Backlash as make-up giant uses BEARDED MEN to promote cosmetics

Referred to as ‘Maybelline Partners,’ the two bearded men can be seen filming themselves applying make-up.

In one of the videos, make-up artist Ryan Vita is hired to promote a new lipstick as part of an Amazon Prime Day advert.

The video was pounced on by those who felt the decision by the make-up brand was neglecting Maybelline's core customer base.

One social media user said: “The point of advertising is to focus on a target audience, not alienate them.

“You had better hope that there are a lot of lipstick wearing, bearded men out there to make up the sales that you have just lost.”

Already hinting that Maybelline could feel the effects of a boycott, popular comments said “now you know what brand of cosmetics not to buy,” and “adding Maybelline to the growing list of companies I won't buy from anymore.”

In another video that received similar outcry, beauty content creator Zak Taylor promotes a new 4-in-1 make-up applier being launched this summer.

Around 15 per cent of heterosexual men aged 18 to 65 in the US currently use male cosmetics and make-up, while an additional 17 per cent would consider it, according to Ipsos.

Just 37 per cent of men aged 18 to 34 said they would not consider using any cosmetics.

One in twenty British men (5 per cent) wear make-up to some extent, according to research conducted by YouGov in 2019.

In the same research, YouGov found that one in ten 18 to 24 yer old men have worn make-up in private.

Asked why they wore make-up, 15 per cent of the men in the survey said they ‘find it fun,’ while one in eight (12 per cent) say they wear it to express their personality.

A further 13 per cent say they use it to hide blemishes and 8 per cent say they wear it to boost confidence.

No stranger to stoking debate, Maybelline posted a video to its TikTok page in April featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

In the video, Mulvaney is seen make-up free before she ‘gets glam’ with a range of products including lipstick and eyeshadow.

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At the time, many customers said they would boycott the brand.

Bud Light sales collapsed by 17 per cent after its paid partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, 26, backfired in April.

Mulvaney posted TikTok videos featuring a set of unique commemorative cans gifted by Anheuser-Busch that did not go on sale to the general public.

This followed the outcry at Mulvaney’s sports bra partnership with Nike, where Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies called for a boycott of Nike.