If, like me, you are guilty of the crime of perpetual procrastination, you’ll understand how simple it can be to discover new interests and hobbies you never thought you’d indulge in. As for myself, and certainly millions of others across the globe, this has manifested itself in the form of an addiction to YouTube makeup gurus and their plethora of tutorials and videos available at the click of a button.

However, in recent years, this platform has made itself readily available not only to women, who have stereotypically always been viewed as those more inclined to the world of beauty and cosmetics, but also to men.

At the start of this month, world-renowned cosmetics brand, Maybelline, continued to break the ever-transforming boundaries of the beauty industry by appointing YouTube makeup guru and internet sensation, Manny Gutierrez (better known online as Manny Mua), as the face of its new mascara campaign, making Gutierrez the brand’s first male ambassador, alongside female representatives Gigi Hadid and Jourdan Dunn.

"This trend of men entering and (heavily) influencing the makeup world is not novel"

In the past, Gutierrez has collaborated with sell-out brand Makeup Geek on a limited edition eye-shadow palette, which took makeup fanatics by storm and was an instant hit, selling out immediately. This exciting news, however, is not stand-alone and rather comes in the wake of American cosmetics brand CoverGirl revealing that 17-year-old beauty blogger James Charles would be their first ever ‘cover boy’, undeniably changing the standards for men within the beauty industry as we know it.

However, this trend of men entering and (heavily) influencing the makeup world is not novel. Among the likes of Manny Gutierrez and James Charles are those such as Jeffree Star – once a popstar, clothing designer and part-time makeup artist – who turned to YouTube in recent years and has attracted millions of viewers thanks to his androgynous, eye-catching appearance and daring approach to makeup and beauty.

Star has even launched his own makeup line, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, which has become a must-have for beauty junkies all over the world for its outstanding quality and tendency to push the boundaries of the beauty industry, much like its founder.

What’s more, there are still many important male driving forces in the makeup industry who aren’t necessarily in front of the camera. One of beauty’s biggest influencers today is makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic. Even if you’ve never heard of him, you’ve certainly seen his work on the faces of a multitude of celebrities.

Most renowned for being Kim Kardashian’s right-hand man when it comes to makeup, Dedivanovic has become something of a global phenomenon, with almost three million followers on Instagram, where we can see his creations on famous faces from Kate Bosworth to Naomie Harris.

Power dressing and the Patriarchy

While, unlike the vast number of YouTubers, Dedivanovic does not practice makeup on himself on camera, he has nonetheless played a vital role in the development and progress of the beauty industry in recent years. Widely known for popularising the ‘contouring’ trend, which he made famous on the face of Kim Kardashian herself, Dedivanovic made waves once again last year when he collaborated with makeup brand, Anastasia Beverly Hills, on a limited edition eye-shadow palette which sold out instantly, rivalling the success of Manny Gutierrez.

And so it has been proven that the makeup world is no longer solely dominated by women. In an age where we are becoming continually (albeit slowly) more open-minded and accepting of one another, men are finding it easier to explore this world, asserting themselves and building successful careers in an undeniably feminine sphere.

Where makeup was once viewed as completely superficial and reserved for women in the appeasement of men, it has become recognised as an art in its own right and one of the most powerful tools of self-expression