Zealous guys

Men are spending more then ever on spas and grooming. Claire Coleman finds out out why

In the old days, men’s grooming amounted to little more than dragging a razor across your face and splashing on a bit of Old Spice. Now it can entail everything from scrubs and pre-shave balms to oils, gels, post-shave balms, and, finally, aftershave. But male grooming today is not just about products.

In the past few years, many shops and spas catering especially for men have emerged, and industry-analyst Mintel predicts the market, worth £685m in 2004, will grow to £812m in 2009.

So what’s behind the interest? A big driver, particularly for younger men, is the “Beckham factor”.  The use of high-profile sportsmen to front cosmetics campaigns means that looking after your appearance is no longer seen as a female pursuit.  A 2004 report by Datamonitor showed that European men actually spent more time per day pampering than women—an average of 3.1 hours compared to 2.5 hours.

Bob Ager, executive chairman of grooming brand WholeMan, says: “The biggest market is 20- to 30-year-olds who don’t have the inhibitions about using skincare products their parents had.”
Older men are also spending time and money on themselves. “People are increasingly aware of how they look,” says Ager.  “There are 45-year old guys who need to compete socially or commercially. They see wrinkles—and they don’t want them there.”

Not surprisingly, the women in their life play a part too.  “Our focus groups show that the influence of girlfriends and wives is strong. If she’s saying he needs a moisturiser, he’s going to buy one.”
The skincare industry has also seen a move towards pharmacy-style cosmetic products. A slew of these “cosmeceuticals” has
hit the market—products that are often developed by dermatologists and approach grooming in a more scientific way. These offerings are not overtly directed at women: their simple packaging and promise of science-based effectiveness appeals to men.

“Men want results, and products with purpose that have been formulated to fit into their routine,” explains Diana Dodson, a cosmetics and toiletries analyst at Euromonitor. “Toner means nothing, but ‘soothing post shave balm’ explains everything.”
A negative for many men is that most retailers just offer them a masculine version of a female retail environment. According to Ager, they’re missing a trick. “Our research has shown that men buy most of their products in department stores. That generally means the cosmetic hall, which isn’t appealing to the less confident consumer.  We also discovered that, while women like to shop by brand, guys want to buy by function; so all shaving products are together, all haircare together and so on.

“They want shopping for their grooming to be like shopping for DIY products; you find all the paints in one place and all the wood in another.”

But men are not restricting their grooming routines to their own bathrooms. Hair salons, gyms and even clothes stores are all extending their services. The idea appears to be that, while many men might not yet be comfortable with visiting destination spas, if add-ons appear in environments where they are comfortable, they’re likely to partake.

The Broadgate Club in the City has a Charles Worthington Salon and Spa where, post-workout, you can choose from a range of facials and massages. Similarly Richard Ward’s hair salon in Sloane Square has recently introduced a men’s grooming area, and packages for men who want more than just a short back and sides. Venture into bespoke tailor Dress2kill and, once you’ve been measured for your suit, you can slip downstairs to the grooming studio for a chest wax or a Hangover Buster facial.

For those who are happy to stride into a spa, it’s no longer a case of making do with “one size fits all” treatments. The Elemis Day Spa in Mayfair attracts a clientele that is almost 50 per cent male and, last year, introduced a facial specifically for men. Noella Gabriel, director of treatment, training and product development, explains: “Men’s skin is different to women’s. With regular shaving and more hair growth, the pores are stimulated and prone to more oil flow. I wanted to create a facial for men where they would see the difference in their complexion. It took over two years, but the result is a new generation of men’s facials: the Elemis Skin IQ Facial and the Elemis Urban Cleanse.”

For an-all male environment, there are a number of options. Ethan Hull’s Male Grooming Emporium recently opened in Blackpool, offering a range of hairdressing and grooming treatments in individual booths, with Sky Sports and coffee on tap.

In London, take your pick: there’s Mayfair’s Gentlemen’s Tonic, where packages include The Hemingway (a Bloody Mary, aromatherapy facial and massage); three branches of The Refinery, which offers everything from teeth-whitening to high-tech microdermabrasion facials; and Nickel Spa in Covent Garden, which uniquely boasts a Love Handle Wrap for shrinking those pesky podgy bits and insists “this is about maintenance and not girlie pampering”.

With this growing acceptance of the modern man’s desire to be as clean and well groomed as any female counterpart, are we going to see spa sessions replacing nights down the pub or afternoons at the football?

“Male grooming is an individual thing and not a boys’ night out,” says Ager. “I don’t see that changing.” That’ll be a no, then.

Virtually irresistible
Tethered to your computer 24/7? Well, you can still look sharp. HQhair.com and lookfantastic.com, both big hitters in online beauty, have launched HQman.com and lookmantastic.com. You’ll find virtual guides and a smorgasbord of products from Acqua di Parma and Aveda to Zirh and ZPM.

Groom service
The Haymarket Hotel, opening in February 2007 in London, will offer leisure facilities including a gym, swimming pool and treatment rooms. Just moments from the IoD on Haymarket, it’s conveniently located for a restorative post-flight massage or a rejuvenating pre-meeting facial.

Star choice
If it’s good enough for Christian Slater and Will Young, it’s fairly certain that the Elemis Time for Men skincare range isn’t going to disappoint the likes of you and me. Its latest offering is Daily Moisture Boost, £25 for 50ml, that recharges and hydrates skin while protecting it from ageing pollution. See www.elemis.com.

Give a man a treat
Champneys, owner of retreats for ladies too exhausted to lunch, has entered the digital age and is selling spa products online. It’s also selling a men’s range, called Champneys for Men (above) in Sainsbury’s. www.champneys.com.

A G’day for grooming
How could you not love a company that did its research at Beer & Beauty Nights and boasts just five multi-tasking products that don’t include nasties like parabens? If that sounds like your thing, check out Skinn, a dermatologist-created, Australian range at Harvey Nichols.