Is this just a case of idol worship and brands targeting these hot male celebs’ adoring and largely female audience, some of whom see buying whatever their idol is selling as theirAccording to psychologist and executive coach Dr Perpetua Neo, besides the male idol and female fan factor, this trend of male celebs fronting beauty brands is also“Gen Z is gender- and sexually-fluid, blurring the lines often,” she said. “Companies respond to what’s progressive and the spirit of the times.
"Think the demand for fair skin, 10-step skincare and generally being thoughtful about one’s appearance – that isn’t deemed effeminate here, and you don’t have to slap on a ‘metrosexual’ branding or macho packaging in order to make it acceptable. In many subgroups in these societies, it’s not considered a woman’s realm or effeminate. It’s as natural as shampooing your hair and brushing your teeth.
If this confluence of factors – Gen Z’s fluidity and blurring of lines, the East Asian acceptability of grooming and the increasing global reach of South Korean pop culture – continues, it’s likely we’ll be seeing a lot more male celebrities fronting traditionally female beauty brands. Dr Neo reminded us of the move in recent years for women towards the #nomakeupselfie and the bare-faced look, perhaps kickstarted by Alicia Keys when she went to the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards sans makeup.