NEW YORK -- It happened with fashion and now it's filtering into beauty: Gender lines matter less than ever before, if they even exist at all. More men are starting to embrace makeup and are finally being accepted for doing so.
Internet beauty stars and fan favorite brands came together under one roof for Beautycon NYC 2015 on Saturday. Stunning people and products were everywhere, but our eyes were on the boys of Beautycon. While the crowd was mostly female, influencers noted the increase in male attendance compared to previous years.
“I think this audience is really allergic to categories. They’re allergic to the sort of heteronormative classifications of male and female," Beautycon CEO Moj Mahdara tells Mashable. "I think the reason that you’re starting to see classically male audiences come into Beautycon is because people really want a place where they can express themselves. People want to redefine what beauty is."
Mahdara wants Beautycon to be a place where a diverse audience can come together to celebrate their creativity and their freedom.
"That's part of what’s been depressing for our country, our audience. The guys have really been put into a category of masculine male characteristics," Mahdara says. "I think ultimately that’s a dangerous place for them to be, and I think they’re breaking out of it."
Celebrity makeup artist Angel Merino, also known as Mac Daddy, has been a part of Beautycon since its start in 2012. He has witnessed the shift from a wholly female audience to a more inclusive group of festival-goers.
NEW YORK! Thanks for always showing me soooo much love! I loved meeting you all at #BeautyConNYC yesterday! Thanks for all the selfies & warm hugs! Shoutout to everyone that stopped by the @rickys_nyc booth to pick up your @artistcouture #diamondglowpowder! Makes me so happy to see you guys love my line! Can't wait to be back in NYC very soon! Big thanks to @beautyconofficial for always having me! A photo posted by Angel Merino (@mac_daddyy) on Oct 18, 2015 at 3:25pm PDT
"There has been a large male audience [for beauty], but it’s been more in the background because it's more of the driving force behind women," Merino tells Mashable. "We’re starting to see the world of beauty open up to a bigger audience and it’s not just for women, it’s for men."
Merino, who was sporting a glittery copper eyeshadow, false lashes and a neutral lipstick, says he has always enjoyed wearing makeup as a way to stand out amongst the crowd.
“Makeup empowers me because it’s all confidence; it’s all about owning it," he says. "When I put my makeup on and I look great and I feel great, it just empowers me because I feel like I can do whatever I want."
Broadway actor and fellow makeup wearer Frankie Grande agrees.
“First of all, it’s 2015, so don’t be scared of anything, because it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks about you at all," Grande told Mashable. "It’s about what makes you feel good. For me, [makeup] made me feel more confident. So, I think if that’s what your body is asking and your mind is wanting and your heart is craving, you should definitely go for it.”
Social media star Bethany Mota, best known for her YouTube makeup tutorials, hopes to use her platform to encourage fans to follow their own passions, regardless of naysayers.
"I think a lot of people see makeup as being very superficial and a way to cover things up. But, I see it as something completely different than that. It's kind of its own art form," Mota told Mashable. "It’s such a great way for people to express themselves, just like hairstyles or different outfits. It just kind of lets you have your own individuality."
Mota welcomes people of all genders to join the fashion and beauty community. “Stereotypes are ridiculous...I don’t think that being a boy or a girl or whatever should matter."
While the Los Angeles and Dallas Beautycons have seen an increase in male panelists, the New York event proactively enlisted four fashion, beauty and lifestyle gurus to participate in a male-only "The Boys of Beautycon" panel.
“There’s definitely a place at Beautycon, whether you’re a boy or a girl," Aiden Alexander, one of the panelists, tells Mashable.
Beautycon -- and the beauty industry as a whole -- is becoming a safer place for both men and women to express themselves, whether they wear makeup or not.
"Never have I ever felt more at home and comfortable in my life," aspiring makeup artist Colin Lauritano wrote on his Instagram about attending the convention.
never have I ever felt more at home and comfortable in my life. @beautyconofficial #bootycon A photo posted by Colin (@colinlauritano) on Oct 17, 2015 at 3:29pm PDT
La Demi, a popular transgender blogger, experienced firsthand what it was like to feel pigeonholed into a specific identity and then accepted into this community.
"Once you get comfortable and familiar with [makeup] on your own, by yourself in your own bedroom, you gain that confidence of going out into the world with it, and you just don’t care as much," she explains. "Live your life for you, nobody else."