Are You Man Enough To Manicure?

Men’s fashion has become a huge part of the retail sector in recent years, with men matching, and in some places overtaking, women as the biggest retail consumers. The need for men to look ‘well-kept’ has slowly become more and more acceptable and the term ‘metrosexual’ is often used to describe a man who takes a lot of time over his appearance.

According to an article from the Daily Mail, men take longer to get ready than women. It stated that men spend 83 minutes of the day shaving, showering and prepping their skin compare to women who spent 79 minutes on their hair, clothing and make up. As you can see, the days when men would consider anything more than a shower a day are long gone.

Metrosexual is not a new concept but the boom in male grooming in the UK is thought to be down to or heavily influenced by David Beckham.

Not only are men buying more beauty products, they are also entering into grooming activities such as getting manicures, having their eyebrows (and other body parts) waxed and applying fake tan. Anti-hair loss products, which were traditionally targeting men in older age groups,are now also becoming increasingly popular among younger men, as baldness can start in their 20s. Men have officially entered into the same anti-aging race that women have been running for quite some time now.

Considering the current job market, it’s very sensible for image conscious men to be mindful of their appearance. A study by the London Guildhall University revealed that well groomed, good looking men earned up to 15% more than their less good looking colleagues.

Men’s grooming salons are becoming incredibly lucrative, with successful brands like ‘The Refinery’ being staple places for men to go. On the other hand,1 in 5 women now say that their partner is high maintenance, and male grooming costs are now edging towards matching what women spend on looking good.

So what’s behind the transformation from cave man to sexy sophisticated gent?

One of the reason may be that men and women are increasingly choosing to be single. Fewer people are staying with the same partner for life, so it makes sense that it is becoming more important to keep your looks and remain appealing to a potential new mate.

So it’s out with the macho and in with the metro – and why not? Excluding men from the exciting world of fashion, and from the pleasures of looking good and taking care of oneself, just doesn’t make sense. If we are ever going to really strive for equality between the sexes, this is how it has to start.

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