Men are finally discovering the benefits of grooming.
The days of men complaining that women take too long to get ready are passé. Recent reports by the market analysts Datamonitor about the male grooming market in the UK show that the average man spends 3.1 hours a week on grooming as opposed to women who spend 2.5 hours. And with visits to men's grooming salons and spas increasing by 28 per cent every year it seems that men are finally discovering the benefits of looking good.
And this trend is not limited to the West, as male grooming products account for up to 20 per cent of the more than $100 million in revenue from grooming products in Singapore.
In the Middle East, the beauty sector is experiencing an unprecedented growth in sales, with men beginning to buy cosmetics and related products in the UAE and Gulf countries.
The cosmetics and personal care market in the UAE was worth more than $414 million in 2005, an increase from $382 million in 2002, according to a recent consumer survey.
During the Wellness and Spas exhibition held in Dubai earlier this year, figures pertaining to beauty, grooming and other personal care products indicated a growth of 12 per cent annually to reach a value of $2.1 billion in 2006.
"Male grooming is not a new trend; most Middle Eastern salons offer a variety of grooming treatments for men. Arabs are leading the way when it comes to the art of grooming which includes shaving, haircuts, manicure, pedicure and massages. Following in the footsteps of women, there are a number of spas for men opening in the UAE," says Susan M. Amin, Exhibition Manager, Messe Frankfurt GmbH, the company that organises the Wellness and Spas Middle East exhibition in Dubai.
The number of spas in Dubai is expected to go up drastically as the emirate is promoting itself heavily as a holiday destination and aims to increase the number of tourists and business visitors to 15 million by 2010. To cope with this demand, luxury hotels are being built and appointed with spa complexes. Forecasts say that the number of establishments offering spa services will increase by 17 per cent every year and, by 2015, Dubai might be among the top spa destinations.
Ellen Kang, General Manager, Feet First, says that foot massages, manicures and pedicures are popular services for men at the Feet First for Men spa. "I have noticed an increase in our male customers over the past few years. Our acupressure facial is also gaining faithful followers apart from other services such as foot reflexology, deep tissue massage, de-stress massage, manicures and pedicures," says Kang.
The Jean Paul Salon at Le Meridien offers services such as facials, pedicures, manicures, hair colouring, highlights and haircuts for men. "Men go for the same treatments as a woman would. Some men have also begun to regularly thread their eyebrows," says Charles of Jean Paul.
H2O, The Male Spa at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, features four multi-purpose treatment rooms as well a relaxation area and a flotation pool, apart from a wide variety of massage and body treatments. Facial treatments include the H2O oxygen facelift and gentlemen's deep cleansing facial. In addition treatments such as de-stress hand and foot therapy, foot reflexology, waxing and tanning are also available.
"All over the world there is a new generation of body- and health-conscious men. H2O The Male Spa caters not only to men in general but also to businessmen and frequent travellers," says Doris Greif, General Manager, Jumeirah Emirates Towers. H2O is open to hotel guests along with office tower tenants, health club members and Sirius Gold cardholders.
Wafi City's Pharaohs' Club and The Male Spa at Cleopatra's are known for deep tissue massage and detox wrap for men. "To ensure you're well-groomed we offer everything from manicure to shave and facial," says Alex Hurt, Spa Manager, Cleopatra's Male and Female Spa.
Inspired by the recent concert by Sean Paul in Dubai, a number of men visited Expressions Men's Salon to get their hair braided. "It is a popular look as a majority of young men want to look like the Jamaican star," says Asha of Expressions Gents Salong in Bur Dubai.
