Today, we’re used to seeing skincare divided into products “for men” and “for women”. But it hasn’t always been this way. The history of skincare is, above all, a story of how social norms around gender have changed over time.
When skincare was for everyone
In Ancient Egypt, cosmetics and ointments were used to care for and enhance the body regardless of gender. Oils and other preparations helped keep the skin soft, while kohl was used by everyone.
In Ancient Rome, baths and beauty rituals were also part of everyday life. Different expectations, however, were already emerging: excessive attention to appearance among men could be seen as incompatible with ideals such as discipline and self-control.
When beauty became “feminine”
It was particularly between the 19th and 20th centuries that Western societies increasingly placed “men” and “women” into distinct social roles. Beauty gradually became a feminine duty, while male grooming was expected to remain almost invisible.
A man could wash, shave and take care of his beard and hair, but the result had to look functional: the care was there, it simply wasn’t supposed to look like “beauty”.
From skincare to skincare “FOR MEN”
Between the 1990s and 2000s, even the concept of the “metrosexual” became widespread, a term used to describe a heterosexual man who paid particular attention to his appearance. Men’s skincare developed into a market of its own: packaging, fragrances and claims adopted codes traditionally associated with masculinity. There was skincare, and then there was skincare “FOR MEN”.
Another issue also emerged: the Pink Tax, a term used to describe the tendency for some products marketed towards women to be priced higher than comparable products marketed towards men. Gender, then, doesn’t just influence how a product is presented and marketed — it can also affect its price.
This history reminds us that gender in skincare is a cultural and commercial construct. That doesn’t mean all skin is the same: hormones, genetics, age and environment can change its characteristics and needs. But when we develop a product, we don’t start with a person’s gender. We start with what their skin is going through.
