From CEOs and celebs to drivers and the guy who gives you your morning coffee, men from all walks are stepping up their grooming game, daring to explore areas that might have been deemed “unsuitable” for a man a decade go. But in today’s post-metrosexual era, more and more men around the world are taking a closer look and checking out what this pampering craze is all about. And you don’t have to look very hard to find the proof.
Spas all over are figuring out new ways to get guys into the pedicure chair or to sit down to clean their skin and nails. At Truman’s Gentlemen’s Groomers on 120 East 56th Street, you’ll find guys of all types waiting for their services at a wood-paneled bar and sipping a pint of beer, glass of wine or a Grey Goose on the rocks while watching recaps of last night’s Yankees game or the CBS Evening News. Despite what you might think, the owners aren’t trying to get guys drunk enough so they can sit still for a manicure, but help them unwind and feel like a VIP for an entire exclusive experience.
Other salons have opted for a few name changes to make services appeal to guys by sounding more “masculine.” SkinCareLab at 568 Broadway in SoHo has taken this route, offering a “men’s cleanse,” otherwise known to the rest of the world as a facial, a “sports pedicure” or a skin treatment called a “back buff.” These simple changes have surprisingly made a huge impact on their male clientele, who now make up 40 percent of their business. Truman’s also took this approach, rebranding the classic manicures and pedicures to “handshake maintenance” and “foot repair,” giving guys something a little less lofty than the past women-oriented nail salons have offered.
Still on the fence about guys getting their groom on? Then it’s time for hard numbers. The International Spa Association reported last year, “men now represent almost half, 47 percent, of the spa-going population in the U.S., and are identifiable by several traits and tastes that set them apart from the average American male.” The report also found that the average male spa-goer is between 25 and 50 years old and, with a handful new spas that cater exclusively to men opening in NYC within the last year alone, the male spa demographic is not just becoming more apparent, but also sought after. So go take advantage, lest they change their minds.
Check back here every other Tuesday for more reviews and tips on how guys are NAILING IT when it comes to their grooming.
