Elvis scrubs up for his wedding

[johnfoyle]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/ ... 23,00.html

What men really want is a scrub and wax. And not for the car

Denis Campbell
Sunday December 21, 2003
The Observer

For years most men's needs have involved nothing more complicated than beer, football and sex. But growing numbers are now exploring body wraps, facials and seaweed masks as the formerly unfair sex finally admits its vanity and joins Britain's pampering revolution.
A new generation of image-conscious men would rather have their chests waxed than head down the pub. Ever more visitors to spas and salons are male, and spend millions of pounds a year on getting buffed, pampered and reshaped.

Some salons now hold men-only evenings to encourage customers to indulge themselves among like-minded males who will share and not snigger at their interest. Most of the numerous new spas which are opening favour sleek, modern, unisex decoration and furniture rather than the pastel colours and flowery patterns of traditional beauty salons.

'Historically, men have found spas and salons too intimidating because they have been full of women,' said Katie Light of Aromatherapy Associates, who helps new spas design their premises and services to be as male-friendly as possible. 'But now a huge number of men are having facials, manicures, pedicures and weight-loss treatments. They are no longer seen as exclusively feminine things to do.'

Men now make up about 10 per cent of the clientele of spas, but in some cities it is as much as 30 per cent. At golf-based hotels as many as half those receiving therapies are now male golfers who want to de-stress after playing 18 holes. Businessmen on work trips are spending more time and money than ever before on treatments to unwind after a hard day or improve their appearance before making a key presentation.

London now has two branches of a men-only grooming salon called The Refinery, offering everything from a haircut to mud wraps, reflexology, aromatherapy massage and revitalising eye treatments. The first opened in Mayfair in 2000 when two image-conscious City bankers, Laith Waines and Omar Fadli, realised there was nowhere where men like them could feel comfortable having treatments.

Initially it had a trickle of customers. Now it employs 15 staff and has up to 100 clients a day, most of them high-earners aged 25 to 45, including many celebrities. Peter O'Toole had a facial, massage and manicure before the last Oscars, Gabriel Byrne had his hair recoloured after a film shoot, and Elvis Costello went along four days in a row earlier this month before his marriage to singer Diana Krall. The three most popular treatments are massages, facials and waxings.

The Refinery is 'aimed at the cosmopolitan professional' and claims to 'combine the comfort and atmosphere of a gentlemen's club with the vitality and sense of wellbeing of a health spa'. Clients can watch sport on television, read magazines or use a computer to catch up on emails between sessions.

A second branch opened in the City of London in 2002, a third starts in Harrods in spring 2004 and the duo plan to expand to the Far East, Middle East and America.

Leading cosmetics companies such as Elemis, Clarins and Guinot now sell beauty products aimed specifically at men. These are often the same as those used by women but are unperfumed and put in plain packaging.

Refinery general manager Marina Aspinall said: 'We've been madly busy in the run-up to Christmas, either with men wanting to look their best or girlfriends, wives and gay men buying beauty products or vouchers for their loved ones. More and more men want to look good, as if they had just stepped out of a magazine or the way they'd like to look on their wedding day ... They are happy now to get their nails done or have a facial, the way many women have always done.'

David Minton is typical of male converts to pampering. 'Ten years ago I'd never have thought of going for a facial. But three years ago a male friend in Los Angeles said "you need a facial". I went for one, absolutely loved the experience - it involved lots of hot towels and lotions - and I now go to a spa once every two months for a facial or massage as a way of releasing stress.'

Minton, who runs a leisure research company, spends about £60 per visit and another £50 to £70 a month on products such as the cucumber wash cleanser he puts on before bed. 'All the effort is definitely worth it. I now have better skin and am more confident when I do speaking engagements because I look and feel better,' said Minton.

To overcome male cynicism, beauty and relaxation treatments have been marketed as sessions which enhance health and fitness, and cosmetics such as moisturisers and face scrubs are rebranded as grooming aids .

Pampering is one of the fastest-growing areas of consumer spending. Mintel, the consumer analysts, estimate that the market for health and beauty treatments was worth £1.3 billion last year, and experts believe it has grown to £1.5bn during 2003.

Those figures have prompted Whitbread, the leisure conglomerate which owns David Lloyd Leisure clubs and TGI Friday's restaurants, to open a chain of unisex spas next year. 'They will cater for both men and women,' said spokesman Dan Waugh. 'We believe treatments such as beauty and relaxation therapies will eventually be seen as like having a haircut; people will go to the hairdresser's either because they need a cut or simply want to feel better about themselves.'

[spooky girlfriend]

Well, good for him. I know I would do it more if I had the time.

And I want him to look good when I see him at the Ryman in February. But hey, he's got time for another one before then!

[Who Shot Sam?]

Good for him. Hope he got rid of that *ahem* designer stubble for the big day.

[martinfoyle]

I nearly collided with Gabriel Byrne coming out of the Shelbourne a few weeks ago. It was late at night so I could'nt fully appreciate his, no doubt, lustrous new hairdo. As for Elvis spending 4 days being literally turned into a big girls blouse for his big day, finally he's done something more embarassing than that van Otter album. Well done.

[Who Shot Sam?]

I nearly collided with Gabriel Byrne coming out of the Shelbourne a few weeks ago. It was late at night so I could'nt fully appreciate his, no doubt, lustrous new hairdo. As for Elvis spending 4 days being literally turned into a big girls blouse for his big day, finally he's done something more embarassing than that van Otter album. Well done.

A couple of questions:

1. How can you be sure that the story is accurate? It's hard for me to envision EC spending four days at this place.
2. Why does it bother you?
3. Assuming it's true, is it really so terrible for EC to want to be well-groomed for the day of his marriage? At age 49, he probably has some ear hair to tend to.

[Poppet]

what sums it up for me, its beauty AND its horror, is the *four days in a row* part. okay, spa treatment, great. hell, couldn't we all use some spiffing up, particularly for a big day such as getting hitched. but four days in a row????? what the hell do they do to you for four days??? and after all that spa treatment, do you really think you could even physically move on your own??? all that pampering and massage and whatnot, wouldn't it turn any person into a mass of jelly??? after just a massage i hafta hang out for a while and get my limbs back into action.

four DAYS??? wow.

[laughingcrow]

Sam....I can confirm it's true, because I was actually there when he was there,

I actually did speak to EC...we had a lovely chat about the price of almond facial scrubs in the hydrospa, then we treated ourselves to an all-over body wrap with seaweed cleansers. Mmm.

[mood swung]

martinfoyle wrote:

As for Elvis spending 4 days being literally turned into a big girls blouse for his big day, finally he's done something more embarassing than that van Otter album. Well done.

I spewed, dude.

I'm with Poppet--four days in a row??!!! that's a lot more than your standard unibrow repair. I really cannot comprehend what you could be doing there four days in a row....of course, you can't perm and color on the same day, so that's two....how much hair can one man have waxed? and waxing hurts. a lot.

[spooky girlfriend]

Now, now, you people must have missed some of the article. They said they give them time in between "sessions" to do other manly things like check email and watch sports. He could have been doing kind of the same thing - you know, like the tour from last year - how he finished a show and then went to write music for north. He could have been songwriting about the joys of avacado body cream and hot towels. Just think of the possibilities for the next album with inspiration like that.

[verbal gymnastics]

This is a great article isn't it? My favourite parts are:

1. A new generation of image-conscious men would rather have their chests waxed than head down the pub.

I can just imagine saying to my mates "Sorry boys - I can't make it for a beer tonight as I've got to have my chest waxed". I think they'd think I was extracting the urine. Not that it would take to wax old verbal's chest. In fact you could shout at the hairs on my chest and they'd both fall out.

2. Some salons now hold men-only evenings to encourage customers to indulge themselves among like-minded males who will share and not snigger at their interest.

How many like minded males are there amongst us?

3. At golf-based hotels as many as half those receiving therapies are now male golfers who want to de-stress after playing 18 holes.

Golf is soooo stressful. I always thought golf was supposed to be the game to destress (although on the rare occasions I have played, seeing my mate's 5 iron get thrown into a tree suggests otherwise).

4. Minton, who runs a leisure research company, spends about £60 per visit and another £50 to £70 a month on products such as the cucumber wash cleanser he puts on before bed.

Who does NOT find this hilarious?

What is the world coming to? It was bad enough finding out from Elvis that God is a woman!

Are men the new women?

[bambooneedle]

I spy for the "spirit of curiosity"
All the scandals of each vain monstrosity

[Misha]

I would have helped scrub him down....

[El Vez]

Damn metrosexuals....taking over the whole friggin' world!

[Misha]

I FORBID anyone to use the term El Vez just used.

FORBID IT, I tell ya!!

El Vez I'm sure feels very contrite for using a word that should be eliminated from anyone's vocabulary.

El Vez will issue a press release regarding his apologies sometime within the next week....

[kimmy]

I agree with you, verbal. After all, who would WANT a vacation at a "Golf-based Hotel"? If I wanted to do something as stressful as golf actually is, I would go to work and get PAID for it.
What is this world coming to??

[kimmy]

one more thing...
Forgive me for asking this, but being from a one-horse town I am unfamiliar with the term "metrosexuals". What does this mean??

[Pov]

This is a great article isn't it? My favourite parts are:

1. A new generation of image-conscious men would rather have their chests waxed than head down the pub.

I can just imagine saying to my mates "Sorry boys - I can't make it for a beer tonight as I've got to have my chest waxed". How many like minded males are there amongst us?

3. At golf-based hotels as many as half those receiving therapies are now male golfers who want to de-stress after playing 18 holes.

Golf is soooo stressful. I always thought golf was supposed to be the game to destress (although on the rare occasions I have played, seeing my mate's 5 iron get thrown into a tree suggests otherwise).

1. I was thinking of having my back waxed. Now I may just do it

3. I was going to make a similar comment. You beat me to it.

[martinfoyle]

one more thing...
Forgive me for asking this, but being from a one-horse town I am unfamiliar with the term "metrosexuals". What does this mean??

Here ya go
http://content.health.msn.com/content/a ... nting=true

[Misha]

Well, Kimmy, now that Martin has given you the complete low-down, please delete the word from your brain....there is no need to remember it. Men taking care of themselves and relaxing at a spa will have to get a better word than that.....I for one just can't use it...completely stupid word creation....If I were a man, I wouldn't want to be called one..

[LessThanZero]

OHHHHH HHHH, I thought it was someone who only had sex on mass transit!

[cbartal]

Damn metrosexuals....taking over the whole friggin' world!

I am so unhip. Could someone please tell me what a metrosexual is? Does it mean you have sex with subway cars?