It could be easy to see the ongoing rise of masculine wellness products as a passing phase of the 2000s revival we’ve been in for years. After all, 20 years ago, the zeitgeist experienced something of a gender panic when a wide enough range of men started taking better care of their skin and hair.

While, in many ways, that moment evolved more than it disappeared, the current wave of masculine beauty and wellness feels more enlightened and hopefully sustainable. The unfortunately-labeled “metrosexual” moment of the early 21st century might’ve felt reasonably queer, but there was an undeniable shame to it, and it tended towards a more cis, white angle. Recent beauty trends have leaned more in the direction of inclusivity, free sexual expression, and a hard pivot away from immediately gendered language and imagery.

At the same time, the stylish look of companies like Darkroom Cosmetics does feel decidedly masculine, but not in a way that would turn off any potential patrons in the more androgynous realm of the gender spectrum. The brand’s copy avoids verbs and pronouns that could be read as male, but there’s also a strong sense of welcoming the masculine or masculine-adjacent into what can be an intimidating vertical.