With a sweep of foundation and a dusting of blush, content creator Kenn Daydayan shares the day’s look with his 240,000 TikTok followers, breaking gender stereotypes around makeup and skin care that have held men back from taking care of themselves.
Dayandayan, known by his social handle kennnnito, shares makeup routines and tips for men on TikTok, averaging thousands of views with his most popular ones raking in millions. His walkthroughs, like this one featuring night party makeup for men, are set against the platform’s trending tunes.
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@kennnnito I’m not really going out. But will def do this when I go to party ???? #mensmakeup #fyp ? Every Summertime - NIKI
In a world that still considers makeup and self-care traditionally feminine, Dayandayan says otherwise.
It's a woman's world
The global makeup industry is estimated to cost $85 billion by 2024 and largely caters to women who were conditioned through media and society to embrace the art of painting over skin.
Makeup immersion is different for every woman, but the majority have put it on for at least formal events or photographs, with many having their own stash. The skincare boom in 2016 also encouraged girls to try on a mask pack for the first time, paving the way for morning and night regimens.
It’s normal for girls to paint their faces and take care of their skin, but it’s a different story for men. Even guys using cleanser or moisturizer built specifically for their skin type would raise unkept eyebrows.
Thousands of female influencers have a routine to inspire other girls, but Filipino men putting on toner and serum after a thorough makeup removal is rare. Dayandayan himself hid his TikTok tutorials from family, but they ended up being supportive. Critics still voice their dissent but “I honestly don’t mind them,” he said.
@kennnnito Hid them on the first few weeks that I have been uploading here perooo gulat ako at how supportive they were when they found out ik how to makeup haha
? original sound - kooze
“It took me months to realize that people will always have something to say so since then I didn’t care much about the criticisms. I’ve learned to look at the bigger picture and have been handling myself well, especially with wearing makeup in public,” he told reportr.
The 22-year-old student has battled external judgment, but he also had to conquer self-inhibiting tendencies.
“All my life I’ve been blaming society for how I’ve always been scared to buy that lip balm or sunscreen. However, ever since I got the courage, I’ve realized, it’s more of a personal level,” he said.
You just have to know how
Looking good and feeling good is universal, no matter how you identify as. Makeup, skincare, and even hair care may be skin-deep, but the seemingly superficial changes can do wonders for health, self-esteem, and confidence.
“Imagine how good you’d look or how better you’d become if you take that ‘ick’ and start taking care of yourself,” he said.
Though Dayandayan is most known for his daily makeup looks or more glammed up night routines, he also stresses the importance of skincare, and generally self-care, through his TikToks. Putting your best face forward might seem like a task done for others, but it’s really all about the self.
“You have to be so intentional with what you need and just get over the fear and really start washing that face with a cleanser you like,” he said.
Unlike women, men aren’t taken aside and taught how to use lash curlers and lipsticks. Very few boys are sat down in front of a tukador to watch their hair get curled or gelled, and most boys grow up and live life never having known that the soap they use on their bodies might not be the best one for their facial skin type.
Caring for the self in this way almost feels wrong for boys. Judgment and notions of traditional masculinity are partly to blame for why men and society are so averse to makeup and self-care, but for those with no prejudice, it’s mostly the lack of knowledge. Men, and everyone really, can wear makeup, they just have to know how.
Gen Z is leading the way for inclusion and self-love in this century, and while strides are being made every day, Dayandayan knows change won’t happen overnight. It’s a slow build, and his videos are part of getting society, and men, to shift their perspectives.
“Society’s stigma about men using cosmetics is [hard] to eradicate, but little by little we can pave [the] way for men to be comfortable in reaching out for that bottle of foundation at a department store,” he said.
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An inclusive future
Technology and research in makeup has brought upon a wide color range and diverse selection for people to accommodate different skin tones and types. Still, nothing hits quite like seeing someone that resembles you on an advertisement or promotional material.
“Have more male representation in the makeup industry. Now that more men are starting to feel themselves, I feel like the cosmetics industry should be more inclusive and accessible,” he said.
For now, Dayandayan will keep doing what he does and let his videos take a life of their own, hopefully reaching more men and people in need of encouragement and tips. Nothing is uncharted territory for Dayandayan—sunscreen, contouring, hairstyling, and even oil cleansers are discussed. All his product recommendations are compiled into one Instagram reel.
Content creation aside, his goal right now is “to start partnering with more brands, locally and internationally,” he said.
“Maybe expand my audience more to reach out to a [bigger] male population and hopefully be remarkable in this field. The learning will never stop,” he said.
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