Tom Ford Explains Why Men Should Wear Makeup

Because woman shouldn't be the only ones looking good!

When we first heard Tom Ford would be launching a line of men’s grooming products, we thought it made a lot of sense. Ford’s name is practically synonymous with an immaculate, refined-yet-strong aesthetic, admired by men and women alike.

He always looks amazing, but still masculine, which is probably how a lot of guys want to look, and apparently it’s all due to his grooming routine–which does include makeup.

John Demsey, group president of the Estée Lauder Cos., told WWD the line is “aimed at enabling men to present their best selves…and the man, who’s shopping this category in this distribution feels very comfortable having this discussion. This is a serious, high-ticket men’s grooming line with a couple of products with cosmetics benefits to be used in a very masculine way.” Basically, it’s Tom Ford’s prescription for how to look like Tom Ford.

“Most people say to me, ‘Wow, you have great skin.’ I pay attention to my skin. I use skin-care and grooming products,” Ford told the trade.

For one, Ford is never seen without bronzer: “People think I am always tan, but I wear bronzer every single day. I use it on areas of my face that would usually get hit by the sun after a morning playing tennis. I put it across the high part of my forehead, and on my nose and cheekbones.”

Or concealer: “I know so many guys — gay, straight, whatever — who steal a woman’s concealer and dab a little on their fingers when no one is looking,” he said. “It just makes skin look better.”

And if you’re a guy who doesn’t wear makeup, here’s how to figure out if you should: “Get a magnifying mirror and look at your face. Do you have broken capillaries? Pale or sallow skin? Dry skin?” Then fix it.

Seriously. When he sees men with broken capillaries or chapped lips, he thinks, “Ugh! Who would want to kiss those lips?”

We also love the way he describes the mud mask: “It just sounds gross, but it’s not — and it pulls impurities out of the face.”

The line is expensive, but not as outrageous as you might expect, ranging in price from $25 for a lipstick to $150 for the Skin Revitalizing Concentrate. Most items are around $40-$60. They are planning separate men’s and women’s counters, which makes sense–many men are likely deterred by women’s makeup counters.

Industry sources estimated that the collection, which will be available this fall in about 50 stores worldwide in key fashion cities, could do as much as $2.5 million in its first year–and that his entire beauty and grooming empire including women’s and fragrance could do $275 million by the end of the fiscal year, and that in five years that number could rise to $500 million.

Those numbers will probably look pretty good to potential investors at a pretty important time. WWD reported yesterday that a key investor in the brand–Portuguese cork company Américo Amorim Group–may be selling its 25% stake–at a time when interest from investors in luxury brands is at a high. via-fashionista.com