The multi-million dollar men's make up industry is on the rise, proving that concealing a blemish or reducing shine is no longer the provenance of women. In 2010, House of Formen launched in Canada and now has offices in New York with products manufactured in both countries.

"House of Formen is the globe’s first professional male cosmetic house. We created exquisite products specifically designed to cloak skin imperfections and enhance the male skin. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Formen’s offices have amplified into to the heart of New York City, USA."

The company is offering 20% off their best-selling products, combined as "The Kit": Invisible Blotting Powder, Brightening CC cream, Concealer for Men & Under Eye Concealer Pro Palette.

INVISIBLE BLOTTING POWDER

A 100% translucent way to eliminate the shine from your face. 

How is it used? Usually with an included sponge or applicator, or if you’re up for it – a brush.

Why should you use a male anti-shine product:
No one wants oily skin, but for some, it is a fact of life. We can wash with cleansers that eliminates it. We can moisturize to prevent it during the day. Even some make-up will prevent oil from returning for a time. Unfortunately, the oil will inevitably resurface. How can you eliminate the oil without having to work? Use an invisible blotting powder for men.

A great way to eliminate oil and the sheen it adds to our skin during the day is to use invisible blotting powder. Originally created for artists to absorb oil for TV, oil blotting has become a popular staple for many when combating excess oil on faces and the sheen it adds to the skin. And they aren’t just for women. Men want to look their best and invisible blotting powder is a convenient way to eliminate shine and the packaging allows for portability, whether in a woman’s purse or make-up bag, or hidden away in a man’s pocket.

Directions:
When using blotting powder, remember it will always be translucent. When you use the blotting powder, start with the T-zone. This area of the forehead and down the center of your face to your chin tends to be the oiliest areas of your skin. Gently brush the skin, but don’t rub. If you’re wearing make-up rubbing with the brush on your skin will remove the makeup and you will have to reapply. Work with each area for a few seconds to absorb all excess oil, then move on to the next area. Take your time so you get all of the areas of your skin. Invisible blotting powder contain no additives so they can be used as many times a day as you need without leaving behind any type of residue or messing up your make-up. Blotting powder is something men and women can use daily to prevent excess oil and the inevitable shine it produces on the skin. Using blotting papers will help you feel refreshed and clean as you use them throughout the day.

BRIGHTENING CC CREAM

Formen’s CC cream comprises of a professional formulation that acts as six different products mulled into one. It’s the jack of all trades making it the perfect product for those who want one product that can do most.

Protect
With an SPF of 20 block harmful rays from the sun.

Moisturize
Velvety smooth, this creamy moisturizer keeps skin hydrated.

Prime
Improves coverage and extends length of wear time.

Even Skin Tone
Repairs the look of uneven, red, or blotchy skin.

Brighten
Brightens the skin to appear fresh and powerful.

Mattify
Assists in reducing facial shine.

Directions:
Formen’s CC cream, is simple to use. To apply, squeeze out about a pea-sized dab of CC cream. Using either your finger or a brush, spread evenly on your face and ensure equal coverage all over your face. Often CC creams are the only product our clients use, as it is easy to apply, provides a quick fix, and provides the most value. Apply Formen’s CCBrightening CC Cream daily over your moisturizer or by itself as it hold moisturizing properties. You can wear the product alone, or combine it with any other product in our line. And there you have it! Try out Formen’s CC Cream today – it moisturizes, strengthens, tints, primes and evens your skin and skin tone. When applied, your skin tone becomes even, shine is reduced, and skin is hydrated.

CONCEALER FOR MEN

“So you want to conceal a problem but don’t know where to start”

A male concealer is a cosmetic product one uses to mask certain types of imperfections on the facial region of the face. The product is used to make the skin appear more uniform in its color. As a color corrector type of product, it hides the different skin pigments by blurring and blending the imperfection with the color of the male concealer.

The most common issues that men turn to a male concealer for are as follows:

Adult Acne
Under Eye
Dark Circles
Age Spots
Large Pores
Other skin blemishes not listed can be concealed, however other products may be required to assist. Serious skin discolorations such as birthmarks and scars would require a heavily pigmented concealer and, typically, training on how to properly mask the concern.

With some makeup for men in the market, which concealer color do you choose?

As male concealer can come in a variety of shades men tend to work best with the same, one, or two shades lighter than their skin. By choosing a lighter shade it allows the product to better hide the blemish.

But what skin color am I?

A question asked by all clients, we took the guess work out. Formen’s Male Concealer Trio has three shades build into a single product. We put the three most popular colors and combined them into an easy to use, guesswork free consumer product. Having access to three colors in mitigates the risk of purchasing the wrong color.

Directions:
After selecting the shade you wish to apply, using a finger take a very small amount of product and place directly onto the area of concern. Gently rub the product until the concern is masked. If the area is not concealed to your liking, apply more of the same shade. Additionally, if the standard shade is too light or dark, with your finger, you can apply the multiple shades to lighten or darken the area until a matched skin tone is achieved. If you physically visit a cosmetic counter any trained makeup artist can identify your skin color and make a product recommendation, however the product may not be geared towards men.

UNDER EYE CONCEALER PRO PALETTE

“So you have dark circles under your eyes but don’t know how to get rid of them”

Under eye concealer is an important tool in your makeup arsenal, for both men and women. We all want to look our best and make-up can help achieve that by hiding flaws and accentuating our best features. There are different types of concealers in varying colors that work on different problem areas. This specific product is designed to mask the male under eye bags you have.

When you have multiple issues—and most of us do—the best product to have is a trio wheel. It contains the most commonly used concealers in a convenient and portable package. The base concealer sometimes included in the trio will match your skin tone and can cover up most

imperfections. Some concealer wheels will only have corrector colors. The other colors each have a specialty, neutralizing and color correcting any flaws you may have. Understanding how each color neutralizes imperfections will help you decide which concealers your color wheel should have.

Yellow or peach concealer will neutralize blue or purple so they are ideal for concealing under-eye bags or discoloration. Apply a thin layer under eyes with your ring finger. You don’t want too much concealer here because it can settle and accentuate fine lines around your eyes. Your ring finger has the lightest touch so there will be no pulling on this delicate area. Follow up with a concealer shade slightly lighter than your natural skin tone to brighten up your eye area and give a rested look.

Lavender concealer will neutralize any yellow bruising or a sallow skin tone. Yellow bruising can occur when there is a mild injury and more typically on darker skin tones. Apply a thin layer to the area of discoloration. Follow with a thin layer of neutral concealer. For an overall sallow complexion, you may want to try a yellow-based primer.

Green concealer will neutralize redness so use it to cover red marks, blemishes due to acne or rosacea, and port wine stains. You should dab a small amount over the area and blend it at the edges. Then cover with your normal concealer to completely hide those flaws.

If you have a bump on your skin without any discoloration, you can use a concealer two shades darker than your natural skin tone to hide it.

Darker colors are generally used as a contour around the face, minimizing those areas we don’t want to see. The same principle works to conceal bumps.

Concealer can also be used to cover small tattoos. Neutralize the color with a corrector and then apply a good water-proof neutral concealer, blending well, so there are no lines or edges.

Your choice of trio wheel will be determined by the types of imperfections you wish to cover up. Remember to use just a thin layer of color correction and follow with a neutral or skin-tone concealer (lighter to brighten the area under your eyes). And be sure the tools you use, whether a brush or your finger, are clean. After your under eye concealer is set, apply your make-up or tinted moisturizer and you’re ready to go.

The Kit is currently available at www.formenmakeup.com at the price of $99 USD.

Products mentioned in article

House of Formen Invisible Blotting Powder

House of Formen Brightening CC Cream

House of Formen Concealer for Men

House of Formen Under Eye Concealer Pro Palette

Marlen Elliot Harrison

Dr. Marlen Elliot Harrison’s journalism in the fragrance industry has appeared in international print and online publications such as Playboy...(more)