‘Make-up for men is no big deal’: a former male model on why it’s time to take up the bronzer

“I read some stats recently saying that some men only shower every three days – I couldn’t believe it!,” says Andrew Cooper, male model-turned-grooming-entrepreneur, in shock at this frankly sorry state of armpit affairs. It’s certainly true that standards have slipped during the series of lockdowns; with nowhere to go and nothing to do, sales of razors and deodorants declined as people stopped prioritising basic personal hygiene. When the big event of the week is the Friday big shop, you’re less likely to worry about your musk. Luckily, with our gradual re-emergence back into the world, Cooper, 40, is set to lend a helping hand with his new brand, The Fellowship.

“As a model, I spent 22 years sitting in a chair backstage at fashion shows or on shoots being groomed, so I got to know a few things about taking care of my skin along the way,” he says of his risky decision to launch a business in the midst of lockdown. “I worked with all the top makeup artists, such as Charlotte Tilbury and Pat McGrath, and I was always watching what they did.”

Cooper, who set up The Fellowship alongside business partner Duncan Morris, shot to fame via a Diet Coke advert in 2013 where in time honoured Diet Coke tradition he peeled off his sweat-drenched T-shirt to an appreciative onlooking audience. From there, he went on to model for Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss. But it was in the grooming arena that Cooper spotted a gap in the market.

“I think the area of men’s grooming has accelerated to an extraordinary degree, and we wanted to offer something truly natural. We work with an apothecary in Somerset and they are masters at mixing different organic ingredients to create something new,” says Cooper. Certainly, the branding is pleasingly minimalist and clean – which makes it stand apart from the usual shouty, testosterone-pumped labels on the market, which feel the need to disguise a men’s moisturiser as a macho boy’s toy.

Cooper noticed the gradual shift in attitudes of his own friends, many of whom, even as fathers in their 30s, had begun experimenting with makeup. “Men are definitely curious about it – I talked to a mate the other day who used a bit of bronzer to make himself look peppier. I even have a friend who is a youth football manager. He went out on a big night and the next day applied some under eye makeup to disguise it – he didn’t do a great job!,” he laughs.

Clearly, some men are more adept than others at dipping their toe in the water of makeup, or rather their index finger into the concealer. “I guess it’s about bridging that educational space,” says the entrepreneur, diplomatically. “But men need to realise that applying makeup is really no big deal.” Currently, The Fellowship doesn’t offer makeup for men – although the likes of Tom Ford, Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier have ranges for him that include concealer, nail polish and eyebrow tinters. Instead, it focuses on the nuts and bolts of a man’s grooming routine, including moisturiser, cleansers and shampoos.

As a male model, Cooper’s well aware of people’s Zoolander-ish perceptions of the career, but it was nothing but a positive experience for him. “I’m relatively lucky. It’s a brutal industry in many ways, but I made my money, travelled the world and met some phenomenal people. There are negative sides of course,” he says warily. The male modelling world has seen a rising backlash of #MeToo allegations and outrage that inappropriate behaviour is deemed acceptable towards male models when it isn’t to their female counterparts. Is that something he had to grapple with?

“Experiences definitely happened, but I like to think that I was able to help others in my line of work because of it. I’ve talked to and educated younger guys and girls on what is and isn’t acceptable. There’s no governing body to protect models, and that’s something that really has to change.”

For now, however, Cooper’s got his sights set firmly on your bathroom cabinet. Are there any rules to abide by, particularly if you’re emerging from lockdown like Stig of the Dump? “Cleanse and moisturise – those are the two most important things. Get the basics right and build on from there,” he says. Whether you graduate on to foundation and guyliner is entirely up to you.

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