Male grooming: a hot topic recently, and one that got me thinking. In my last blog I mused over the natural remedies that our female ancestors swore by. The multi-purpose block of soap displaced by numerous Look-Ten-Year-Younger-Or-Your-Money-Back creams and lotions. But times have changed, pressures have increased, and these lotions and potions aren’t just for a female audience. Women “need a little TLC” now and then, a smattering of pampering from time to time. But what about men? Well, I can tell you, they certainly aren’t roughing it.
The male grooming industry has boomed over the last ten years. Long gone are the days when a quick brush of the hair and a SSS (that’s sixty second shave for those of you who don’t know) would do. The modern man is fighting for the mirror more than ever. Some of the stats are almost incredulous. Apparently, the average man’s grooming ritual lasts an astonishing 81 minutes. And according to a report by L’Oreal, one in three men spend more than £10 a week on toiletry and grooming products. L’Oreal is actually one of the leading pioneers in the male grooming, with its very popular ‘men expert’ range.
Male pampering isn’t just a domestic affair though by any means. For my birthday I enjoyed a luxurious day at Champneys Spa, and was pleasantly surprised by the number of men I encountered having a day of pampering. The truth of the matter is that we live in a society where beauty rituals and treatments are becoming more complex, more advanced, and more sophisticated. There’s so much on offer, that it’s become seemingly impossible not to use a relaxing treatment or wonder cream to aid you in your beauty regime. Why shouldn’t the men of the world enjoy these little luxuries?
What is clear is that the men of today have never had it better. There’s a whole host of treatments and products available that have been specifically tailored to meet male needs: from facials to massages, waxing to bronzing, plucking and tanning… the list goes on. And male-only grooming spas are popping up everywhere, offering many of these services. London’s G EN C O, for example, even offers a range of man-pedis. Hmm… Barry M nail polish for my dad this Christmas? Oh second thoughts, perhaps not.
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