Young entrepreneur clears the way for male makeup

Alex Doyle

A graduate who suffered from problem skin throughout his teenage and student years is breaking the stigma surrounding male cosmetics, one pot of concealer at a time.

Twenty-three-year-old entrepreneur from Warrington, Alex Doyle, who is now living in Macclesfield, launched the skincare brand Altr for Men.

Alex came up with the idea for Altr in his fourth year studying history at Warwick University.

Like many young men, Alex struggled with acne growing up.

Although many premium cosmetic brands now market to both men and women, he struggled to find an affordable, accessible cover-up product that appealed to young males.

Alex aimed to create an easy-to-use option for students and young professionals, positioned in a humorous way to decrease any awkwardness surrounding male makeup.

Although the product is marketed as boosting confidence, his website jokingly includes a disclaimer that “the products may not guarantee sex”.

The business has been trading since March 2017 via its own website and on Amazon, which has partnered with Altr through its launchpad programme which showcases cutting-edge products from start-ups.

Two products are currently sold – a whisky-infused moisturiser and Face Fix, which acts as a concealer. Face Fix is the flagship product accounting for 80% of sales, coming in three versatile shades that complement a wide range of skin tones.

The products have been designed specifically for men, who scientifically have thicker skin than women that is less sensitive, but more prone to acne.

The concealer provides high coverage and is easy to blend, acting as the final touch when an extra dose of confidence is needed.

Face Fix has been endorsed by high-profile reality TV stars Sam Thompson, of Made in Chelsea fame, and Gaz Beadle, who starred in Geordie Shore.

Since launching, Alex has sold more than 2,500 products and is now kicking-off a festive sales push.

He recently partnered with creative agency Equator to help him spread the word about Altr as he strives to get more men embracing cosmetics when they require a confidence boost.

Alex said: “Since launching the brand we’ve had just about every kind of reaction you can imagine, particularly on social media – ‘isn’t makeup for girls?’ and ‘why is Altr only for men?’ are two common examples.

“The truth is, many guys feel uncomfortable about the prospect of buying makeup even though they know it could help them look and feel better when they need to impress.

“Men who are pretty clued up on cosmetics are likely already using luxury brands. Altr for Men is trying to reach those who feel a bit nervous about purchasing makeup never mind working out how to apply it – or those who are slyly stealing their girlfriend’s concealer when a breakout occurs. That’s why we’ve made Face Fix as simple to use as possible.

“In the future, I’m planning to grow the line beyond moisturiser and Face Fix. Another major goal is to connect with male fashion and lifestyle retailers to get the products in stores.

“And the ultimate aim is to transform the public’s perception of makeup for men so guys don’t have to feel awkward about using products like Face Fix to help them feel at the top of their game.”

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