{"id":9743,"date":"2021-11-24T23:37:39","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T15:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cusp.hk\/?p=9743"},"modified":"2021-11-24T23:37:41","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T15:37:41","slug":"makeup-like-a-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/?p=9743","title":{"rendered":"Makeup Like a Man!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November Edition, 2017 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interview: \u96f7\u6069\u3001\u9ec3\u67cf\u71b9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author: \u9ec3\u67cf\u71b9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translated by Lai Hang Man <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon our arrival at Ricky Kazaf\u2019s makeup academy, the receptionist signalled to us to wait for a moment before starting the interview.
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On the big day, I was matching my go-to outfit while freshening up. As the weather gets cooler, a denim jacket is the perfect choice for the autumn breeze. What should I wear inside my jacket? It would end up being a white Breton shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Besides keeping me warm in this chilly season, this outfit is also eternally trendy. For the rest of my outfit, I chose a bright top and matched it with a pair of black jeans. I put on my burgundy Dr. Martens ankle boots, combed my hair, and finally left home.
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Sometimes, I happen to keep my friends waiting on a date. The forty-five-minute delay between \u201cI am leaving home\u201d and actually stepping out of my doorstep makes them complain after my late arrival. \u201cCan\u2019t you get changed and leave in a split second? Do you have to take so much time, just like a woman?\u201d Well, no offense taken for the comment \u201clike a woman.\u201d This may in fact illustrate others\u2019 impression of me, instead of being a derogatory phrase.
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The academy is surrounded by mirrors. This reminds me of Narcissus in Greek mythologies, the metrosexual who was deeply in love with his own reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Drifting Away From the \u201cSchmuck\u201d Hairstyle
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Sunlight shone on Ricky\u2019s face while I was interviewing him by the window. His hair was neatly combed back, naturally dyed after a few bleaches. Even the bright highlights were mostly covered by solid brown, and his eyes were gleaming while talking about his passion for makeup.
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Ricky Kazaf is a male makeup artist in Hong Kong. He has established an academy to teach men about makeup and styling. On top of that, he has a whopping 130,000 subscribers on YouTube. His series of transforming males from \u201cschmucks\u201d to photogenic guys itches his subscribers to give it a try.
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\u201cI cared about my appearance a lot in high school, and I even had long hair. But my teacher would think that my hair covered my brows (which is typically frowned upon in Hong Kong schools).\u201d Ricky recalled his memories as a student, to which many teenage boys may relate. \u201cTeachers would never know how much I cared about my looks, and self awareness was  important for my teenage growth.\u201d
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Most high school students are bound by countless confining rules on their physical appearances. One example is that boys are not allowed to grow their hair below their brows. Once they are caught, disciplinary teachers transform into Sweeney Todd in \u201cThe Demon Barber of Fleet Street.\u201d After trimming your hair in a flash, an unbreakable connection builds between you, the victim, and the D-word[1]. Ricky commented, \u201cWe are all born unique, and everyone can style themselves as presentable youngsters. Why must we go to school in the way we look when we get up? Why can\u2019t we look more confident simply by changing our hairstyles?\u201d
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\u201cI believe smart kids like you and I won\u2019t be threatened by some ridiculous school rules. To avoid the scissors, toilets are the best hide-out spaces. While fixing my hair with hair paste in front of the toilet mirror, I always think of Kimura Takuya\u2019s \u201cCan Give You Gatsby\u201d (hair gel) advertisement. Even by mirroring Kimura\u2019s gestures, I cannot escape making a d***head out of myself with only a slight error in applying hair gel. Ricky said, \u201cI think most of us have tried to use hair gel in high school, because that was highly popular among classmates. Although it was important to master the art of applying hair gel, it was surprisingly difficult to style your hair with it. We ended up following others\u2019 steps instead of learning advanced techniques.\u201d
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Pure mimicry of an action, without grasping the ideas behind, is to make an arse out of oneself. Regardless, the partly covered brows of rebellious teenagers indicate a strong intention to go against rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Makeup Maketh Man
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Ricky embarked on his makeup journey eight years ago. His mother was very supportive of this decision, and even opted to let him style her hair. However, cold responses like \u201cWhy are you learning makeup as a man?\u201d were expected from his relatives.
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\u201cMakeup is definitely not confined to girls. In fact, it serves as a hack to enhance your first impression by looking energetic and presentable. I have to clarify that makeup is not a girls-only activity.\u201d Ricky added, \u201cEveryone has his or her freedom to put on makeup. The only issue is whether you think you have the need to do so.\u201d
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Makeup enchants Ricky because it beautifies and polishes people\u2019s appearances. By drawing an analogy between the change of words from \u2018firemen\u2019 to \u2018firefighter,\u2019 makeup does not entail any sex or gender. To put it in simple terms, women\u2019s visuals are always judged in the limelight, but men are unlikely to be criticised simply because of how they look.
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As ideas on gender and sex gradually evolve in society, it is perfectly normal for males to carefully style their outfits. This extends to enhancements on their appearances and impersonation of their favourite idols.
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Besides sharing makeup techniques through YouTube or classes, Ricky holds talks at schools and various organisations for makeup newbies. \u201cI start with teenagers\u2026 as a way to contribute to society. I hope to boost confidence among youths with makeup. Confining oneself to regulations is definitely not the key to surviving in society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Touch Up of Confidence
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Will disciplinary teachers be offended by anyone like Ricky? \u201cMost teachers now tend to agree that makeup is necessary. As the saying goes, \u2018all roads lead to Rome.\u2019 If one does not perform well in academics, he can build up his confidence in other ways to gain opportunities.\u201d Ricky also gave another example, \u201cIn an episode of my makeover series, the guest was a real estate agent who looked older than his actual age. Makeup boosted his self-esteem and his customers skyrocketed. Men can be more confident with makeup, and this is definitely life changing.\u201d
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Makeup is a long process of learning and trying for people of all genders. To style different outfits for different events requires substantive knowledge and experience. Ricky claims that men\u2019s makeup styles are less complex than females\u2019. Males do not put on a hot red lipstick, eye shadow, or blush to enhance their features. Instead, the focus is on skincare, fixing brows and drawing brown eyelines. To design a perfect look, it requires coordination between makeup, hairstyle, and outfit. So, men can style their hair differently, and put more effort in choosing their everyday clothes. \u201cThe art of makeup is a wide spectrum. Even if you can\u2019t score a full mark, with only 70% of the work, transformation is already apparent.\u201d
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It is indeed not a requirement to wear makeup 24\/7. Still, with a lip balm in hand, and by mixing and matching, small steps can lead to progressive changes. If you stop by a mirror, look closely at your reflection, you may discover something new about your body! If changing your appearance brings confidence, why not give makeup a try?
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If your male friend tells you \u201cI\u2019m almost leaving home\u201d one day, do confirm whether he will take forty-five seconds or forty-five minutes. He is most likely to be pondering his outfit of the day, drawing his eyelines, putting on hair gel or using setting spray. If makeup maketh a man, I aspire to be the man who is loved tenderly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ricky Kazaf\u2019s Go-to Tips for Male College Students!
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