the fact that the guy is willing to incur this social cost so as to hide a very minor physical appearance blemish. There is no equivalent social cost to a girl of doing the same thing. Therefore it reflects differently.

              Surely a guy who is willing to wear makeup is showing a great deal of confidence as he is willing to "buck" the system on masculinity

              Not really - OP isn't getting a sensitive tattoo, or a sparkly earring, or an extravagantly coloured dinner blazer. Their sole purpose is to hide another physical appearance (again, very minor) blemish. That's not confidence, that's the opposite of confidence.

              My personal opinion is I really don't care what either sex does.

              Of course. I don't care either. But we're not talking about you or about me, because OP isn't going on a date with either of us. We're trying to give advice on someone whom we don't know and have never met, and so we're forced to speak in generalities. There will also be girls who don't care about personal hygiene or grooming, but you certainly wouldn't give advice to anyone based on that small chance. Same here.

              • +1

                @HighAndDry: Not sure why we went from grooming to "personal hygiene". There are plenty of women who would accept someone a bit scruffy, or different, who would draw the line at dirty and smelly. I think that most of the women I know wouldn't be the least bit phased if a guy turned up with concealer for a pimple. They would just assume, as I have done, that he picked a version of Clearisil with a concealer tint in it; if they thought about it at all. Maybe, in general, women are far less judgemental about this sort of thing than men are. However, you are right that if they are a complete a-hole it doesn't matter if the guy looks like Chris Hemsworth most, self respecting, women wouldn't be in it for the long haul.

                • @try2bhelpful: But I'd then also venture to say that the same women who wouldn't care about the guy wearing concealer, also wouldn't care about a guy who has breakouts. And seeing as the concealer has literally no purpose or benefit than to conceal the breakout (certainly nothing to address the underlying issue), that makes using concealer pointless in any case.

                  A judgemental girl would judge the use of concealer far more (imo) than a breakout —> don't use concealer.

                  A girl who doesn't care about concealer also isn't likely to care about the breakout —> no need to use concealer.

                  • @HighAndDry: Given neither of us are "judgemental girls" it is hard for either of our comments to be valid :)

                    For the OP - IMHO - What is more important than "confidence" is consideration for the other person. The problem is "confidence" can be a code word for arrogance and bragging. Listen, learn, be interested and interesting. Be funny, but make sure you jokes aren't obnoxious. Feel out the territory before "assuming" anything. Be honest, but be tactful with it. Kindness is probably the best thing to bring to the table, you are dealing with another person who is, probably, as nervous as you are.

                    • @try2bhelpful:

                      For the OP - IMHO - What is more important than "confidence" is consideration for the other person.

                      No offence, but this is such cringey "nice guy" advice. Consideration is important in long-term relationships, absolutely. Confidence is required so that OP has a chance of getting to that stage in the first place, because it is absolutely more immediately noticeable and attractive. (again, speaking generally). The two are also not mutually exclusive - you can be confident and considerate.

                      The problem is "confidence" can be a code word for arrogance and bragging.

                      People's advice here has been that he should be confident and not feel the need to use concealer. I don't really know why you'd mention arrogance and bragging. (and again, just from experience - overconfidence is far better than possible insecurity when it comes to attracting girls and dates. I'd still advise OP to err on that side.)

                      • @HighAndDry: I do find it fascinating that you know what women think. Just absolutely stunning. Do the women you meet critique you at the end of the date? Because, as a women who has been in on more than one post date discussion group I can tell you they actually think that men who are too "confident" are not high on the "give him a second date" list. Funnily enough now that women have their own careers and interests, nice guys are beginning to finish first. My suggestion to the OP is try it my way and see what happens.

        • -1

          Mighty childish of me to spend that grooming time on making sure affairs are in order - bills are paid, business is running, lawns are mowed, house is in good repair…

          If my son or nephew puts personal grooming ahead of these things, I'd be exercising my authority as patriach (preemptive defence against feminism - I'm from a family of strong women, they have declined the position) and laying the smack down.

          • -1

            @[Deactivated]: Hmmm, yeah if you say so. I just hope you are being ironic here; otherwise you are highlighting exactly what I am talking about. Strong women do not let a man exercise his "patriarchy" over a defenceless child. However, I will let other people judge your comments based on their own belief system.

            • @try2bhelpful:

              Strong women do not let a man exercise his "patriarchy" over a defenceless child.

              Strong women do not feel the pressure of society to do the "feminist" thing.

              Ps. The child's ability to defend isn't relevant. No one is attacking (smack down is just colloquium, only a nutter would physically harm someone to stop them using concealer) the child. It's called grooming and discipline, something that is quickly going out of fashion.

              • -1

                @[Deactivated]: Yeah, cause you know what a strong woman is. Seriously, that is the funniest thing I’ve heard in quite sometime. Go on thinking the woman around you are strong because it saves real strong women from having to get close to you. Funnily enough women haven’t just got super smart in the last 100 years so they can now be doctors, lawyers, scientists, politicians etc, The difference is they, with guys who can actually buy a clue, have decided they have the ability and the right to do these jobs. The regressives can bitch all they like but the cat is out of the bag.

                You don’t have to be physically abusive to be emotionally abusive, and insisting a kid act manly enough for you is one of them. Society is, slowly, changing and you may not like it but, hopefully, your children will appreciate it. Frankly, when your kids grow up, I hope you get the response from them that you deserve.

      • What about the male celebrities that have been doing it for a very long time? You never really know what woman needs

        • Male celebrities? You mean the normal folks that seem to be walking pharmacies?

          • @[Deactivated]: you mean the guys who seem to be particularly popular with women. Yeah, why would you follow their lead.

    • You have a point. But it's pretty bad - bad enough for me to consider asking this question. And yes, it's a girl that I'm meeting.

      • +1

        The problem is that for you, concealer might hide the breakout, but it would also generally (from just past conversations with female friends/colleagues/etc) reflect badly on how confident/secure you seem. It's a trade-off, but imo confidence is more important than looks, especially as you've already gotten a date.

        • Really, you have discussions with your female friends on if men wearing concealler shows a lack of confidence in a man. Really, truly you have had this conversation. Man, your social gatherings must be a hoot. Or am I meant to take your comments as ironic.

          • @try2bhelpful: I'm pretty sure you don't know what "ironic" means, but yes, female friends will comment on guys they see on the street or that they know who use make up or particularly feminine skincare products.

            Do you… not have casual chats with friends on random topics?

      • -1

        If you're applying medication to reduce the outbreak, it's one thing. Concealer is purely vanity.

        Whilst I wholly agree that appearances does have an impact on first impressions, using concealer is also an appearance.

        If you're a teenager with acne outbreak, it will pass and and a smart woman (let's call the "girls" of courtable age women, it's less pedo-ey), will know this.

        If you're an adult cursed with bad skin and this is there to stay, you're just concealing the inevitable revelation and in fact highlighting your insecurities.

        In all seriousness, remove the cosmetic consideration and instead examine your motives and thing about the potential outcomes.

        Unless you're out to score (in which case, going out on a date is doing it wrong), using concealer is counter productive.

  • Why can't one use women's concealer? Is man skin different from woman skin?

    • +1

      Yes the red marks is at foreskin

    • +1

      Proportions of oil secreting glands, sweat glands, pore size…

      Whilst both are human skin, ones like a sporty coupe and the other a paddock bomb.

  • +2

    Depends on skintype/coverage.

    Go to your nearest Mecca or Sephora and ask for advice and to be colour matched.

    In terms on "Men's" makeup - its all marketing. Do/Wear/Use anything that makes you happy/confident :)

    • Do/Wear/Use anything that makes you happy/confident

      This to me is an oxymoron. True happiness/confidence comes from within. If you're depending on something you "do/wear/use" to be happy or confident, you're not truly happy or confident.

  • -4

    Get wider bridesmaids.

  • +2

    yeah you'll find it in the tampon section of Woolies.

    • i mean technically….yeah its probably in the same ailse.

  • +1

    I second Mecca & Sephora - colour matching & skin type are ultra important.

    Men's Biz are also very good according to my male colleague.

  • -1

    Eat healthy, add in a few days at the beach in the sun and salt water. Clear skin!

  • +1

    Grow a beard

    • +1

      I started growing a beard three months ago, and my skin is terrific as a result. I havent had a breakout since.

  • +7

    Best advice i can give is to ask Mum, not ozbargain.

    1. Mum probably has the same skin type.
    2. Mum is going to give you confidence when you ask for advice
    3. Mum has already paid for the concealer, so it wont cost you anything.
    4. When you try mum's concealer, you'll realise that its probably not the best for your skin, and you're better off taking better care of your diet and hygiene.

    As above, the men's stuff is all marketing, you dont need anything specifically for men.

    Do yourself a favour and never ask this question on youtube. You dont need to feel like a busted Adonis in comparison to the hundreds of south koreans feeding the market for this.

    Confidence is what people will like about you most

    • +3

      Confidence is what people will like about you most

      Personally it's a close second behind punctuation… =P

  • There's some really good concealers at the $10 price range, but they're not sold instores where staff have the time to teach you how to use or pick shade. Unless you want to YouTube things.

    So best be off to mecca/sephora, though you'll be paying more.

  • +1
  • Use a tinted moisturizer instead. Easier to apply and can apply how much you want depending on how much coverage / shade you need.
    Probably better for you too given that it's a moisturizer and SPF.
    Example: https://www.priceline.com.au/dove-protective-tinted-moisturi…

    • Tinted moisturises just even out skin tone. Useless for someone who needs coverage. In addition, the shade range is so bad and limited.

      • +1

        Has worked for me on a pimple or two to reduce redness and make it blend in.
        Also suggested it as its a step away from concealer and could be argued to have some benefits over concealer .

    • +3

      A man only needs one product in the bathroom, Morning Fresh. Everything else is ladies feminine wash.

      • +1

        Scented stuff? Pah. I just keep a gallon jug of methylated spirits. Kills germs, doesn't kill me. What more do you need?

        • +1

          I like the bubbles. :)

          • @[Deactivated]: Methylated spirits in a Sodastream does not make champagne.

            • @try2bhelpful: Outback Shampagen.

              Mt Druitt's finest.

              • +1

                @[Deactivated]: That seriously made me LOL. You can probably get cheaper wines, but they just wouldn’t have the kick. You should write a book on wino cocktails. The garnishes would be particularly fun.

                The rat-o-van episode of Black Adder 4 might provide inspiration.

        • +2

          methylated spirits is good for mozzie bites. What I found works good for pimples is Savlon. For me, it works better than Clearisil.

      • -1

        Also - who would neg this? It's clearly tongue-in-cheek…

        • They tongue-in-cheek negged it.

        • +1

          They clearly need to put a sarcastic emoji in because it is hard to tell the ironic from the seriously deluded. However, I am happy to assume most of the posts I read here are ironic.

    • Men who gatekeep "manliness" are the epitome of unmanliness.

  • Use the Kryolan concealer wheel - very pigmented so barely need to use any and designed to colour correct. It'll last for yonks.

  • +1

    I’m in the do what you can to clear the spots, rather than concealer, for both men and women. Long term acne can lead to scarring, so getting the underlying treatment working is the most important thing.

  • There's something about Mary

    • Funny you should mention that; look up Care Blanchett and facials.

  • Instead of the concealer, how about making the date later at night, then go out to a dimly lit restaurant or bar. This works for people who want to hide wrinkles from their date.

    • +2

      Might as well go to a strip club. Red light hides all sorts of things!

  • yeah i had to go to three interviews so far with a whitish skin infection on one side of my face. having a concealer would have helped.

  • Fix your diet and face cleaning regimes and your skin will be fine.

    The only person concerned about some red patches on your face is you. Everyone gets pimples from time to time. Work on your self confidence before you buy makeup that will only make your skin problems worse, not to mention your self confidence.

  • Tinted moisturiser or BB cream will work at reducing the appearance of spots and evening the skin tone.

    Best would be to visit a proper store like Mecca where someone can match a product to your skin tone and possibly even show you how to use/apply it.

  • -2

    Acne, do make any person lose self confidence, I do see guys wear makeup just to cover it up and I can't blame them for it. Lately, I have seen guys wearing makeup and it is not for the reason of covering Acne or similar but just want to make himself look good. I say why don't you just change your gender don't be a man be a woman.

    • Faaak that's a lot of words.

  • +2

    The Koreans treat mens makeup just as seriously as womens, to the extent that they will dedicate half a store to mens products

    This product by Nature Republic is better quality than L'oreal and cheaper. In fact many of the top makeup brands source their products from Korea.

    Only downside is that you will have to hunt for an online store that will ship it here.

    https://shopee.com.my/NATURE-REPUBLIC-Men's-Sports-BB-Cream-…

    However, you shouldn't be covering up breakouts but preventing them or treating them.

    1. you need to wash the skin with something that contains salicylic acid, this will unblock your pores. Example is Clearasil face wash

    2. you need an antibacterial to kill the bacteria in the pores that are causing the inflammation. Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% on the spots. example is Benzac.

    3. use a witch hazel containing product to shrink the pores
      https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/ProductDetails/65103/t-n-…

    4. use a moisturizer (yes even if your skin is normally oily), but choose one that does not block pores. Cetaphil moisturizing lotion is suitable.

  • +4

    I usually don't comment but some of these comments are so wrong I feel like I need to say something. A 'good diet', drinking lots of water and washing your face will not NECESSARILY give you amazing clear skin. There may be underlyng issues, such as hormonal or fungal issues that lead to skin issues. And you do not necessarily have the same skin type nor colour as your mother! That's ridiculous. I'm like 5 shades lighter than my mum and have completely different skin concerns. In fact when I was in highschool I used to use her foundation to cover my blemishes. Big ORANGE mistake.

    If you're interested in improving your skin I encourage you to see a dermatologist or check out the subreddit r/skincareaddiction. It has been SO helpful to me.

    To answer your question about a concealer, from my understanding there's no benefit of products marketed to men (there are so many different skin types not just men vs women skin), and traditional 'women's' concealers would probably have a better colour range anyway. Visit a reputable make up store. Personally I like Mecca but Sephora or similar will be able to help you too. Their advice is free and they'll be able to colour match you, and you can even ask for them to make you up a sample so you can try it at home under different lights and see if you like it :)

  • +1

    Men don't need a concealer. Men need confidence. ;)

  • +1

    Depending on how often you get your breakouts and how severe they are, it will be better to seek a dermatologist and get it sorted permanently (via diet, medication, etc) rather than get a bandaid solution. The acne will eventually leave scars on your skin if not dealt with over the long term. If you still need to go down the concealer route, I'd recommend using Korean products as some of them are friendlier and less irritating to the skin (do you homework… each product is different per skin type). COSRX is a popular brand. There are some online retailers that ship to Aus.

    Apart from that, I'm rather appalled by the toxic masculinity/old school belief in 90s stereotypes that still exists in 2019 and are propagated in some of comments. If there's anything we've learnt after all these years of societal progression particularly in recent years - that would be "you do you". Wanna be a redneck? Sure go for it. Wanna be an intellect/nerd? Go for it. Wanna be aesthetically better looking? Go for it. Just remember to spread the love and not hate on someone else who's different to you.

  • These are my favourites, I've found they both take redness out of my skin and even the tone up without it looking like I'm wearing makeup:

    https://www.myer.com.au/p/natio--bb-cream?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid…

    https://www.priceline.com.au/invisible-zinc-tinted-daywear-l…

    Downside of them both is that they come in fairly limited ranges of tones - but they do seem to blend well so may not need matched as precisely as foundation.

  • I highly advise against using so much product especially if you're prone to breakouts. Do you know how much you have to wash your face everyday just to remove the product at the end of the day?

    People who judge you for your breakouts are shallow.

    Working towards trying to get the breakouts under control would be better.

  • Grow a beard to cover it up

    It's manly and it's cheap!

    • It looks untidy and is a playground for germs. most beards are as dirty and bacteria-filled as household toilet seats.

      Given that most people these days lack hygiene most of them would have this issue.

  • start drinking a nice herbal tea, it helps.

  • +1

    Whats wrong with men using a concealer.. Recommend getting those male BB creams from The Face Shop. Not too extreme and makes it look natural while building up your confidence. Good luck man!

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