In an increasingly metrosexual world, perhaps it was just a matter of time.
But yesterday a high street store announced that it would start stocking makeup designed just for men.
'Guy-liner' and 'Manscara' to enhance the eyes of the male in your life, will appear in Superdrug this week.
Joining the ranks: Superdrug is launching Taxi Man the first high street male cosmetics range
Yesterday, the company's director of trading Jeff Wemyss insisted that its cosmetics - branded Taxi Man - are not just for transvestites.
He said: "These days you can be macho and wear make-up. If you look at people like Russell Brand and Robbie Williams, they both wear make-up and they
are both very red-blooded men.
'Men are more obsessed with their appearance than ever before. There is no longer any pain in being seen to be vain.'
He added: 'We believe there is a real market for cosmetic products. The majority of our customers are women and we believe that these products will be
bought by women for their partners, as well as by men themselves.'
Make-up role model: Russell Brand is famous for wearing eye-liner and mascara
The cosmetics' creator Peter Kelly said: 'We've developed essentials any guy would borrow from his other half.
'It's about subtle make-up rather than wanting to create the drag queen look.'
A spokesman for the company said that 'Guy-liner' pencil is chunkier than the female equivalent and therefore easier for men, who have bigger hands, to
use.
However, it was less clear how the 'Manscara' differs from normal mascara.
In recent years the men's grooming market has boomed as men become increasingly less ashamed of been seen to take care of their appearance.
According to business analysts Mintel, the UK market is worth £700m annually and is predicted to grow to £820m next year.
Until now most of the business has been for products such as shave cream, hair care products and moisturisers.
Yesterday Lucy Mines, the Daily Mail's beauty editor, cast doubt on whether the new men-only range of make-up would catch on with British men.
She said: 'I can imagine how some of the products, such as concealer, may be popular with men who want to hide blemishes.
'But I would have thought it unlikely that straight men would want to wear eye-liner or mascara. When I asked my male friends whether they would wear it,
they all replied with a very firm "no."
'However, a few years ago you would not have found many men admitting to wearing fake tan and now that is something that you see quite a lot.
'But I think it will be a very long time indeed before it is generally accepted practice for men to put on some eye-liner before coming into the
office.'
Daily Mail
