Just for men
When it comes to the beauty sector, much of the focus is directed towards women; a quick scan across supermarket shelves will demonstrate that the number of beauty products for women far outnumber those for men. A look at spas and salons yields similar findings – with those facilities catering to women easily outweighing those dedicated to male clientele. However, recent years have seen an increasing demand not only for male beauty products but also for treatments for men. “I think male grooming and treatments will always have a lower profile than women’s and this is reflected globally. The male market is, however, a significant growth area and I think this is demonstrated very well in our own (the GCC) market,” says Joan Nguyo, account manager at Spa Resources International. Peymon Sharifi, general manager of Jazz Lounge Spa, concurs with Nguyo’s assessment of the market and suggests that the increasing number of malefocused beauty products, together with a greater awareness of health and wellbeing among men, is helping to drive growth in the sector. “Men in general used to have less association with beauty treatments and grooming. Some of them didn’t know the benefits of these treatments and how vital they are.
I think the other factors are time and money. Men are not used to spending as much time and money as ladies do on themselves! But I think all of these attitudes and behaviours are changing,” Sharifi adds. This change in attitude has brought with it a growing acceptance of male treatments. Grooming is now seen "as part of a weekly routine not as a luxury,” says Nguyo. Amra Dresevic, brand manager for 1847, also points to a regional trend for grooming. “Generally, Arabic males are very well groomed, from their perfectly shaved facial hair to their immaculate nails and this is also true of our international clientele. Since 1847 launched, back in 2005, our retail and service offerings have greatly increased to meet the demands of the market. For example, we have included colouring services for facial hair and hair and scalp treatments, as well as the more traditional barber shop services.” Parallel to the increasing breadth of grooming services, male clients are also showing a growing interest in treatments like massage and facials. “A male client will always look for a good massage – it’s the basic requirement for a successful male spa. Once they are happy with the massage and therapist, they will be more open to exploring the other treatments available to them,” says Nguyo. So what are the essential components of a successful male grooming establishment?
The right products
Understandably there are differences between male and female requirements for skin, body and hair care and these must be taken into consideration for any products that you use. “Men’s skin has smaller sebaceous glands. Since the absorption of active ingredients is primarily through these glands, men’s skincare must be adapted to this physiology,” notes Nguyo, adding: “When looking for male products, look for those that have been specifically formulated and designed for men’s skin. The ingredients should be those suitable for calming blemishes and minor shaving nicks, while actively reducing skin sensitivity or shaving burn and restoring vital nutrients lost during shaving.” Charlene Florian, chief creative officer, Kerstin Florian International also advocates male products that combat the harsh effects of shaving and says its approach to creating a male collection has resulted in “formulations that are light in texture and rich in antioxidants such as raspberry stem cells, peptides and pomegranate extract as well as vitamins to hydrate, nourish and calm razor burn and sensitivity.” When it comes to hair, Dresevic advises that products must again be selected to tackle problems that are of key importance to men, such as hair loss. “Our haircare products include shampoos and conditioners from the likes of Philip B. and Kérastase Homme, that use high performance ingredients to tackle male specific issues such as hair loss but also have an appealing and masculine fragrance with notes of peppermint, Russian amber, oud and avocado to name a few,” she explains.
Treating clients
Treatment practises and techniques may also require a different approach for male and female clients. For treatments such as massage, while the technique itself doesn’t differ, all our industry insiders say male clients require stronger pressure. “Men have higher levels of testosterone than women and they tend to have greater muscle mass, thus they would require a deep, firm pressure massage,” explains Nguyo. Sharifi also suggests that when it comes to choosing oils men are generally more relaxed. “Men are not that picky about the smell of the oil, while women are more sensitive to this.” For facials, it’s key to understand the differences between male and female skin in order to create an effective treatment. Alongside the impact of regular shaving, male skin also tends to be thicker and has more collagen and elsatin. With age, however, Nguyo notes that male skin, while ageing later in life than female skin, “becomes more grooved and prominent when it starts to age.” She recommends the use of light textured products and moisturisers. Dresevic adds further insight into the biological differences between male and female skin. “Men have increased sebum production, giving a higher chance of blackheads and breakouts in comparison to their female counterparts. When treating male skin, therapists also need to consider that males tend to have larger pores and, as a generalisation, they have a stronger tendency to avoid sunscreen.” Regardng nail care, the treatment should deliver a clean, simple finish. “As a general rule, men’s nails need to be short, clean, neat and filed. Men’s nails should be kept neutral and no longer than the width of a coin. For the cuticles, women have a tendency to clip theirs whereas males generally leave their full and just push them back to neaten them,” says Dresevic. A similarly straightforward approach and finish is required when it comes to haircare says Sharifi, who explains that hair services are more of a routine process for men, while for women they tend to be more of an experience. “For most men getting a haircut is a something they have to do every month or so, but for ladies it’s totally different. For ladies it’s more than just a haircut,” he comments.
Setting the mood This is another key area of service delivery where men and women have differing requirements. Female clients generally prefer the feeling of being pampered that comes with a beauty or spa treatment and are often drawn to places that feel personal, warm or comforting. For men, the experience is a bit more clinical. Nguyo says “great service and minimal fuss” are of key importance, and adds that men tend to shy away from the concept of pampering. Dresevic also concurs with this notion, saying: “When 1847 launched there was nothing else like it in the market so one of the main hurdles was overcoming the ‘taboo’ aspect of men being ‘pampered’ or ‘beautified’. With this in mind it was very important that 1847 had a highly masculine design and atmosphere.” Similarly Sharifi promotes the creation of a clearly masculine space, one that is sleek, modern, comfortable and hygienic. “We studied the market before creating a concept for Jazz Lounge Spa and found out that one of the reasons men don’t associate themselves with a spa is the ambience and design of most spas in the region, which look too feminine to them. Hence we went the other way and created a place that is masculine, while being casual and trendy.” PB
Read this feature in the February issue of Professional Beauty magazine on page 24 page here
