Beauty: The Rise of Gender-Free Products

BEAUTY | March 28, 2021

Aesop products

Following the unisex wardrobe, our toiletry cabinets are up next. Numerous products can indeed be used across gender lines. Here, a rundown on "gender-free beauty," from unisex skin and hair care to make-up.

Gender stereotypes have proven stubborn, even if men have long since discovered the perks of adopting a honed cosmetic routine. Until now, however, the available choices were specifically aimed at a "masculine" clientele. But of course, there's no real reason for this limiting approach — even if men's skin is richer in collagen and elastin, making it 25% thicker, specialists have come to a solid verdict: skin-type doesn't discriminate. In other words, we can have dry, oily, combination, or sensitive skin regardless of how we identify.

The same year that Calvin Klein launched its cult unisex fragrance CK One — 1994 — Blur and their fans would croon, "Girls who are boys, who like boys to be girls, who do boys like they're girls..." but it would still take two decades for gender fluidity to hit the beauty industry. Society's current preoccupation with identity, and a heightened interest in moving away from the binary and towards greater inclusivity, has accelerated the movement.

But what does a unisex cosmetic routine imply? Naturally, we can start by purifying the skin with a citrus-scented product like Aesop's cleansing gel. If blemishes have begun to appear, reach for Malin+Goetz's salicylic spot treatment. For dry skin, Augustinus Bader's non-greasy facial oil, perfect for regeneration, is a real moment of self-care featuring the scent of hazelnuts, karanja, pomegranate, and babassu. For the body, we suggest a fresh and super-hydrating lotion with aloe vera, coconut, and olive oil — Bergamote 22 by Le Labo. Finally, because tired eyes and wrinkles spare no man (or woman!), Nars' multi-action Radiant Creamy is available in 30 different shades, meaning it's the ideal ally across the gender spectrum.