THEGAYUK

Tag: Tom Tries It

Our beauty expert Thomas Swallow tries out various products, procedures and the latest tricks from the beauty industry.

  • Tom Tries It: Five Element Acupuncture

    Carry on reading below, to hear about Tom’s experience having Five Element Acupuncture. Missed any of the other instalments in this series? Click here to find out about Tom’s previous adventures, where he decodes the enigma of male grooming.

    To get things started, I just wanted to thank the entire team at the Kite Clinic and my amazing acupuncturist Johnny Childs for making this feature possible. If Five Element Acupuncture is something that interests you after reading this article, I couldn’t recommend Johnny more. Apart from the fact that the knowledge held by the Kite Clinic team is unparalleled in their field. Johnny’s empathetic and caring approach to each of his clients helps deliver an effective and tailored treatment plan, that really does make a difference in his client’s lives.

    (C) PR SUPPLIED

    So what is Five Element Acupuncture?

    Five Element Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of acupuncture, that originated from China. However, due to its perceived elitist nature by Chinese officials, it is now banned within the country. A few practitioners of this ancient art thankfully escaped communist China into Taiwan and other eastern countries to continue the tradition. Gerad Kite (the founder of the Kite Clinic) learnt the art from his Master teacher, JR Worsley – a practitioner from the UK that travelled to the East in the early ’50s and learnt this ancient tradition from two Chinese Masters. Gerad established his own clinic in London in the ’90s. Johnny Childs is one of Gerad’s mentees and is now his right-hand man within the clinic. Safe to say we were in safe hands for this feature.

    What makes Five Element Acupuncture different from other forms of acupuncture is that it is not based on the alleviation of symptoms. Practitioners of Five Element Acupuncture do not adopt a symptomatic approach to treating their patients. Instead, these practitioners focus on restoring the balance of the five elements that produce and maintain every part of us. This includes our internal organs and all our physical and mental activities. This approach is rooted in the belief that all things are made of energies derived from the five elements: fire, water, earth, wood and metal. By understanding ourselves as human beings are no different and we are part of nature. We can then look into which of these energies is the cause of imbalances within our bodies and begin the process of restoring this balance. As this balance is restored, there is a knock-on effect for all other elements within this body and a general rebalancing and improvement in health is the outcome. 

    How can they tell which element is imbalanced?

    When determining which element is imbalanced within our bodies, Johnny explained to me that although clients may be experiencing symptoms of ill health. These symptoms are simply an alarm bell from the body, telling us something has gone wrong. Instead, Johnny focuses on the distress presented by our bodies. They do not tell us the cause! Instead, Johnny focuses on the distress call coming from the causal element which presents as a distinct colour in the face, a particular sound in the voice, an odour emitted from the body and an inappropriate emotion.

    Initial Treatment:

    On the day of my initial treatment, Johnny sat me down and discussed with me the physical, emotional and mental characteristics that I was wanting to change about myself. He explained to me that this initial discussion and getting to know his client’s wants and needs was essential in establishing an effective treatment plan. Apart from helping him get to know his client’s better, it gave him the chance to see the distress signals our bodies display subconsciously.

    Following this initial discussion, he then went on to check my pulse before asking me to sit in a slouched position on his treatment table. Whilst in this position, he went to mark out points on my back that corresponded to organs with an aspect of fulfilment (for example our lungs and the taking in of air/oxygen). Once these marks were outlined on my back, Johnny told me he was going to insert needles to just break my skin at these points. All of which was painless I assure you. He explained to me, that by doing this step he could see which of my organs were housing ‘stagnant’ energies. These negative energies embody themselves in a reaction around the impact site of the needle. At this stage, Johnny also placed needles at random points within my back to test for a skin reaction and in doing so, ruled out the chance of false positives. He then left the needles in for 5 minutes, which passed like a dream with Johnny’s charming company. Following this 5 minute window, he went to check if any reactions had taken place. If no reaction would have occurred, he would have simply removed the needles and we would have gone on to the next stage of treatment. However in cases where a reaction does occur, which for me was at the site of the point corresponding to my right lung. Johnny explained to me that we needed to leave the needles in for longer, in order to drain off the ‘stagnant’ energy attached to that organ. Although this took quite a while, Johnny kept showing me the progress through pictures he’d taken on his phone. It was really astonishing to see this reaction happen and then dissipate as the needles drained out the energy.

    Now, this energy was drained and a viable canvas created for treatment with no stagnant energies left to block it, we then went on to the next step. Johnny asked me to lay down on the table, where he checked my pulse once again and then marked out 4 acupuncture points on my body. Two on my hand, one on my arm and even one of my face, he then mirrored these points on the other side of my body. The sensation of the needles activating these points is hard to explain. There’s no pain whatsoever when the needle makes contact with the acupuncture point there is what I can only describe as a release of energy. You’ll definitely know when he hits it and at this point, he rotates the needle 180 degrees and pulls it out. Repeating if necessary to relieve all pressure at each point outlined. He explained to me following this, that he had made an initial assessment of the element he believed was imbalanced within my body and that was the start of treatment for said element. Johnny assured me that he would reveal all soon but for now, he wanted to see how my body reacted to the treatment. As our initial treatment day ended, he asked me to do a bit of homework and write a diary each day for the next week. Just noting down how I was feeling and any changes ‘good or bad’ I noticed in myself. 

    Acupuncture diary: Week 1:

    So my first week following treatment was a bit of a rollercoaster both emotionally and physically. A rash appeared on my hands and arms and then to top it off, I ended up having sinusitis from out of the blue. This ended up having to go to my GP for antibiotics. Mentally I was just unfocused and felt generally quite tired and down. By the end of the week though, I was pretty much back to full health physically and I was feeling a lot more focused and driven. There was also a greater sense of perspective I had on the true importance of things in my day to day life. Which at the time was a great relief, I definitely had a habit of overthinking things. The only symptom still persevering was the rash on my hands and arms.

    Treatment 2:

    One week later and I was back with the handsome Mr Childs for the second round of treatment. We started by checking my pulse once again and Johnny enlightened me to the knowledge, that the different pulse also represented different organs within our bodies. So by checking it on a regular basis, he could see if the treatment we were doing was having a positive impact. He then went on to check the point on my back corresponding to my right lung once again. After it had displayed such a large amount of stagnant energy last week, he wanted to make sure it had cleared and sure enough, this time there was no reaction.

    We then went on to discuss my acupuncture diary for the week and he didn’t seem surprised by my experiences. He went on to explain to me, that he had diagnosed me with an imbalance in my metal element. This element is linked to the lungs, our skin (the third lung) and our colon and is associated with the emotion of grief. All tying in to taking things in and letting them go. Johnny explained further that in contrast to the imbalance in my metal element, my strongest element was my earth element and the course of treatment today, was intended to give energy from the earth element to support my metal element.

    To do this Johnny marked 5 acupuncture points on the left side of my body, four in my arm and one in my collar bone. He explained energy starts in the left side of our bodies and ends at the right and so by focusing on the left side, he was hoping to promote the flow of energy in my body to my lungs and colon.

    After he had activated all 5 points, Johnny asked me to again keep a diary for the following week and focus on the rash on my hands and arms. He assured me this should dissipate by the end of the week and outlined how the rash only appeared along the metal energy line of my arm.

    Acupuncture diary: Week 2:

    The week following my second treatment was a complete contrast to the first week. There was no downside to this week. Physically I felt great and even ended up smashing a few personal bests in the gym. Also, my rash did as Johnny said and dissipated as the week went on. Mentally I felt focused and I just stopped overthinking. The usual work stresses didn’t bother me anymore and I just felt happier in myself. I did actually feel like a different person compared to the previous week.

    Final treatment:

    Again one week later and I was back in Johnny’s treatment room for my final treatment. We started as usual by checking my pulse, that he confirmed had gotten stronger for my lungs and colon. Due to this and my general sense of wellbeing in comparison to our initial consultation, Johnny explained that he believed his diagnosis was correct and we were now on the right path to ensuring balance within my body.

    Johnny then went on to explain that following these initial steps of treatment, it was all about maintaining what we had achieved and keeping strength in my metal element. For this, he advised that we activate 5 more points today, in order to promote the flow of energy once more and then to meet around 3 times a year, in order to maintain this balance.

    Final thoughts:

    It’s been about half a year now since myself and Johnny last had a session together and I’m still feeling the benefits of the time I spent with him. I have held onto a generally more positive attitude throughout the past months and have felt more focused and determined in my day to day life. Physically I have felt more energetic and thankfully the skin issues I experienced at the time of treatment haven’t come back.

    I really couldn’t make a single bad point from my experience trying Five Element Acupuncture with Johnny and I genuinely believe more people should explore this form of treatment. The benefits can be truly extraordinary and with minimal maintenance, I think the initial cost of treatment is more than worth it.

    If you would like to find out more about Five Element Acupuncture or arrange a consultation with Johnny, please find his Instagram linked below. He’s not too bad to look at either!

    Instagram @JOHNNYCHILDSACUPUNCTURIST

  • TOM TRIES IT | Allergy Testing

    TOM TRIES IT | Allergy Testing

    In this edition of Tom Tries It, our grooming expert Thomas Swallow goes beyond the realms of male grooming and delves into the world of at-home allergy testing. Read on to find out if they are worth all the social media hype…

    Carry on reading below, to hear about Tom’s experience doing an at home allergy test. Missed the other instalments of this series? Click here to find out about Tom’s previous adventures, where he decodes the enigma of male grooming.

    Firstly, I just wanted to thank the team at Lifelab Testing for making this article possible and sending over the allergy testing kit for me try. If you do decide that you wanna give one of these kits a go after reading this article, I definitely would recommend them. The kit we used for the purposes of this article was the Complete Body Test and it is by far the most comprehensive kit I’ve seen on the market, testing for 40 food & inhalant allergies and 80 common food intolerances.

    So what is at home allergy testing?

    Now I know what you must all be thinking, that you can only do allergy testing through your GP or in a private clinic. The fact of the matter is though, that this is a widely held misconception. Most allergy testing simply consists of a blood test and as we all know through services such as Sexual Health London, it is quite safe and easy to do a finger-prick blood test from the comfort of your own home. At home allergy testing is done under the same premise. A testing kit is mailed to your door, with easy to follow blood test instructions and within a few minutes, you’re off to the post box to send of your sample.

    Why do it at home though? Surely getting our GP to do the testing for us is better?

    To be honest on this one, I’d say it is probably much simpler to do this sort of testing yourself at home. Not only will the process be a lot smoother and you’ll get your results much quicker but in many cases, these tests aren’t commonly offered out by your GP. You see the NHS really only tests for allergies, when there is evidence of adverse allergic reactions but not with an identifiable cause. Often meaning that minor allergies and intolerances aren’t tested for. Not only that, the range of testing offered is much more limited on the NHS. Due to the service being publicly funded it’s simply a fact of its existence. By all means, though a private clinic would be able to arrange the same testing for you but often for a much steeper price tag. So to put it simply, do it at home and make your life that little bit easier, whilst saving some cash in the process.

    How do they test for allergies/intolerances with a blood test?

    This is the science bit. When our bodies come into contact with substances that we are either allergic or intolerant to, our bodies release IgG antibodies. By testing for these antibodies within our blood, we are able to identify these allergies/intolerances. The main IgG antibody tested for by Lifelab Testing is IgG4. This is the subclass of IgG antibodies, that remains in our blood when we are in constant contact with an allergen/intolerance. By testing for this antibody in particular, they are able to limit the amount of false-positives in testing and as such, make their results more reliable for their consumers. Reducing the need to cut out certain foods/food groups unnecessarily.

    The results:

    Within about a week or so after sending off my testing kit, my results were in and I could access them via the dashboard on the Lifelab Testing site. They came in two forms a printable/ downloadable PDF and an interactive web based page. From these results, it was identified that I had 9 allergies and 0 food intolerances. None of the allergies mentioned, had I been aware of before and to be honest, they made up a huge portion of my diet. The allergies found for myself can be seen listed below.

    • Crab
    • Gluten
    • Rice
    • Soya
    • Almonds
    • Hazelnuts
    • Rye
    • Bermuda grass Pollen • Horse Hair

    Just to note here, all allergies identified are graded on a scale of 1 to 5 by Lifelab Testing. All of my allergies identified were minor allergies, with Soya being the highest allergen at a level of 3.

    Elimination diet:

    After I received my results, I then went on to put their findings to the test by trying an elimination diet. What an elimination diet entails, is to eliminate certain foods out of your diet for a period of 30 days and see if they were indeed the cause of an issue. Having not been symptomatic of an allergic reaction prior to testing, apart from the odd skin issue. I went into this diet with the aim of seeing what/if any changes, occurred to my body over the period of 30 days. This process was supported by Lifelab Testing sending me daily email updates, with advice on cutting the allergens from my diet and making it sustainable long term.

    Following the month of being allergen-free, I have to admit I did notice some small but noticeable changes. Firstly, I did not feel bloated in the slightest no matter how much I had eaten within a given day. Secondly, I was a lot more energetic in the mornings. Now, this could have been due to a number of factors but I did find I was sleeping much better on this diet. Thirdly, I stopped feeling so lethargic after doing cardio. Which had become more apparent in recent years since moving to London. Finally, I had no skin issues by the end of that month and this way by far the most prominent change, that I noticed. Having suffered with eczema on and off for about the last year, I think the allergens identified definitely played a part in my skin issues. Since cutting them out, all seems to have settled down in that area.

    Final thoughts:

    Overall I had a very positive experience doing an at-home allergy testing kit and I cannot thank Lifelab Testing enough for giving me the opportunity to do so. The testing kits themselves aren’t the cheapest things in the world but they are far cheaper than going to a private clinic for the same tests. So if you are in doubt about an allergy/intolerance or just feel like knowing a bit more about your body, I would definitely recommend giving these tests a go. For more information on the testing kit I did or about Lifelab Testing, please check out their website https://lifelabtesting.com/

  • Tom Tries It: Pedicure

    Tom Tries It: Pedicure

    The world of male grooming can be a daunting place. With a myriad of product types and treatments available, it’s hard to know what products you need to be using and what treatments are right for you. This is why at THEGAYUK, we have sent our beauty expert Thomas Swallow to try them out and decode the enigma of male grooming.

    Carry on reading below, to hear about Tom’s experience getting a pedicure. Missed the other instalments of this series? Click here to find out about Tom’s previous adventures, where he tried intimate waxing, a dermalux facial and tinting/threading.

    With summer well and truly here, along with a few comments from the girls in my office. This week I decided to jump into the world of pedicures and get my feet ‘summer ready’. To be fair, it really needed to happen, they weren’t looking cute! Now if you’re like me one of the reasons I don’t usually get pedicures, is because of the way they are typically marketed as a women’s beauty treatment. Well, newsflash to the world, men have feet too and let’s face it, fellas, all our feet could probably use a bit more TLC. This is where Aldwyn & Sons come in. A men’s pedicure and manicure parlour based in London, that not only will leave you feeling fabulous but give you vibes of Victorian gentleman’s club decadence on the journey.

    So what is a pedicure?

    A pedicure is simply the maintenance and general upkeep of your feet. It’s not to be confused as a treatment for foot conditions but as a preventive measure of them. For the treatment of any foot conditions, please consult your chiropodist. Your pedicurist will not be able to help in these situations. Generally, a pedicure will involve the removal of hard skin, the clipping/shaping of nails and maintenance of the nail bed/cuticle. Nothing inherently ‘girly’ about it, eh?

    Treatment:

    So first of all, I would just like to say thank you to Aldwyn & Sons for helping with this feature. I genuinely couldn’t recommend them enough if you are in London definitely give them a visit. By the end of this feature, it’ll be clear why you should. They truly go above and beyond.

    When entering Aldwyn & Sons, you are greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee (one of my favourite things) and a very helpful barista, that will guide you to the treatment room. Now I know this sounds a bit bizarre, but this is because the parlour is located at a hub of male grooming. You have Sharps the barbers on-site and their artisan coffee shop, in case you need that extra pick me up. All in all, I could be quite content spending my entire day here.

    Once you get to the treatment room though, you’ll be greeted by the very dapper Aldwyn, and he will get you settled in for the pedicure. Offering you your choice of hot drink from the coffee shop, as he prepares the foot bath to soak your feet and take all your cares away. Especially great after the morning run, I’d just done!

    As you sit there, letting your feet soak and enjoying your caffeinated beverage of choice. One thing you instantly notice is the relaxing aesthetic of the treatment room. It truly does remind me of a Victorian gentleman’s club, and I’m more than ok with that. It’s masculine and refined but without the toxic stereotypes of masculinity today. A place men can go, feel relaxed and enjoy the experience of taking care of themselves.

    After your feet have been thoroughly soaked, Aldwyn will go on to start clipping your nails and shaping them. The advantage of this is the control this gives over the direction of nail growth. Especially useful in the avoidance of ingrown toenails, which trust me, are best to be avoided!

    Following this, he will go on to add cuticle remover to soften your cuticles and then proceed to push them back, clip them and tidy up your nail bed. By doing this, we avoid any build up of bacteria and ensure healthy nail regrowth. To finish this step of the manicure, Aldwyn went on to apply cuticle oil to my nail beds before letting my feet soak some more. This process conditions the cuticles and nail bed. Leaving a perfect canvas for nail regrowth in the future.

    Once my nails had been suitably pampered, it was then time to focus on removing the hard skin on my feet. Which were now in a prime position to have the hard skin removed, following the foot bath. To do this, Aldwyn used a foot file and gently removed the top layers of hard skin, following up with a foot scrub and moisturiser combo to condition and soften the feet. He explained to me during this step that it is never a good idea to entirely remove all hard skin from our feet. As it acts as a protective barrier, during our day to day lives. Instead, it’s best to manage the hard skin, removing only the top layers and in doing so, maintaining the overall appearance of our feet.

    The next and final step of the pedicure was probably the most relaxing thing I’d done this year. It was time for the foot massage, and honestly, this man is magic with his hands! Based upon the reflexology points in your feet, you will honestly just melt into your chair at this point. Definitely take the extra time and go for ‘The Modern Footman’ treatment, you won’t be disappointed.

    With this final step done, my feet were now ‘summer ready’, and I have to be honest, they felt pretty damn amazing. So it’s definitely a part of my grooming routine, that I’m going to upkeep in the future.

    After-care:

    As usual, I think it’s essential to advise you of any of after-care for the treatments I try out, and in this case, there really isn’t any. Just make sure to keep on top of the moisturiser and nail care in between appointments, to keep your feet looking fresh all summer long!

    Pricing:

    As always we can’t speak for every clinician in the country, but for Aldwyn and his team, the pricing is as follows:

    The Modern Footman: £50.00

    A pedicure consisting of nail and cuticle work, foot filing, exfoliation and moisturising, followed by a foot massage.

    The Quick March: £40.00

    A pedicure consisting of nail and cuticle work, foot filing, exfoliation and moisturising.

     

    Follow on Aldwyn & Sons  Instagram

  • Tom Tries It: Eyebrows: Tinting and Threading

    Tom Tries It: Eyebrows: Tinting and Threading

    The world of male grooming can be a daunting place. With a myriad of product types and treatments available, it’s hard to know what products you need to be using and what treatments are right for you.

    This is why at THEGAYUK, we have sent our beauty expert Thomas Swallow to try them out and decode the enigma of male grooming.

    Carry on reading below, to hear about Tom’s experience trying out Eyebrow/Eyelash Tint and Eyebrow Threading. Missed the first two instalments of this series? Click here to find out about Tom’s previous adventures, where he tried intimate waxing and a dermalux facial.

    So this week you lucky folks get three for the price of one. Yes as the intro would suggest I tried out not one, not two but three male grooming treatments. All focused on taming the two bushy caterpillars on my face that I call my eyebrows and as we didn’t want my lashes getting jealous, we threw them into the mix too. I just wanted to take this chance to thank the team at Blink Brow Bar in Fenwick’s, London for helping with this feature. As you’ll find out as you read on, I couldn’t have been in better hands for this. I did indeed feel very pampered.

    StockSnap / Pixabay

    Eyebrow/Eyelash Tinting:

    What is it?

    So let’s get started with the first two treatments that I had done this week. Eyelash and Eyebrow Tinting is the process of chemically dying your brows and lashes to achieve a darker/more defined colour. Basically just imagine the more professional version of shoving Just for Men on your eyebrows, when you had a bit left over from your beard. Please don’t put that stuff near your eyes though, I beg you! Being a blind panda ain’t a cute look.

    The Treatment:

    Tinting your eyebrows and eyelashes is one of those things, that I personally found super relaxing and satisfying. Essentially you get to just lay back and close your eyes for 10-15 mins and when you open them again, you have not only great looking brows and lashes but a more defined face. Brows really do shape your face gents, so make sure to never overlook them.

    So the treatment will essentially start two days prior to your first appointment. This is when you will do a patch test for the tint, to make sure you aren’t allergic. Following this on the day of your appointment, your treatment will start by your clinician asking you about your desired shade results. Whether you want a more subtle or more dramatic look, they can tailor the results to suit you. This stage is great, as it really does personalise the treatment to yourself and guarantees you get what you want from the treatment.

    Following this, your clinician will mix up your tint and then ask you to lay back so they can apply it to your eyebrows. They do the eyebrows first, as they usually, they take a lot less time to tint than your eyelashes. After the tint has been on a few minutes, they will remove the tint with a moist cotton pad and ask you your opinion on the colour. If you’re happy great, if not they will re-apply the tint to achieve the colour result you want.

    After your eyebrows are the desired colour, your clinician will then move their attention to your eyelashes. Honestly, this sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. Essentially your clinician will line underneath your eyes and your eyelid with a barrier cream (usually petroleum jelly) and then place halved cotton pads under your eyes, to avoid any excess colour running onto your skin. They will then ask you to keep your eyes closed and they will begin to apply the tint. This is a weird sensation I must admit and sometimes there can be a slight tingling sensation but the important thing here is to keep those eye closed. I promise the sensation if any will die down quickly. Your only job now for the next 10 mins or so is to relax and you may even have a little nap if you’re like me. It has been a tiring few weeks, don’t judge.

    My clinician was also super lovely and gave me a shoulder and arm massage while the tint was developing. This was definitely a super sweet thing for her to do and definitely made the whole experience more memorable.

    After the tint has developed for roughly 10 mins, your clinician will begin to remove the tint from your eyelashes. Again it’s super important you don’t open your eyes till your clinician tells you to. It may be tempting but trust me it will sting if you do. They will start the removal process by using damp cotton pads similarly to the eyebrow tint but then due to the sensitive nature of the eye, they will then go on to use water directly on the area to remove any residual tint. Following this process, they will give you two more damp cotton pads for you to use yourself. This is so that you can be sure that all the tint has been removed from the eye. You can now open your eyes and see your newly defined lashes. If you have blue eyes like myself, by the way, I couldn’t recommend this more. It really does make your eyes pop and look so much more intense, in a good way.

    After-Care:

    As always we like to advise you on any necessary after-care for the treatments I try out and to be honest for this treatment, it’s very minimal. Essentially just avoid washing your face till the morning after to increase the longevity of the tint. Simple, right?

    Eyebrow Threading:

    729714 / Pixabay

    What is it?

    Moving on to my third and final treatment I tried this week, I tried the treatment made legend by my female friends. Yes, I indeed tried Eyebrow Threading. Now if you don’t know what eyebrow threading is, it’s essentially the process of using a piece of tightly wound thread to remove hair from the skin. If you’re like me and have female friends that have told you about threading you’d also know it has a reputation for being very painful.

    After trying it myself this, I’ve got to say I don’t really understand how it’s painful. It’s a little uncomfortable but it isn’t painful. You essentially feel a light pull and then nothing. Of course like waxing the amount of pain is definitely down to a lot of factors but if you have a good clinician, I don’t see why you should be in pain.

    The Treatment:

    Anyway now we’ve dispelled that myth and threading clinicians across the country are thanking me for an increase in clientele. Let’s talk about what actually happens when you get your eyebrows threaded. Similarly to the tinting process, your clinician will first do a consultation on how you want to shape your brows. Being myself and liking the natural look, I opted to just get them tidied up but keeping to my natural brow shape. You will then lay back and your clinician will tighten the thread and start the threading process. I was asked to hold my eye area taught with my fingers for the first half of the process for each eye. This was to reduce any pain and make the removal process that much smoother.

    The whole process for each eye took only a couple of minutes and as I said previously, really wasn’t that painful. Following the initial removal, my clinician they asked my opinion on the results and then suggested some further alterations to my brows they could do. This was a great step to include as you could tailor your results to your tastes and the added suggestion was most welcome. Essentially she just asked if she could cut a small section at the front of my brow to make it more even, which of course I said yes to.

    Following this final snip, my brows were then perfectly shaped and the clinician added some soothing aloe gel to the area, to reduce any irritation caused by the hair removal.

    After-Care:

    Similarly to the threading, after-care for threading is very simple. Just don’t wash the area till the morning after and avoid any irritants such as perfumes. Again super simple, right?

    Pricing:

    As with all the features in this series, we can’t give you a definitive price for the treatment. As it really does depend on your clinician and where in the country you live but we can give you the pricing for Blink Brow Bar, to give you a bit of a guideline.

    • Eyelash & Eyebrow Tinting: £30.00

    • Eyebrow Threading: £21.00

    Final Thoughts:

    So it’s safe to say I was pretty impressed with the immediate results these treatments offered. As I said previously my eyes looked more striking, my brows looked more defined and my face as a whole just looked more chiselled. Personally, I think that going forward this will be an essential step in my grooming regime and I’ll definitely be going to the team at Blink Brow Bar in Fenwick’s, London to keep it up.

    I really couldn’t have asked for a better team to do this feature with. They really did tailor the treatment to my specific needs as a client and the results spoke for themselves. I would definitely recommend giving these three brow/lash essentials a go ASAP and if you’re near a Blink Brow Bar branch hit them up. You can thank me later.

    Want to see previews of what’s coming up or just what Tom gets up to in his day to day life? Drop him a follow on his Instagram below, where you can make suggestions for any grooming treatments you’d like to see him try in the near future.

    Follow Thomas Swallow on Instagram

  • Tom Tries It: Dermalux Facial

    Tom Tries It: Dermalux Facial

    The world of male grooming can be a daunting place.

    With a myriad of product types and treatments available, it’s hard to know what products you need to be using and what treatments are right for you. This is why at THEGAYUK we have sent our beauty expert Thomas Swallow to try them out and decode the enigma of male grooming.

    Carry on reading below, to hear about Tom’s experience trying a Dermalux Facial for the first time. Missed the first instalment of this series? Click here to find out about Tom’s previous adventure, where he tried intimate waxing.

    Check them out on Instagram

    What is a Dermalux Facial?

    Now I have to admit until I first went into 193 Whitecross Street for my previous adventure in intimate waxing, I hadn’t really heard of a Dermalux facial before either but once Elizabeth from London Professional Aesthetics explained the procedure to me, I knew I had to give it a try.

    Essentially the Dermalux Facial is an LED light facial, where the different wavelengths of light penetrate the skin and cause different positive reactions. The treatment can be targeted to specific skin concerns and tailored to fit every client’s needs. All resulting in less-inflamed and more rejuvenated skin. A quick summary of what each of the 3 wavelengths of light do, can be seen below.

    Infrared Light:

    Supercharges cells in the Dermis, enhancing rejuvenating properties within the skin, increasing hydration levels and boosting collagen levels. All resulting in a more youthful and radiant complexion.

    Near-Infrared Light:

    Causes regeneration in the skin’s deepest layers, increasing blood circulation allowing an increased flow of nutrients and oxygen to the skin. Accelerating repair, reducing inflammation and reducing sensitivity for those suffering from skin conditions, such as rosacea.

    Blue Light:

    Targets bacteria in the Epidermis and causes a chemical reaction, whereby spots are reduced and the skin is left blemish free.

    During the Treatment:

    Each Dermalux Facial treatment at London Professional Aesthetics starts with a sit-down consultation with Elizabeth to build a profile of your skin and to record any relevant medical information. Having been a Nurse Practitioner in the NHS for many years, it’s safe to say you’re in good hands here.

    Following the initial consultation, Elizabeth will then go on to cleanse your face with a mild chemical exfoliant. This is to remove any dirt from the skin and leave your skin in the best state, to absorb the LED light.

    She will then take you down to the Dermalux Facial studio where all the magic happens. Once down there Elizabeth will set up the machine for your desired treatment and then ask you to lay down, while she positions the machine and puts goggles over your eyes. The next 20 mins or so of the appointment is quite simple, you lay back and relax. It’s ok to fall asleep here, the light is very soothing and I have to admit, I did have a cat nap.

    After your 20 minutes of bliss, Elizabeth will then finish the treatment by prepping your skin with a vitamin C serum and some SPF. Always important to use following any vitamin C treatment! Basically, you end up leaving with a visibly brighter and clearer complexion.

    Elizabeth would recommend repeating the treatment once every one or two weeks, in order to achieve the long term benefits.

    Pricing:

    Like the waxing, of course, we cannot comment for every aesthetician in the country who does this procedure. In terms of Elizabeth from London Professional Aesthetics though, who by far we would recommend over the rest. The pricing is as follows:

    Single Session: £50.00
    A course of Six: £260.00
    A Course of Twelve: £500.00

    Final Thoughts:

    I have to say from start to finish, I couldn’t fault any aspect of this treatment or the service I received by Elizabeth and the London Professional Aesthetic team at 193 Whitecross Street. In terms of the treatment, I visibly saw a difference in my skin after one treatment and continuously saw this difference in my skin for at least the next two weeks. As a regular aspect of my grooming regime, I would definitely invest in this treatment if my skin concerns were more prevalent. Due to me having very few breakouts and my face being the one area of my skin, that isn’t very sensitive. I personally wouldn’t go every other week to get the treatment but in terms of an instant pick me up for my skin when getting ready for an event, I would definitely do so! To sum up, it’s a pretty amazing treatment and I will be making another appointment very soon.

    Want to check out Elizabeth’s website for yourself? To visit the London Professional Aesthetics click here and 193 Whitecross Street sites click here.

  • Tom Tries It: What it’s like to get an Intimate Waxing

    Tom Tries It: What it’s like to get an Intimate Waxing

    The world of male grooming can be a daunting place. With a myriad of product types and treatments available, it’s hard to know what products you need to be using and what treatments are right for you. This is why at THEGAYUK, we have sent our beauty expert Thomas Swallow to try them out and decode the enigma of male grooming.

    CREDIT: Depositphotos ( FILE PHOTO)

    Carry on reading below, to hear about Tom’s experience trying intimate waxing for the first time. Yes, you heard right, he even put his manhood on the line this week!

    So as the intro suggests, this week to kick off this new series I put my manhood on the line and leapt into the world of male intimate waxing. I really don’t do things by halves, could have started with a cheeky chest wax but no, not me. With the help of Jimmy Bodur Male Grooming inside the 193 Whitecross Street clinic in London, we went all out and did the full Hollywood wax experience. Yes, I am now quite literally as smooth as a baby’s butt!

    So if you’ve ever been curious about waxing your meat and two veg, then make sure to carry on reading. As myself and Jimmy take you through the whole procedure from preparation to after-care.

    So what is intimate waxing?

    (C) BIGSTOCK (FILE PHOTO)

    I suppose the best place to start for those of you who don’t know, is to explain just exactly what intimate waxing is.

    The basic premise of waxing is to use warm or hot wax, to physically remove hair from the body. In the case of warm wax, this is often done with the help of waxing strips that adhere to the wax and help the remove the product and hair from the skin. When dealing with hot wax, however, the use of a waxing strip is often not needed. The wax is left to cool on the skin and then removed directly.

    Intimate waxing as the name suggests is the same premise but centred around the removal of hair from the genital area. There are two main types of intimate waxing offered to men:

    1. The Hollywood Wax: The complete removal of all hair from the pubic triangle, balls, penis, scrotum, buttocks and crack.

    2. The Brazilian Wax:The complete removal of all hair from the balls, penis, scrotum, buttocks and crack. While only trimming down the pubic triangle.

    So, of course, we went for the Hollywood option! It was the week of my birthday, we had to go all out!

    How to prepare for intimate waxing?

    (C) BIGSTOCK (FILE PHOTO)

    Now, this is something that I definitely thought was more daunting than it actually was. Personally, I thought there would be a multitude of steps in getting your skin/hair ready for waxing. Whereas Jimmy outlined it all in 3 simple steps:
    1. Don’t moisturise the area on the day of waxing, otherwise, it will be harder for the wax to adhere to the hairs.

    1. Don’t do any sports or gym work for at least 3 hours prior to your appointment. We need to be clean and avoid sweat here guys!

    2. Finally, simply don’t shave or trim the area being waxed. I was personally conscious of this, may have let the bush grow out a bit to make sure it was long enough. Jimmy very simply said though, if it needs trimming I’ll do it. If the hair is too short or too long, the wax can’t adhere.

    Simple right?

    During the treatment:

    Now, this is the bit that I know you’re all the most curious about. We’ve all heard the stories of how much waxing hurts and I’m not going to lie to you and say it’s painless. When being waxed you are physically ripping the hair from your skin and so, of course, it is going to painful. Especially in sensitive areas. <

    What I will say though, is that it is in no way as painful as you think it is going to be. The best way I can describe it is a burning sensation that goes away just as quickly as it comes. Of course, there are certain areas that are more sensitive and naturally feel more painful than others but with a light bit of pressure from Jimmy’s hand on the skin afterwards, the burning sensation quickly disappeared.

    This is why it’s important to have an expert clinician like Jimmy doing a procedure like this though. The pain you experience is directly relational to how good your clinician is. If they can get the wax on and off in a quick and effective motion, the pain will be minimal. If they don’t know what they’re doing and are tugging at the wax, it’s gonna hurt like hell!

     

    So now the pain rumours have been dispelled, let’s get on to going through the procedure:

    1. Jimmy had me get on my elbows and knees to wax my buttocks and crack. This position although a little embarrassing is the best position you can be in for getting waxed in this area. The skin is made taught in the position and ensure the wax can be removed easily and effectively.

    2. He started proceedings by checking the temperature of the hot wax against my skin and then dripping some down my crack. By doing this step first, he was allowing the hot wax to cool and adhere to the hair between my cheeks as long as possible.

    3. While cooling he then went on to use warm wax along with waxing strips to remove the exterior hair on my buttocks and lower back. By doing warm waxing in these less sensitive areas, he was able to remove the hair in the most effective and speedy manner.

    4. It was time to wax my crack and honestly, I thought this part was going to be the most painful out of the entire treatment. You know, nerve endings and all that! Surprisingly though, it was the least painful and after expressing my shock to Jimmy, he explained why. Basically, using hot wax is a much more painless method of hair removal than using warm wax and therefore he only ever uses hot wax on sensitive areas.

    5. Jimmy then went on to moisturise the entire area and by the time he was done, I was pain-free and smooth as a baby!

    6. After I had my smooth baby butt, I was asked to lay on my back and think of England. It was time to wax little Tom! Now similarly to waxing my crack, Jimmy used hot wax to remove the hair from my frontal area. This was by no means as pain-free as having my crack waxed but it wasn’t unbearable. Surprisingly though, it was my pubic triangle that actually caused the most pain but as I said earlier, with a light bit of pressure from Jimmy the pain was gone in seconds.

    7. Finally, once all the hair had been removed, Jimmy went on to moisturise the area and once again by the time he was done, I was pain-free. Job’s a good’un, as my dad would say.

    After-care:

    Similarly to the preparation stage, I thought this would be a lot more complicated than it actually was. The basic premise for after-care, was as follows:

    1. Just don’t shower for the first 24 hrs and when you do, make it a cool shower. You need to let your skin recover after hair removal and the best way is to let it rest for the first 24 hrs, while the skin barrier repairs.

    2. Avoid any fragrance for the first 24 hrs and avoid any sporting activity for the next 48 hrs. As with the showering, this is to avoid any unnecessary irritation to the skin.

    3. Following this initial period, the after-care is straightforward. Exfoliate once a week to avoid ingrown hairs and apply moisturiser regularly to avoid irritation.

    How much does it cost?

    Well obviously we can’t speak for every single salon in the UK but in terms of Jimmy, who is by far our recommendation. The pricing is as follows:
    Male Brazilian Waxing: £50.00

    Male Hollywood Waxing: £60.00

    Personally, for the level of service you get, I think the pricing is completely justified. Obviously, this is all subjective but for a treatment that lasts for around 6 weeks, I think the results by far justify the pricing.

    Final thoughts:

    You know I can safely say, that I’m glad I tried the whole Hollywood waxing experience at least once in my life. It’s a strange sensation at first being completely hairless down there but I think aesthetically everything just looks well-groomed and sharper.

    So would I have it done again? You know, I probably would. I would definitely have my ass waxed again, as I don’t feel I could deal with a hairy crack again after this but I would possibly opt for a Brazilian wax next time. Basically, I’d go through it all again but maybe just trim the bush. You know to avoid the most painful part!

    Finally, I just wanted to say a massive thank you again to Jimmy Bodur Male Grooming and the entire 193 Whitecross Street team, for all their help in making this feature. He’s a great guy and they are a great team, so I definitely recommend giving them a visit the next time you are in London!