Overview
- An Army spokesman said the questionnaire was not an official Army survey, there are no plans to change policy, and the focus remains on lethality and fighting readiness.
- The consultation asked whether grooming standards should be gender‑neutral, including allowing men to wear make‑up, grow longer hair or use extensions, paint nails, and wear earrings.
- It also proposed first‑time rules on facial aesthetics such as fillers and microblading, plus recovery periods after tattoos and piercings.
- Current rules reported in the articles ban make‑up for men and require short hair, while women may wear inconspicuous make‑up after training, with natural eyelash extensions and muted nail polish.
- Politicians and former officers, including Mark Francois and Stuart Crawford, criticised the exercise and questioned its timing, with outlets setting it against rising security concerns linked to Iran.