Beauty and the boy: How male actors are opting for makeup, and tips for you to ace the look

Male actors wear makeup too, and their makeup artists are doing a great job at making them look fab

Winged liner, glitter on eyes, ombre lips, kohl contour—search for Bollywood makeup on the Internet and you will have millions of recreation videos, tutorials, Reddit pages, and more. Girls really get to have fun with makeup. And the artists who glam up female actors are celebrities in their own right. But male actors, who attend an equal number of film promotion events, and act for ads, are rather mum about makeup artists (MUA), perpetuating the belief that men don’t wear makeup. The reality, however, is different. We spoke to makeup artists to some of the biggest male actors in the industry to give Sunday mid-day readers a peek into what makes a man even more beautiful.

'Makeup is not just limited to actors, it's for all men'

Hinal Dattani
MUA to Ayushmann Khurrana, Vijay Devarakonda, Allu Arjun, Siddhant Chaturvedi

Hinal Dattani giving a touch-up to Siddhant Chaturvedi

Hinal Dattani always wanted to be just like her sister, with a slight twist. Her sibling Heema Dattani is a celebrity makeup artist who works with stars like Sonakshi Sinha and Bhumi Pednekar. Dattani (who also runs a balloon décor company), now has been specialising in makeup for men for eight years now. “My first client in Bollywood was Sushant Singh Rajput and what a wonderful experience it was to work with him. I realised that guy beauty was, and is, underrated in our country. I feel the need to spread the message that beauty is for all and not just women,” says Dattani. Male beauty is more about the skin-work. “But sometimes, men want to enhance a particular feature as well, and that’s great. And yes, men do full face of makeup for events too,” she says.

It’s not just actors, sportsmen wear makeup too. “I love working with Virat Kohli, whom I started working with just a few days ago,” she says. The common ground between makeup for men and women is prep, she says. A lot of it.“Ice the beautiful face, moisturise it, use sunblock and primer, followed by skin work. Invest in sunblock early on, your skin deserves attention, and may all of your skin age gracefully. ‘Less is more’ is my go-to mantra while painting a face. And this is not just for actors—for all men,” she says.

‘Concealer, bronzer finish a look’

Anil Sable
MUA to Vicky Kaushal

Anil Sable with Vicky Kaushal during the shoot of Chhaava

Makeup artist Anil Sable started as a fine arts painter and worked in the art department in the film industry for the first three years of his career.
“Over time, I developed an interest in makeup. My first Bollywood project was with Vicky Kaushal in Masaan. It’s been 12 years now,” says Sable. Since the 2018 movie Sanju, he has exclusively done makeup for Kaushal. “Women’s makeup involves a full-face base, highlights, blush, eye shadow, lipstick, etc. Men’s makeup is more subtle, focusing on a natural, matte finish. It typically includes light foundation, concealer, and sometimes bronzer or setting powder,” explains Sable.

Sable seconds Dattani and says that male actors also opt for full-face makeup for major events, but for casual outings, most prefer just a bit of concealer and minimal touch-ups. “It’s a myth that male actors don’t wear makeup. The truth is, that makeup is essential for them to look flawless on camera and maintain a fresh appearance. Makeup isn’t just about enhancing beauty; it helps cover fatigue, even out skin tone, and balance the effects of studio lighting,” he says. The goal is to achieve a natural, polished look rather than an overly made-up appearance. It helps that male actors take skincare seriously and have a dedicated routine. 

“They do regular cleanups, deep cleansing treatments, hydration, and use sunscreen to help them maintain healthy and glowing skin,” he says. Many actors are knowledgeable about makeup and skincare.  Sable says Kaushal actively participates in the process, ensuring the final look is perfect. “Makeup is not just about enhancing . It’s also about boosting confidence,” Sable signs off.

An easy routine

.  Use a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturiser to even out the skin tone rather than going all cakey
.  Use a concealer to hide dark circles and blemishes and not on your entire face. 
.  Set the look with a setting powder and a light bronzer for a natural finish. Finish with lip balm and a hydrating mist to keep the skin fresh

Anil Sable

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