Cover Bretman Rock has millions of followers on social media (Photo: Instagram / @bretmanrock)
Bretman Rock has millions of followers on social media (Photo: Instagram / @bretmanrock)
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We spotlight five digital content creators who are challenging the notion that make-up and masculinity are antithetical to each other
The world of cosmetics is largely associated with women, and the idea of men wearing make-up is still considered taboo or seen as a threat to the idea of traditional masculinity. But with the boom of social media, we’ve seen a shift in this mindset, and a rise in male beauty and make-up influencers in the online space.
From offering product reviews and beauty tutorials to and showcasing their artistry, these influencers are not only celebrating diversity in beauty but also breaking gender stereotypes. Here are five Asian male beauty influencers who are reshaping the perception of beauty and what men are “allowed” to be interested or experts in—one social media post at a time.
Also read: From Good Light to Allies of Skin, here are 5 beauty brands owned by Asian LGBTQ+ founders
1. Bretman Rock
Filipino American influencer Bretman Rock Sacayanan Laforga—who goes by Bretman Rock and all pronouns, and identifies as non-binary—shot to fame when his contouring videos went viral on social media in 2016. Since then, he has been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2018, become the face of Nike’s Be True Pride campaign in 2021, won the digital influencer award at the Unforgettable Gala’s 20th Annual Asian American Awards in 2022, and graced the cover of Vogue Philippines in 2023. He has also forayed into activism, writing, singing and more; and through it all, he continues to slay on social media with his impeccable sense of fashion and beauty.
2. Ankush Bahuguna
Delhi-based Indian beauty influencer Ankush Bahuguna has an Instagram page dedicated to make-up tutorials called wingitwithankush. Though the description on the bio says he’s not a professional make-up artist, and that he is just “winging it”, he consistently shows off stunning looks not only on himself but on his fellow creators, family members and friends. He also offers make-up hacks like what to do to add warmth if you don’t have a bronzer, or how to colour correct without any colour correcting products.
3. Deep Pathare
Another Indian who shines among male beauty influencers on social media is Deep Pathare, whose Instagram page justdeepdrama is a kaleidoscope of colours with one bold make-up look after another—from traditional Indian style to gothic Halloween aesthetics. Through using make-up as a form of joyful self-expression that defies gender norms, Pathare unabashedly embodies the message on his Instagram bio: “stop labelling, start living”.
4. Gio Shin
Gio Shin, a make-up artist who works at a Tom Ford Beauty counter in South Korea, has garnered a sizeable following on Instagram thanks to his quick tutorials that show how anyone can use make-up to subtly enhance their appearance. Shin’s aesthetics—from his make-up application to his attire—are firmly understated as he teaches simple techniques that can discreetly elevate your look. Whether that is with just the touch of a brow pencil or a hint of highlighter or lip colour.
5. Aditya Madiraju
Aditya Madiraju is a New Jersey-based digital creator and beauty maven of Indian origin whose easy-to-follow, practical make-up tips and GRWM (“get ready with me”) videos have earnt him more than a million followers on Instagram. He calls himself a “make-up nerd”, and a quick scroll through his page makes it easy to understand why—on top of his beauty tutorials of tried and true make-up techniques he also deep-dives into beauty nitty-gritties such as the difference between finishing and setting powders.
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Suchetana Mukhopadhyay is the Digital Content Manager for Tatler Hong Kong. In this role, she leads all digital editorial and branded content on Tatler Hong Kong’s website, from brainstorming story ideas with the writers to editing and publishing the articles, and from managing the overall content flow to driving search engine optimisation. She also leads the beauty content at Tatler Hong Kong and across the region, and is always looking to champion diversity through her articles. She was previously with Cedar Hong Kong and Gafencu, and freelanced for the South China Morning Post, Campaign Asia-Pacific, CNN and more. Contact her here.
