Men’s make-up brand launches debut store in London

War Paint for Men, the make-up brand for men, has opened its doors on Carnaby Street, selling foundation, tinted moisturisers, bronzers, brow gels, and concealer for male skin.

The brand was founded by Danny Gray, who achieved a £70,000 investment on the BBC show Dragons’ Den with the aim being to break the stigma of men wearing make-up and to offer men more choice when it comes to their personal care.

“When I started to buy my own make-up, I found that the cosmetics shopping experience is very tailored towards women, and that it can be alienating for men,” Danny says. “Make-up has a massive potential to help with self-confidence, and I wanted to make that opportunity accessible to men who may be struggling with their appearance or self-esteem.”

Technology features highly throughout the store to help men find the best products suited to them.

One is ‘Ask Danny’, where consumers can ask a digital Danny on a screen any question about War Paint or men’s make-up, with high-tech programming and pre-recorded responses providing the answer. Another technological feature will be ‘Designed by Me’, an innovative service that creates bespoke foundation or tinted moisturiser made precisely for your skin tone in store.

Danny is also a strong supporter of men’s mental health issues, as he developed body dysmorphia as a teenager. “I found that applying some of my sister’s make-up helped with my confidence and it was a huge game changer for me. I realised that society accepts how things like a good haircut, a nice cologne, or a new shirt, can improve a man’s personal outlook – but wearing make-up is still stigmatised.”

He continues, “With War Paint we don’t want to just focus on selling make-up, we want to raise awareness about mental health and break stereotypes. To do this we have ongoing partnerships with Norwich City FC and Wigan Warriors Rugby League team to continue those conversations and normalise these issues, on and off the field.”

War Paint is also home to a barber salon upstairs, run by The Lions Barber Collective, who are trained in mental health support to help prevent male suicide. In addition, a mental health department will launch later this year.

War Paint cosmetics are now sold in more than 80 countries, and Danny couldn’t be more proud.

“I’m so excited to be opening War Paint. For me it was so important that this wasn’t just about opening a shop to sell products, it was about creating somewhere for people to have an experience. I wanted to create a relaxed, inviting place to help men feel comfortable to have a conversation and learn more about make-up, get a haircut or even talk about mental health.

Everything we’re trying to do as a brand is about normalising men using products and tools to help them feel more confident, and our store is here to do just that.”

Shop all War Paint products here

Follow War Paint for Men on Instagram here and on Facebook here