They’ve done it for photo-shoots. They’ve done it for the ramp. But come this winter wedding season, and Calcutta’s men will be seen with make-up for their marriage.

Pancake and threaded eyebrows are two prescriptions from the just-launched make-up package for grooms on their D-Day by beauty expert June Tomkyns.

She has been a complete ladies’ woman for 25 years, but in her silver jubilee year, she is looking at men, too, with the launch of Just 4 Him, the salon on the second floor of her Ballygunge Circular Road address. Tomkyns has plans to make every man “re-think his grooming strategy”.

“The Calcutta man is ready to slap on some pancake,” she says, taking the wedding day for starters. “We are going to announce a Rs 2,500 package for grooms. A skin-lightening facial and a haircut three days prior to the marriage date, followed by a shave, eyebrow grooming and make-up on the day of the ceremony,” says Tomkyns.

The salon will import a special range of Skeyndor products for men to add to the present arsenal of MAC and Secrets. The idea, she adds, came from brides, who kept “requesting” her to “do something” to make their partners look good on the big day. Though no groom has yet been painted at the salon yet, “a few bookings” are confirmed.

Experts may say that make-up techniques for men and women are the same. But the concept is new for Calcutta, which has seen wedding packages for men, but sans make-up. Now, with Saif and Becks as role models, it’s pancake time, guys!

Solace, a day spa at Sunny Park, has been offering a groom’s package consisting of a face treatment, massage, body scrub and wrap, steam-sauna, deep hair conditioning and a manicure-pedicure.

Carolann Hooper, manager of Solace, says: “Make-up sounds exciting and if it catches on, why not?”

But make-up artist Abhijit Chanda is not too keen on male make-up. “It always ends up looking a little cakey. Women have the support of elaborate eyes, lip colours and contouring, but just base make-up for a man runs a risk of looking too flat,” he says.

Tomkyns insists that men need make-up, especially if they have “dark circles, problematic or pigmented skin”, when a concealer and foundation “tackle the issue”.

“The idea of make-up is to bring a glow to his face,” she says.

Whether the groom uses make-up to keep up with his beautiful bride, to get some cover, or just some metrosexual kick, is another story.