When a glamorous professional couple tie the knot next year it will not just be the bride who will be sporting a full face of wedding day make-up.
Not only is Alex Doyle, 27, proud to admit that he uses concealer to cover problems with his complexion, but he has also launched a make-up line for men.
And he says it is thanks to the support and understanding of his fiancée Krittika Sharma, 27, of Lambeth, London, who lent him her make-up palette to try when he felt self-conscious about having acne, that he now feels happy to be open about covering his blemishes.
Alex, of Clapham, south west London, said: “Krittika really helped me with my confidence and, ironically, using make-up cleared up my skin a bit, as I wasn’t so stressed.”
When Krittika first met Alex six years ago at Warwick University, where they were both studying history, she paid little heed to his skin issues.
But it quickly became clear that Alex was very self-conscious about the acne that had plagued him for years.
So, inspired by her mum being a professional make-up artist, within two months of dating, Krittika had an idea.
She said: “I suggested Alex try some make-up to cover his blemishes. I’m Indian, so my tone wasn’t quite right, but we tried a palette that I had with various skin tones.”
She added: “We then went online and bought a few products just for him. I supervised a bit, showed him how to use a blender, but Alex did most of it himself.
“Those first few tries were hit and miss. We’d be out and I’d have to start scrubbing at his face where he’d not blended quite right. But he got better fast.
“I know there’s a stigma around men wearing make-up but that seems a bit arbitrary to me.
“With my mum doing the job she does, I know that behind the scenes of films and music videos all the men are wearing concealer and tonnes of powder. It’s common in the showbiz world.”
Krittika, who wears make-up nearly every day, has long been a fan. She fondly recalls visiting beauty counters in departments stores with her mum as a child and watching YouTube videos to perfect the latest looks.
But, despite her own passion for make-up, when she first met Alex, she did not realise how self-conscious he was about his skin.
She said: “To me, he’s always looked great.
“But, as time went on, I realised more and more how much his issues around eczema and acne were impacting his confidence. Men just don’t typically think of using make-up.”
After going online and buying a few items, she was delighted to see Alex’s confidence increase as he, too, began wearing make-up products like concealer daily.
The issue then became more about the type of products Alex was using.
Krittika said: “As most of the bits we bought were for women, the coverage was quite heavy and thick. That wasn’t what Alex needed.
“Talking about anyone’s skin condition is quite a private thing.
“It wasn’t anything we tried to hide from the people in our lives, but Alex didn’t want heavy coverage. He wanted something natural.”
Alex quickly became an advocate for men wearing make-up and, within months he began researching how he could develop his own natural male make-up .
And he is now the boss of a successful make-up line, Altr London.
Now looking forward to their wedding next year, after they were engaged last July, Krittika says she could not be prouder to be marrying a man who will be wearing a full face of concealer on the big day.
She said: “I’m so proud of how Alex has handled everything. Starting a business straight out of uni isn’t easy. I’m excited to see where it goes.”
And, while Alex may be getting through just as many blenders as she is, she added: “It’s always me who takes the longest to get ready.
“Alex doesn’t have to spend a long time in front of the mirror. He wears his own range and it’s just a quick on and go.
“Although they’re formulated for men, I’ve tried a few of his products too. One of my favourite is the moisturiser, but I’ve had my hands on his concealer a few times too.”
Meanwhile, Alex will always be grateful to Krittika for her support and giving him the confidence first to address his skin problem and secondly to launch a business, meaning other men with problem complexions could buy products to suit them.
The cruel thing about acne is that the more stressed you get, the worse it gets.
He said: “I was about 15 when my skin started getting really bad.
“Up until that point I thought I’d got away without getting those typical teenage spots.
“I went to the doctor a few times, was put on different medications, but nothing seemed to help.
“The cruel thing about acne is that the more stressed you get, the worse it gets.”
“That, on top of the eczema I’ve had on my arms and legs my whole life, really started to impact my confidence.
“I was so conscious of my skin. It was really damaging to my self-confidence.”
Surprisingly Krittika was not the first woman in Alex’s life to suggest a bit of slap to help with his issues.
When he was 19, a year before he met Krittika, his mum offered him some of her concealer.
I used Mum’s make-up once or twice to cover up spots, but didn’t want to go out wearing it and have people taking the mickey
Alex said: “I used Mum’s make-up once or twice to cover up spots, but didn’t want to go out wearing it and have people taking the mickey.”
It was only Krittika’s non-judgmental love and support that saw Alex really take to make-up.
And, explaining the decision to launch his own make-up line, he said: “I wanted a lightweight solution that would cover spots, but wasn’t overbearing. I looked around and couldn’t find what I was looking for.
“That’s when I decided this was something I wanted to do.”
Alex launched Altr London make-up for men in May 2017 and now has a range of eight core products, ranging from his launch product Face Fix, a men’s concealer, to a beard and brow filler that covers greys and helps fill in patchy beard areas and eyebrows.
While the company has faced some trolling online, Alex said: “We don’t have time for homophobic comments.
“Men have a right to feel good about themselves just like anyone else.”
