Illustration: Luo Xuan/GT

Every evening before going to bed, my friend Daniel cleans his face, applies face toner, puts on a moisture mask, and then applies night and eye cream. He does this five-step skin routine religiously, hoping that his prayers would be heard, and he would turn into a "beautiful man."

My jaw dropped after watching him demonstrate his routine. "Come on! My mother has a seven-step routine, I only do five," he argued.

"To become a beautiful man" was a slogan on the front page of a Japanese men's magazine Popeye. Gone are the days when men are supposed to look like Sylvester Stallone. In Asia, men are increasingly buying skin care products hoping that having beautiful skin will help them stand out in the dating and job-hunting market.

Daniel told me he was inspired by a Japanese blogger who documents his transformation into a beautiful man. At first, he worried about being perceived as unmanly. He soon forgot his concerns. "Reading his blog makes me believe it is okay for men to look good," he said.

Last month, when Daniel traveled to Tokyo, he had his first experience at a men-only beauty salon. With a cool $120, he had his body hair removed, along with pore-cleaning, body piercing and facials.

"I felt like I was transformed," he told me.

Daniel put my hand on his arm and asked me to feel it. His skin is silky, smooth and soft; I suddenly got goose bumps. "Ugh! Are you doing it for yourself, or to attract women?" I asked. He rolled his eyes at me.

Honestly, Daniel makes me feel less feminine. I am such a lazybones that my daily routine takes only two steps: washing my face and putting on some cream. I am too lazy to have a day cream and a night cream. One cream for all, clean and clear.

How do other women feel? Japanese women find beautiful men with smooth skin sexier than manly men with money, and Japanese girls like "cute" boys.

Since 2000, men's cosmetics have become popular in Japan because many of them want to look better and younger.

Facials, body hair removal and eyebrow designing are the most popular items among men aged between 20 and 30. Besides men-only beauty salons, some hotels arrange beauty packages for their male customers, including face and body massages, and spa treatments.

Many men believe that beautiful skin should not be exclusive to women. The market for men's skin care in Asia is growing very fast. According to the Wall Street Journal, China is the biggest market for men's skin care products.

In 2014, Chinese men spent $974.8 million on skin care, followed by South Korea.

Back in Beijing, Daniel is increasingly interested in anti-aging cosmetics for men. "But you are only 25!" I said to him. "It is never too early to protect your skin," he said.

Well, what's next? Should men wear makeup as well?

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.