The Men Behind the Brands

Did you know that there was an International Men’s Day? Well, there is. And, no it’s not ‘every day’ for those heckling at the back.

Being a company run by women, we are naturally aware of International Women’s Day; especially as it falls on our lovely co-founder and nurse, Jane’s, birthday in March.

With Father’s Day quickly approaching, we wondered if there was a day to celebrate all the wonderful men in our lives without them having to be someone’s dad… and there it is, International Men’s Day, found nestled between Bon Fire Night and Christmas on the 19th November.

We decided that November seems ages away and we simply can’t wait another six months to cheer on a few men who have been doing some great things in our industry, so get ready to give them a great big metaphorical woop!

Daniel Gray
Founder of War Paint. For Men.

This UK makeup brand is trying to break the stigma that makeup is only for women and want to make men feel comfortable about wearing it too. They want to give men a choice.

Daniel was inspired to create a brand that normalises boys and men wanting to look and feel confident wearing makeup after he was bullied in school because of the way he looked. Sadly, this cruel behaviour led to a body dysmorphia.

During his teenage years, like many young men, Daniel suffered from spots so decided to borrow his sister’s concealer and it “changed my life forever. I couldn’t believe the power of products and what they can do. But I couldn’t find a brand that related to me or that I felt I could shop with confidence, so I created one.”

This isn’t just about men looking pretty. This is about men covering up blemishes and marks on their skin so that they can feel good about themselves.

We love how Daniel’s marketing his brand, he doesn’t over complicate how to use his products; us women have been exposed to makeup terms since we were pre-teens and he seems to recognise that some of what he’s taking about might be a new language to some of his target market. He speaks to them in his tutorials in a way that’s super relatable and doesn’t overwhelm any newbies:

“Even if you apply it wrong, no-one will be able to tell anyway”

I’m slightly envious I didn’t have him as a tutor when I started using makeup tbh.

Elliot Isaacs
Founder of Medik8

Another UK brand, Medik8 was founded by Isaacs after he was inspired to create this cosmeceutical brand after backpacking around the world. He put his physiology, pharmacology and biochemistry degree from Leeds uni to good use and built Medik8 up from a tiny lab in the back of his Dad’s pharmacy.

Medik8 are now in their own premises, not far away from us, in Elstree. I actually had the pleasure of meeting Elliot Isaacs a year or so after we opened the Clinic in 2013. He popped in unannounced and was perusing our display of Medik8 products; being a mega fan of the brand, I instantly knew who he was but tried to play it cool…

I believe I may have vaguely impressed him, or at least he kindly feigned it, with my knowledge that the Medik8 Hydr8 B5 was our best-selling product that year (and rightly so, it’s a far more affordable product than some leading competitors, with high quality ingredients and, well, who doesn’t need or want hydrated, plump skin?)

Since then, Medik8 have really expanded their range of products and are well imbedded in clinics and doctors’ offices across the globe. And, of course, still at Skin to Love.

Are there any male-led cosmetic or beauty brands you love? We’d love to hear about them.

Disclaimer: This blog is not to be used for diagnostic purposes. We are all unique which means that our results, recovery and suitability for any type of treatment will vary. Always seek the advice of a professional should you have any health or cosmetic concerns or to discuss treatments specifically for you.