Once the domain of women only, men are frequently booking in for beauty maintenance. Carly Gibbs looks at the growing trend of male grooming.
Competitiveness, ageing and the influence of social media.
It's not just women these days who are feeling the pressure to hone their appearance.
Botox, waxing, plastic surgery and weekly hair treatments are no longer just applicable to female beauty.
And one of the drivers of men stealing time in front of the bathroom mirror is competition in the workplace, says plastic surgeon Dr Tristan de Chalain.
Ten per cent of his patients are men whose top requests are reducing "man boobs" (gynaecomastia) and neck lifts to correct a "turkey neck".
"We're a very youth-orientated society," de Chalain explains, giving the made-up example of a 40-something-year-old bucking for a promotion against a graduate.
"You don't want to be seen as the old man in the selections, so you might have something, whether it's fillers, a bit of sharp grooming, a mini facelift, or an eyelid tuck.
"Something to give you a bit of a boost so you don't look like you're past it. It was a real phenomenon in the UK and the US, and I think it's starting to happen here as well."
De Chalain, who is Canadian-born but grew up in South Africa, is based in Auckland but consults and operates in the Bay of Plenty once a month.
A rise in gender sensitivity has seen metrosexuality become more mainstream, he says, however a stigma around plastic surgery remains.
Most of his Bay clients (an even split of gay and straight men) opt to have their surgery in Auckland over Tauranga, to ensure privacy.
"I have men who say they want to look five years younger but don't want to look like they've had anything done. Good plastic surgery you won't see."
He advises anyone contemplating surgery to look at a surgeon's qualifications, length of service, the number of times they've performed your chosen procedure, request to see any pre and post-op photos and request to talk to someone they've operated on.
"You're spending a lot of money and it's not without risk."
As a general rule of thumb, New Zealanders can expect to pay about $5000 an hour for aesthetic surgery.
De Chalain cautions that any decent plastic surgeon won't do a procedure for the sake of it: "A lot of what we do is based on psychology ... We spend some time going into the whys and wherefores, what the motivations are, what the expectations are."
He further cautions not being tempted to travel for surgery, when international borders reopen.
"As a professional group, we are really down on cosmetic tourism. If you go to a place like Thailand, they're happy to take your money, but you'll be a sausage in the factory and you'll get a Kmart procedure, whereas what you should be demanding is a bespoke procedure.
"Not a month goes by that either myself or one of my colleagues up and down the country isn't sorting out some kind of problem from an operation performed at a surgical tourism hospital abroad, and one of the things people need to realise is the results of surgery are by and large irreversible. So, do your research carefully."
Changing times
When it comes to what's available, Google will take you down a beauty rabbit hole.
Worldwide the male grooming industry is booming - estimated to be worth US$29.14 billion by 2024.
Locally, there are less drastic alternatives to surgery, starting with a good haircut.
Barbershops are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, with newly opened Refinery Studios in Pāpāmoa offering a yearly $1299 "VIP" subscription for unlimited visits. Several businessmen have already taken up the offer.
Some clients have their beards shaped and hair trimmed weekly, says owner Greg Stapleton.
"It can get to the point where it becomes an addiction," he muses, adding that just as males have embraced talking about their vulnerabilities and going to the doctor without fear, they too have embraced self-expression through appearance.
That's backed up by veteran Rotorua barber Glen Atkinson of Wilson's Barbershop, who says barber shops are opening up everywhere.
"It's like a dairy ... The industry is going berserk."
When it comes to hair in other places, manzilian or bro-zilian waxes - the treatment of removing hair from the entire pubic region - are slowly building in popularity.
And then there's eyebrow grooming; hair loss treatment; botox or "bro-tox", and facials.
Furthermore, personal style consultant Megan Hewett from The Style Company can advise on all things wardrobe related.
Hewett from Tauranga says a common mistake men make is getting their sizing wrong.
She recommends getting expensive clothing items tailored to suit your body shape.
"Oversized suits are very 80s," she says. "Spend a little time and money getting a great pair of shoes, which make or break an outfit."
Hewett can sort a new wardrobe in under two hours and offers a shopping service where she sources clothing for you to try on in the privacy of your own home.
Self-discovery and social media have played a part in the revival of "celebrating masculinity", believes Stapleton, 52, who has cut hair in Rome, Sydney, New York and Boston.
Going to the barbershop was once considered a punishment but now males conjure up specific concepts of what they want to be done, he says.
New trends are shaping 25 different styles of beards, and regular cut-throat razor shaves, previously reserved for special occasions only, like getting married.
Refinery Studios offers packages from "Date Night" to father and son combo "Lads and Dads".
At Honey Comb salon in Rotorua, perms are a top request from teenage boys, says owner Sarah Pearson, who has also witnessed a trend in lash lifts amongst males.
Fellow barber Atkinson says popular hairstyles are skin fades (hair cut short and fading into the natural hair colour); crop tops (longer on top) and since Covid-19 lockdown, the mullet.
British football star-turned model David Beckham started the trend of men switching up hairdos, but in 2020 musician Drake is who many younger males want to look like.
"I think that word gangster has taken over. That means it's a good haircut. If a young fella says that, you know you've done a good job for him," a bemused Atkinson shares.
"Back in the day there used to be a bit of a stigma with barbering, but now it's hip, it's gangster. It's good for the industry."
Embracing fears
What's also good for the male grooming industry, is women.
At the Skin Centre, cosmetic nurse Clare Rodwell has seen an increase in male clients encouraged by their female partners.
Facials, peels, brow grooming, laser treatments, microneedling, botox (the temporary paralysis of the muscle), and dermal fillers (replacing lost volume) are all popular.
Men tend to have stronger muscles and can require more botox, which is also a treatment for hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating).
If you're feeling awkward, she suggests tagging along with your partner if they're having injectables or making a phone call to discuss options.
"Most of my male patients have felt embarrassed or anxious, to begin with, however, they are extremely happy that they faced their fears.
"We are a dermatology clinic, no one would know what you were coming to the Skin Centre for, it could be for anything from a rash to a skin check."
Privacy is of utmost importance at SRS Hair Clinic too, where embracing hair loss is their daily business.
One in four men will experience some form of hair loss or balding by the age of 30 and SRS is seeing a trend towards earlier onset hair loss," says clinic production manager Raissa Sidhu.
"Reversing a process that has typically taken many years, or in some cases decades to develop, cannot be fixed overnight or in a few short months."
She recommends that men take early action rather than a "soldier on" approach.
Hair loss can be a combination of genetic predispositions, environmental factors, lifestyle, nutrition, medical conditions, and stress.
Men shouldn't feel shame in seeking help, Sidhu says.
"It seems to be more commonplace now for men to be able to invest in their external appearance without experiencing negative backlash, or having their masculinity immediately called into question."
Beauty is pain - or is it?
hile some want to gain hair, others want to lose it.
Former Mount Maunganui woman and owner of Metro Waxing Camilla Amundsen, has been waxing men since 2011 after seeing a gap in the market and says her profession is a dinner party stopper - people are always curious.
"In this business, you have to be prepared for almost anything," the now-Auckland-based beauty therapist says.
She waxes everything from ears to "snail trails", nostrils and toes, and has a loyal, travelling clientele from the Bay of Plenty.
"Men have lots of unwanted, prickly hair. The demand for back waxing is the number one choice seen, but now more than ever, men are ready to bare it all for the below the belt manzilian wax."
Women are her biggest encouragers for the manzilian, explaining that there is an increasing expectation for women to have smooth skin and the same expectation is now being placed on men, however, there are still detractors of the practice.
Her observations are that men in smaller cities tend to hold on to their hair more than Aucklanders where there's a "need" to be well-groomed.
She wants to normalise "monthly maintenance" and while men don't talk about waxing like women do, they're "curious creatures".
"Men will often do their research to find a place that is not too fluffy and filled with other men in the waiting room."
Brow shaping is "huge", while facial waxing is more about sculpting and enhancing the face.
And, it doesn't have to be a torturous experience.
"I've read many salons suggesting clients should pop a couple of Panadol or Nurofen to ease the pain, I'm just so against it and it makes me cringe," she laments.
And, if you feel mortified by the idea, Amundsen would like you to think of it as no different from mowing your lawn.
"Do you use a Masport or a push cutter? You like to cut your edges a certain height and to use a grass catcher, right?
"The same goes on at Metro Waxing. Premium waxes coupled with the best waxing techniques and most importantly, skin prepping.
"No gruff is too tough on these spatulas."
Trending
• Plastic surgery.
• Barbershops. Cuts, beard shaping, and razor shaves.
• Botox and fillers: The cost of treating a frown is roughly $250 at the Skin Centre. Dermal filler prices start from $650 per mil. Botox lasts three to five months, and fillers depending on where they're placed, nine to 12 months.
• The below belt manzilian wax: Expect to pay around $120.
• Embracing fears around hair loss: A microscopic hair analysis consultation, which takes 45 minutes at Tauranga's SRS Hair Clinic costs $50, with subsequent treatment recommendations provided.
• Dressing well: Clothing inspired by the French Riviera will be big this summer, says Megan Hewett from The Style Company. Think nautical stripes, mid-wash denim, pastels, and Gore-Tex trainers. "One of the biggest men's fashion trends (will be) all white," she says. "Try a fresh, white t-shirt with a pair of white chinos rolled up, or some chino shorts paired with some new trainers."