Courtesy of Getty ImagesAlexandra Owens, Allure magazine
As it turns out, even Johnny Depp and Pete Wentz were behind the curve when it comes to mens' beauty. Over the past decade, South Korean men have been leading the pack straight to the makeup counter, spending $495.5 million on skincare last year alone, CBS reports. That's nearly 21 percent of global sales, making South Korea the largest market for mens' skincare in the world, despite its relatively small population. A love of moisturizer isn't something you might expect from a notoriously conservative country.
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But in 2002, when some Korean celebs became known for their dandified ads selling male cosmetics, attitudes started to change-they were dubbed kkonminam, or the "flower men" (Singer Lee Jun-ki, above, is a popular example. Think Brat Pack, but with flawless skin), and everyone wanted to be like them. Now, a made-up appearance has become "a marker of social success" according to Roald Maliangkay, head of Korean studies at Australian National University.
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I think it's refreshing to hear that some men are so comfortable with a grooming-er, beauty?-routine. But how do you ladies think you'd react if your man started wearing foundation?
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