Beauty YouTuber Patrick Starrr: ‘Makeup has no gender and shouldn’t have one’

Patrick in full face soft glam makeup

Patrick Starrr is a Filipino-American YouTuber and makeup artist who seeks to challenge the stigmas surrounding men wearing makeup. In an article with CNN style, he recounts, “Growing up, I was drawn to stories of transformation and I also loved America’s Next Top Model and films like Cinderella and The Princess Diaries, which all center on metamorphosis through beauty.”

Being the eldest of three boys with a Filipino-immigrant background, and being the oldest of all of them, I was also expected to join the family business and become a nurse.

The Youtuber and makeup guru faced a lot of challenges regarding getting comfortable with self expression through makeup and fashion. Internet bullying, homophobia and gender-based discrimination were the main issues. Over time, the dissenters have retreated; the spreading acceptance and popularity of men wearing makeup contributed to that greatly.

“There were a lot of offensive comments back in the day. When I was expressing myself, I felt dirty or like I was committing a sin. I learned quickly how to filter out negative comments. It was important to me to keep my channel as a positive space, a refuge for those who didn’t have a chance to meet their true selves,” Patrick says.

Now the attitudes in the industry have shifted towards the acceptance of male beauty through makeup. Though there is more to be done in terms of inclusivity and representation – and a diverse range of voices yet to be heard – men, and even young boys, are bringing in millions of views through makeup tutorials. They’re able to express themselves with their platforms. They’re wearing nails, glitter, makeup and rhinestones and brands are looking to partner with them.

Natural looking makeup has been a long-standing tradition for men in the television and film industries. Patrick’s career journey has helped him redefine his ideas of how make-up can look for men, in a more glamorous way – and we couldn’t be any happier about it.

 

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