Category: Style
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More And More Men Want Pain Free Manscaping
After years of controversial rhetoric on the reasons women get their body hair removed, the conversation and focus is once again shifting towards men.
According to a new report out today, record numbers of men are feeling under pressure when it comes to managing their body hair. ‘Manscaping’ – media slang for body hair management for men – is on the rise again with half of British males saying they feel under pressure to groom their body hair. Celebrities such as David Beckham continue to fuel the cult for a cleaner and hair free body.
It’s a trend which is reflected in the growing number of men seeking laser hair removal at Courthouse Clinics. Recent statistics on the breakdown of in-house treatments revealed a 156 percent increase in the number of men getting permanent hair removal since 2009, particularly with men aged 18-35 (59 percent). Almost half are looking to de-fuzz their back or shoulders, 20 percent their chest or abdomen, and 15 percent get rid of hair on their cheek and beard areas.
A survey in 2012 showed that 77% of men aged 18-34 admitted to a bit of manscaping, with an incredible 97% saying that hey often took the razor to their down under region. 9% admitted to shaving their legs.
Dr Patrick Bowler, Medical Director of Courthouse Clinics comments, ‘Men are increasingly expressing a desire for a hair-free body while looking for less time-consuming methods for body hair maintenance – just like their female counterparts. Advanced technology now means that hair removal can take less than 20 minutes with a treatment such as Alma Lasers’ Soprano Ice, with no pulling, tugging or ripping of the hair. It goes a long way to explaining the rise in popularity for laser hair removal – what was once a painful process is now a gentle treatment, especially compared to waxing which, apart from shaving, was seen as the only alternative for men.’
Makers of the Soprano ICE, from Alma Lasers, say it is the only laser hair removal solution for year-round application, suitable for use on all skin types, and all types of hair, too. Unlike traditional laser technology, patients who tired Soprano Ice reported it as almost zero pain – a first for laser hair technology.
Soprano ICE cools the skin with a sapphire tip to prevent any burns to the skin as the laser penetrates the dermis. This means patients feel no discomfort at any point throughout the procedure, and still get the best possible results. Multiple clinical studies conducted by leading dermatologists confirm Soprano ICE’s status as safer and equally or more effective compared to other lasers. Soprano ICE can also be used to treat small and difficult to target areas like the eyebrows, nose and ears making it the ideal treatment for men.
Prices start at £35 for a single treatment; courses from £959 (courses available as 3/6/8 treatments)
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GROOMING: Gone Today… Hair Tomorrow
It’s a well-known fact that many gay men put a lot of focus on their appearance, from anti-aging products for the skin, to lightening toothpastes for teeth. So it’s no surprise that the thought of hair loss or thinning fills a lot of men with dread, almost as much as having the surgical treatments to cover up the unwanted hair loss. But what if there were another way, a non‐surgical solution to reduced hairlines?
Brought to you by:
Skalp
Skalp TM Micro Pigmentation is the ultimate in non‐surgical scalp grooming; an incredible life-changing treatment where natural pigments are applied at the epidermal level of the scalp to replicate the natural appearance of real hair follicles or strands – depending on your hair loss extent, and desired look.
When your hair thinning is slowly becoming an unwanted comb over, making you look older than you feel on the inside, then maybe it’s time to try a something different. A shaved full head of hair, with a little help from Skalp can give you a styled fresh look, dramatically improving your appearance and even helping to contour the face. Images of army recruits, action men figures and well-groomed gentlemen are all new types of you.
SkalpTM’s method is regarded as the best treatment of its kind available in the world today, using only natural pigments and application methods. Their practitioners, world class and fully qualified in permanent cosmetics and micro pigmentation treatments, recognise that hair follicles don’t always naturally grow in the same direction, or that hair follicles are not all the same shade. The team frequently uses 3-4 shades of pigment to create the most true-to-life finish – achieving a younger more confident hairline.
The follicle/strand build up of Micro pigmentation typically takes place over 3 sessions, each taking approx. 3‐4 hours with at least one week between sessions. The process allows for a very gradual and subtle rejuvenation/infill of the hairline, rarely identified even by close friends and family. During the procedure a cartridge, containing 3 needles working in symphony, gently inject natural pigment into the 2nd dermal skin layer. Skalp only uses the latest innovative technology.
Skalp Micro Pigmentation can help in many other areas too including:
-Give the look of a full, youthful head of cropped hair
-Simulate a full‐front, side and/or rear hairline
-Restore hairlines on part‐bald or fully bald heads
-Camouflage – permanently – the symptoms of all levels of alopecia
-Camouflage scarring resulting from previous hair transplant surgery
-Hide scars, burns and birthmarks -Boost the visual effect of a hair transplant
So visit www.Skalp.com today and book a free consultation with their experts and unlock the face of a new you.
Do check out this video of Marcin who found new confidence with Skalp and see the results for yourself.
Brought to you by: SkalpTM (what does this mean)
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Former ASOS Executive Set To Revolutionise Menswear
Former ASOS Executive Set To Revolutionise Menswear
Sponsored by The Idle Man
The Idle Man is a new online shopping destination for the twenty-something fashion-savvy man. Tired of the usual offering available on the highstreet and internet stores that sells anything to anyone, The Idle Man founder and ex-head of menswear at ASOS, Oliver Tezcan, set out to create a credible alternative.
Tezcan says: ‘Men are always an after thought in fashion. Men’s ranges are hidden in the basement or plonked on three shelves on the top floor
‘Even online men have not been well catered for. Over the years I had a nagging feeling that the average guy could be serviced better – and that’s what The Idle Man will do.’
Men are more interested than ever in fashion. The growth potential is huge for whoever can create a retail experience that meets their needs. That has never really been done before – but the mission of The Idle Man is to change that.
Understanding the mindset of the male shopper is key: ‘Men, just like women, want to look good,’ Tezcan adds. ‘But that doesn’t mean they shop in the same way. Men are more interested in getting the clothes they want, than trying on everything in the shop.’
With this in mind, the site is designed so that customers can find exactly the look they want with the minimum of fuss: ‘The Idle Man is designed to show men a great look at any price point. Our customers can be confident that they look cool, without having to research the latest from London Fashion Week.’
Brands at The Idle Man
Buyers at The Idle Man have carefully selected clothing, shoes and accessories from a range of respected menswear brands, supplying Religion, Supremebeing, Mipac, Rains and Farah Vintage to name a few.For the Autumn/Winter 2014 season, they will also see brands such as Levi’s, Converse, Vans, Herschel, Cheap Monday and Eastpak joining The Idle Man range, as well as the arrival of The Idle Man own-label, which will include core pieces for everyman’s wardrobe.
Find out more visit: http://www.theidleman.com
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FASHION | Thanks for the spanx
It has to be said Spanx for men is a winning formula.
Sometimes you need a little extra help in keeping that slender image of your’s slimlined, especially if you’ve been slacking on the gym and the daily jogs, but Spanx for men can help you cheat, just a little.
This is truly a game changing product, that lets you walk a little taller. The moment you put on your Spanx you can feel your body confidence restored.
It’s in our Top 5 picks in our latest issue – and prices start from just £22 for the comfort brief to the £69 zoned Performance V neck, which is physique–improving. It is a seamless undershirt, designed with cooling features and compression zones that transform the torso and chest.
Find out more at http://www.spanx.co.uk/shop/spanx-for-men.html
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Andrew Christian Taking Underwear Ads To A New Level (NSFW)
Underwear genius Andrew Christian has released a new video… and it’s not safe for work, unless work is a sauna… (or TheGayUK office)
Designer Andrew Christian, 2013 Model Contest Winner Jake Houser, Topher DiMaggio, Murray Swanby, Cory Zwierzynski, Pablo Hernandez, star in the new ad for Andrew Christian’s Black/White campaign.
A statement on their website reads:
‘We wanted to show off our artistic range and produce a video to demonstrate our interpretation of classical Greek sculpture; after all we love the ancient Greeks because they did not conceive of sexual orientation as a social identifier as modern Western societies have done. Greek society did not distinguish sexual desire or behavior by the gender but rather by the role that each participant played in the sex act, that of active penetrator or passive penetrated. This active/passive polarization corresponded with dominant and submissive social roles: the active (penetrative) role was associated with masculinity, higher social status, and adulthood, while the passive role was associated with femininity, lower social status, and youth.’
Enter the contest & win:http://www.andrewchristian.com/contest
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INFOGRAPHIC: What Underwear Do British Men Wear?
Well the question seems clear cut – But what are British men wearing to cover their modesty?
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33% of men in the UK still prefer to wear boxers over other types of underwear.
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There was a 6% increase in traffic for male thongs in 2013.
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Web traffic to thongs is in the top three for 6 of the 8 European countries.
Earlier in the week we asked whether you were a briefs, boxers or Boy Is A Bottom kind of guy, well the official stats are in as the infographic below shows.
A recent study by Twenga, a UK based retail search engine, revealed that British men are becoming more daring in the pants department.
Starting to play it risqué
The data shows that UK web traffic to the male thong is up by 10%!
The bare all male thong also made it into the top three underwear searches in Poland, The Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany and Italy. However, it still isn’t a firm favourite amongst British men, and surprisingly, Spain.
Overall there is an increase of 6% in traffic to male thongs across the countries involved in the study.
In Spain, although not a fan of the thong, prefer the tanga over the other options; suggesting that they’re not averse to revealing more.
Men are starting to care about what they bare
Last year UK department store Selfridges revealed that men’s underwear sales were up by 28%.
The menswear buying manager at Selfridges, Richard Sanderson, said: ‘Men are becoming more conscious of what they are wearing when they take off their trousers. They want to impress their women — or their men — or just want to feel more comfortable.’
This substantial growth in sales, they believe, can be attributed to advertisements featuring a physically toned David Beckham in his underwear.
Comfort has always been the main priority for men when choosing their underwear but it seems that appearance is gradually starting to take some precedence, as apparent by the growing number of male underwear styles available.
So what do you like to wear?
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FASHION: Men’s Underwear – Andrew Christian
Over the past few years men’s underwear brands have branched out and delivered us some amazing styles, colours, cuts and hot models to gawk at. One in particular stands out from the crowd. Andrew Christian, just take a look at any of his promo videos and you’ll understand what I mean. I guess he finally found out what Victoria’s secret actually is. (more…)
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Fashion Faux Pas – Footwear
There was a time man walked the earth barefoot, of course at that time man didn’t bathe, wore a loincloth and carried a club around with them.
In today’s society man can do almost anything and can walk the earth in as many different styles of footwear as his heart so desires; Brogues, Loafers, Boots, Trainers, the list goes on. What’s the saying? ‘Give a guy the right pair of Penny Loafers and he can conquer the world?’ I’m sure it goes something like that. Why then, do I see so many guys wondering this planet wearing the most god-awful things on their feet? It’s almost like they woke up and strapped my version of hell to their ankles and thought ‘sod it! That will do,’ no boys, no!
To help you avoid this tragic mess here’s a few mistakes to avoid!
1, Crocs – I don’t care how comfy you say they are if you aren’t 5 years old or under it’s not cute! Originally created in 2002 they unfortunately and for reasons unknown to me took the world by storm however, they look cheap, frumpy and scream cheap tourist. When I thought it couldn’t get any worse in 2006 they invented Crocs Jewellery, otherwise known as ‘Jibbitz.’ So if you have no life or self-respect you can stick hello kitty charms to your toes. Jewellery for your goddamn Crocs, vom!
2, Uggs (Muggs?) – A guy wearing Ugg Boots could quite possibly put me off a guy all together. Picture this, your first encounter in your dates bedroom and things are getting hot and steamy. You look over his shoulder and spot a pair of Ugg Boots amongst his footwear collection. Automatically this guy goes from hot to flaccid and the mood is dead! Ugg Boots on women, yes, Ugg Boots on men, no. You’re very welcome.
3, Socks with Sandals – This one honestly just makes me laugh. Old Romans wore socks with sandals over 2000 years ago, where the trend should have died, but unfortunately it has become a popular faux pas among middle-aged men who’ve seemingly given up on style altogether.
The sock and sandal combo is when a guy will for reasons better known to himself wear a pair of (usually beige) socks underneath the ugliest pair for sandals known to the 99p store. Perhaps he is super cold but loves his sandals too much? Perhaps he dressed in the dark? We will never know, only grimace.
A FINAL NOTE
If your footwear reflects any of the 3 examples above do not panic, this can be easily rectified with a trip to Westfield for a day of shopping. If you want advice regarding footwear you should have in your collection then let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to help you out! -
Groom the perfect beard
Growing a beard is probably the one of the most masculine journeys a man can take on his way to grooming glory.
While there is an attractive disheveled quality about a bearded fellow this could be uncharted territory for some and to avoid looking like a reject from Shipwrecked I’d recommend giving my Grooming article your undivided attention.
Before you start growing your beard you should be aware of how one shouldn’t look. Ill give you a clue (shudders at the thought) Brad Pitt for Chanel N5. Avoid this look like the plague; it won’t do you any favours. Thankfully brands like Martin Margiela and Missoni and hotties like Justin Timberlake and Hugh Jackman have provided us with true facial hair inspiration serving up manly bearded realness. God bless them!
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a lazy man’s easy way out of shaving because grooming and prep work still come into play. Here are my tips to grow, groom and maintain the perfect beard.
1. To get started you’ll need some tools of the trade. I recommend getting a good quality beard trimmer.
These are widely available and can usually be found at bargain prices in most Boots stores. You’re very welcome. You’ve probably already got a razor, don’t throw it away you’ll need it to shape your beard and remove unwanted hair from areas you want to keep smooth. Also have a small pair of scissors handy to cut away any stray hairs your trimmers may have missed.2. Just because you now have hair covering the skin on your face it does not mean you can forgot to a, moisturise (massage moisturiser into your beard using your fingertips to reach the skin and prevent flaking) and b, exfoliate (Your skin is still producing dead skin cells and these are currently building up in your beard, gross) I am currently using Facial Fuel Energising Scrub and Facial Fuel Moisturiser for men from Kiehl’s. For the areas I’m still shaving I’m using Ultimate Men’s After Shave Balm & Moisturiser, also by Kiehl’s.
3. As always preparation is the way forward and just as you condition your hair you should also be conditioning your beard. Simply massage a little bit of your everyday conditioner into your beard whilst in the shower. You’ll thank me for the big difference in softness and who ever is on the other end of your kissing session is going to thank me, even more, when the chin rash they got used too is a thing of the past. Again, You’re very welcome.4. Beard Oils are very popular and I can see why not only do they smell great the oils help moisturise surface skin and protect and condition the follicles. Massage into your beard as part of your grooming regime. I’d keep the scent quite fresh and masculine aiming for notes like bergamot, sandalwood, mandarin, grapefruit and vetiver.
5. Finally, a little trick that’s helped me out more times than I can bless Madonna for. Comb your beard. Taking a fine tooth comb to your beard will help style it and if done so throughout the growing period will keep it looking sleek and smart instead of shaggy and unruly
A Final Note A beard is not for everyone. I honestly think id pee my pants a little bit if I saw Justin Bieber sporting a beard. However, how are you going to know unless you give it a go? The best part about a beard is if you decide it’s not for you, you can just easily shave it off. I might have to treat you all to a grooming article for the perfect shave next. Watch this space…
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Men Are Taking Risks With At Home Botox And Fillers
Men are twice as likely to have Botox or dermal fillers administered by an untrained friend or acquaintance.
- · 1 in 4 male non-surgical patients surveyed receive non-surgical treatments from untrained friends, compared to just 1 in 10 women
- · 17% of men would undergo Botox from a person who was not appropriately qualified to perform the treatment – but only 10% of women would take the risk
New research shows male beauty treatment fans are twice as likely as women to let an untrained friend carry out procedures like Botox and dermal fillers on them, and 17% would undergo Botox from a practitioner who wasn’t qualified to carry out the treatment – compared with only 10% of women.
The research, carried out by Transform Cosmetic Surgery, the UK’s leading provider of cosmetic surgery and non-surgical treatments, lifts the lid on men’s surprising attitudes to beauty treatments, exposing them as far more risk prone than women when it comes to looking good.
A further one in 6 (15%) men surveyed admit to having been treated by a third party, such as a hairdresser, and startlingly, had no idea if they were appropriately trained to perform the procedure – stripping them of the chance to know if the treatment is right for them. Only 1 in 10 women questioned said they’d take the same chance.
A whopping 17% of guys would happily have Botox (compared with just 10% of women), dermal fillers (16% of guys and 11% of girls) and even non-invasive body sculpting (19% of men and 9% of women) from a practitioner who was not appropriately qualified to perform the treatment – putting themselves at risk.
Dr Hilary Jones commented: “The non-surgical treatments industry is growing fast and it is vital that as it does so, the health of those undergoing treatments isn’t endangered. The ‘devil may care’ attitude some men are adopting to these treatments is putting them at risk – there are far too many places in this country where they can be injected with dermal fillers by individuals with minimal or no training in completely unsuitable environments, with potentially dangerous products. The Non-Surgical Charter will set out to highlight and address issues like this.”