We have all seen them-on the streets, in offices and clubs. They are the metrosexuals. Fashionably dressed with not a hair out of place, this breed of the male species spends an inordinate amount of time grooming. Ever since the term was coined in 1990’s by Mark Simpson in his article ‘Here come the Mirror Men’ one has seen a definite shift in the way men perceive personal grooming. Now with cosmetic brands coming up with an entire range of moisturises, face wash, acne creams, bleaching creams, under- eye creams and even make up catering specifically to men gone are the days when men would raid their girlfriends or wives beauty products.
It has been established in recent years that men like women are finding themselves opting for several cosmetic procedures to enhance their looks. “These days, we have observed that 40 per cent of our customers are men. This is a significant rise in what we have seen from the past few years. We witness more men coming during the wedding season, especially around New Year’s and festivals,” says Sharada, manager of Bubbles Salon. With well-known celebrities endorsing men’s beauty products like fairness creams and facewash, men are no longer raising any eyebrows when it comes to using beauty products.
“The trend is that a lot of beauty products related to face care and hair care are being designed for men. We see popular celebrities like Shahrukh Khan, John Abraham and Virat Kohli endorsing products like fairness cream and face wash. Men are spending more amount of time and money on the way they look,” says Dr Raj Kirit, dermatologist and cosmetologist in the city who points out that increasing hair loss among young men is also one of the reasons they opt for cosmetic treatment.
“Hair loss is very common in the younger generation due to lifestyle changes or hereditary factors. For a lot of young men, baldness starts from the age of 16. We undertake platelet rich plasma and transplantation of hair. Before marriage is when men seem to invest in this,” Kirit points out. It has to be admitted that more and more brands and cosmetic procedures are targeting the male population as potential customers.
“We also perform acne and and removal of acne scars procedures. A lot of men squeeze out the acne, thinking it is a manly thing to do, but they end up having pigmentation. Also, men spend a lot more time outdoors when compared to women, so they get more tanned as well. A lot of young men opt for pigmentation treatment to address this issue,” he adds. With women expecting their partners to look good, peer pressure and the media’s influence, men are turning towards these treatments to boost their confidence levels which they wouldn’t have done earlier on.
“Five years ago, men were very reckless about their looks. But these days, people want better skin, better complexion and they want to look good. I see a lot of men opting for facial procedures before an interview or before getting married.”
Apart from visiting the doctors and cosmetologists, men also spend time at salons and parlours for things other than haircuts. “A lot of men here do facials, pedicures and manicures. Earlier we used to associate manicures only with females as they have long nails and like to take care of them. But these days, even men are opting for manicures. Mostly we have observed that men are conscious about their tan and opt for de-tan procedures,” says Santosh Kumar, manager, Paris De Salon.
Admitting that this is more of a recent trend, he adds, “When we started the salon, men used to come for a regular haircut only and it was women who would spend more time grooming and prepping. But now even men are undertaking beauty treatments to take care of their looks. Lots of men opt for hair colouring and light make up as well. This being the Christmas and New year period, men come for a light touch up to look good for their parties.”
And with New Year just around the corner, men are making sure they leave no stone unturned in looking for D-Day. With resources to spend on such kind of treatments, men no longer think that undertaking beauty treatments makes them less masculine. Many see it as a mark of status of being able to afford an expensive haircut. “I make sure to visit the salon atleast once a month, not just for a haircut but also for facials, hair colouring and so on. I personally feel it’s very important to look presentable and when you have the resources, then why not. All it takes is an hour or two in a month and I don’t mind doing that,” says a 22-year-old software engineer on the condition of anonymity. While most men agree that there is no need to be over-conscious about their looks, a majority believe that it is important to take basic care of themselves. “I think basic grooming is a must for men. I make sure I go for regular haircuts and pedicures. It is important to look neat and fresh.,” says DJ Kan, who is set to perform in Goa for New Year’s eve.