Wave Of Men Beauty Influencers In India
Men using makeup is one idea that would still raise eyebrows in many Indian households. But this stereotype of associating beauty products with femininity is now being challenged by social media influencers and the popularity of men’s grooming brands. Here are four such social media accounts:
- Ankush Bahuguna: Delhi-based content creator first came into the limelight with his comedy videos on his Instagram account -@ankushbahuguna, where he has 758K followers. But after the pandemic, Bahuguna has been experimenting with a new handle called ‘wing it with Ankush’ (132K followers). This new channel is focused on creating makeup looks for both men and women. However, it should be noted that Bahuguna is associated with MensXP and the Times Internet-owned brand has had a range of men grooming and beauty products since late 2019.
2. Yashwant Singh: This COSMO India Upcoming Beauty Influencer 2020, has built his social media following of 15K people. He frequently posts content on skincare, self-care, and fashion. Singh is known to give skincare advice and reviews of homegrown Indian brands to international skincare products.
3. Deep Pathare: He defines his content as a mix of beauty, skincare, and sass. Pathare was also recognized as the upcoming male beauty influencer 2020 by COSMO India. Pathare’s account has 20.7K followers on Instagram and is popular for its out-of-the-box makeup looks. The creator has a liking for bright, vibrant colours, which are often seen in his posts too.
4. Shantanu Dhope: Followed by 36.2K people, Dhope’s Instagram bio read “brown boys wear makeup too.” He is focused on creating makeup and art content and is known for the glitz and glam he brings to his looks. Dhope’s videos are often very aesthetic and pleasing to watch even for someone not looking for makeup ideas.
While these influencers are clear advocates for men's beauty, there is also a need to acknowledge the coincidental popularity of men’s grooming products. Influencer marketing is often used by internet companies to attract millennials and so it might not be a stretch to say that lot of these influencer posts are motivated by brands’ marketing budgets.
