Although it seems like more men than ever are sticking to a skincare routine, men who care for their skin are barely the majority, new research reveals. Only 56 percent of men under 35 have a set of products they use every single day. That number jumps for those 51 and older (70 percent), a spike attributed to their collective desire to look younger, global research agency Ispos reports.
Even fewer men try out cosmetic alterations like nail polish or apply makeup, but a man’s willingness to wear concealer or eyeshadow largely depends on their age — “73 percent of males 51+ said they would not consider using any cosmetics versus only 37 percent of males 18–34,” Ispos’s report reads. For those who said they would try cosmetics, both those 18-34 years old and 51 and older said they’d rather buy these products from a “traditional men’s brand” and not a long-standing women’s brand branching out.
That makes brands like Mattias, a 2022 GP100 winner, incredibly important. The brand is clearly pointed toward men and makes just two products: the Mattias Cover, an easy-to-use concealer stick infused with Vitamin E, and the Mattias Level, a tinted moisturizer made with Vitamin B5. The former is by and large the easiest introduction to makeup a man can buy right now. It’s something I use daily, whether to cover a hive or hide a pimple. Here’s why.
Mattias Cover Men’s Concealer
What’s Good:
It’s makeup made easier.
It’s fair to assume that most men don’t wear makeup because it’s not traditionally expected of them. Others might be interested but also completely unaware of how to apply it. Mattias makes the process easy with its familiar pen-like applicator. You simply click the top button a few times, pat the impacted area with the foam tip and rub it in with your finger — lightly, of course. Plus, the packaging is so simple no one would know what it is you’re using. It’s a Vitamin E coverup stick for acne, after all.
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It blends well.
As long as you’ve picked the right shade, you shouldn’t have any trouble blending it in. The best way to do it, though, is with one finger and gently. You can almost just tap the concealer, dissipating its edges, making it less evident.
There are six available shades.
Men of color are often left out of the equation. Whether it’s in the grooming space or the ever-growing cosmetics category, products designed specifically for them are few and far between. Mattias made sure to accommodate them with an assortment of darker tones: #11, #15, #19 and #23. There surely could be more in-between, though.
What’s Bad:
My pen broke — twice.
The formula itself is award-worthy — clearly. It’s American-made with a mix of antioxidants and vitamins — E included, which helps treat redness and inflammation — and it’ll never cause acne or clog pores.
The pen it’s housed in, though, could use some improvement. Sure, it looks nice, and it’s pretty intuitive to use, but two of my pens broke the same way. (I wouldn’t have brought it up if it were an isolated incident.) The clicker cap broke leaving the internal mechanism exposed. When this happens, there isn’t much you can do. There’s likely a little bit of the formula trapped in the foam tip, so you can squeeze it or continue applying the leftover to lighter spots, but there’s no way to push new formula out, leaving the rest to dry out within.
Verdict:
Make-up for men is hardly a new concept, but many of them still haven’t tried it. Mattias’s concealer stick makes for an easy introduction. Plus, it isn’t just made for aesthetic functions. While its foremost job is to cover blemishes, hot spots and pimples, the included vitamins and antioxidants can actually accelerate the healing process by reducing overall redness and limiting inflammation.
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