A Brief History Of Guyliner

At this year's Eurovision song contest, a musical extravaganza viewed around the world, Italian rock band Måneskin brought home the title with their track "Zitti e buoni." The song is wonderful, but what really caught people's eyes was the charismatic (and incredibly good looking) lead singer Damiano David. 

David was bringing back the edgy, gender-bending look of rockers we haven't seen perform since the '70s. His visage and general persona have made such an impression on culture that Gucci recently named Måneskin the face of the Gucci Aria campaign. And what stands out most about David is just around his eyes—guyliner. If this is the start of a trend, and it very well might be, learn a bit more about where this sultry look comes from.

In ancient Egypt, dark eyeliner got its start as an essential part of the beauty regimen for men of the upper class. The kohl liner, made from ground minerals or fats, served both a practical and aesthetic purpose. The black mixture was thought to keep both insects and the sun away from the wearer's eyes. Additionally, the look signaled a certain social standing at a time when clothing and beauty practices were strictly regimented by class. 

Black and white film actors took a nod from stage actors and used makeup to exaggerate their features in a way that allowed their expressions to be better seen on fuzzy film. Charlie Chaplin rimmed his eyes with black kohl, liking the big-eyed, cartoonish look it gave him. Meanwhile, Rudolph Valentino, more of a leading man, achieved a smokey gaze with his more subtle liner.

Guyliner had its next big resurgence in the '70s and '80s as men used makeup to portray gender fluidity on stage. Big names like Mick Jagger and David Bowie were known to wear eccentric eyeliner and face paint as part of their altogether avant-garde looks. In the '80s, the trend was continued by queer icons like Boy George or anti-establishment, hardcore rockers like Mötley Crüe.

The phrase "guyliner" really took off in the early 2000s to describe the messy black eyeliner rimming the eyes of every alternative musician. The style lost its connotations with gender and sexuality and, instead, followed in the vein of earlier rock musicians who used it to highlight their outsider status. Green Day, Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy—these bands all featured members who smudged their liner in a way that suggested long nights and dark, sad souls. 

It's debatable whether we still need a term like "guyliner" anymore, though David has made an excellent case for bringing it back. These days, young people seem to have fully embraced the idea that makeup is for whoever wants to wear it. There doesn't necessarily need to be a separate word for when guys throw it on. Still, a black-lined eye on a man inevitably harkens back to a long history of rebels and provocateurs.