Gone are the days when beauty cosmetic accessories were part and parcel of girls only, as today’s boys also believe in improving their looks and maintain a certain image. More and more males are heading towards the parlours that specialise in men’s grooming.
With the mushrooming of number of male beauty parlours in various localities of the federal capital, the number of beauty conscious boys have multiplied manifold who are frequently visiting these salons to make sure that their grooming is ensured properly.
Caring for one’s looks used to be considered a prerogative of women, but that perception has taken changed. During the last few years, educated, affluent teenagers or boys in late 20’s with well-paid jobs have emerged as a group that seeks to nurture what nature has endowed them with in the looks department. A number of exclusive salons for men, dotting the city in F-6, F-7, F-8, F-10, and G-6, G-10, G-11, testify that men are not lagging far behind in the race for beauty. Though, the trend is a recent one, the number of men resorting to the expert and caring hands of beauticians is certainly on the rise. ‘Persona for Men’s’ offers distinctive hair cutting and styling in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere that carries an air of elegance. One can see men of all age groups come, but the executives are interested in their image and appearance, a major part of which is healthy, styled hair. It is a common trend in teens to keep changing their hair colour. Getting a few blond streaks or going for a total colour change has become a norm for many youngsters, who are heavily influenced by the fashion and styles they see on TV or in magazines. Some of the local popular salons have their own brand of products.
On a busy Sunday evening, Ali Hassan and Talha Shakil, wait in the queue at a local beauty salon exclusive for men at F-8. They are here for a facial, which is light work compared to what this salon does – one of the busiest male salons in Islamabad, has on offer. Ali is lucky to have the chance to occupy a chair after a few minutes of arrival. As the attendant beautician, referred plainly, while the ‘barber’ at the salon massages the white paste on Talha’s face, he speaks of his fixation on his look. He proudly announces that he belongs to that group of beauty conscious men who are willing to spend some time at the care of the beautician once or twice a week.
Both Ali and Talha are teachers at a local private university and are determined to look their best while at work. “I teach fashion design, and I feel that as a teacher of a subject that has to do with glamour, I cannot look a nerd. Looking one’s best is important. I must look my best while I’m facing my students,” says Talha whose emphasis is on looking revitalised and well-groomed.
“Men’s look has little to do with the colour of the skin. It is not about fairness but about ‘freshness’,” said Ali who visits FW twice a week to do the facial. “It is cheap, and it yields results,” ensured Ali. For Ali, who is a colleague of Talha, it is a maiden visit to a parlour. “I’ve my own personal kit at home. I did a short course on grooming and I take care of myself on a weekly basis,” said Ali who was inspired by Talha to visit FW with a view that the beauticians here are caring.
For both of them, maintaining the look is a serious pursuit. “We never consider it a superficial aim. In a globalised culture looks are a serious matter. Apply for a job at any multinational company, and you’d realise that good looks is one of the criteria landing a good job,” said Ali.
However, the rationale behind taking care of one’s look is not only to be found in social acceptance. The question of self-esteem is also deeply attached to it. How one wants to project oneself in the society is something that is very important and it is eternally tied to the ability to take care of one’s appearance. A well-groomed look certainly goes to bolster one’s confidence. Tahir Niaz, a frequent visitor to another beauty parlour in F-10, feels that it is the media that has created this awareness.
“I always go for a facial, as it cleanses the skin and makes one look fresh and shiny,” says Niaz, who feels that looking good is an important part of one’s personality.
“I’ve seen many of my friends transform into confident men after going through treatments at beauty salons. It had a positive effect on their personalities,” opines Tariq Malik, who has recently completed his education from UK.
The in-charge of a local beauty salon feels that the number of customers opting for various beauty treatments is increasing. “It is not only the young who are coming to the parlour; older men want to look their best too and are coming to us for various treatments. The 14 barbers that work here are sometimes hard put to tackle the influx of customers, which is certainly on the rise,” says the owner of Men’s, a beauty parlour.
He said his beauty salon specialised in many things, from waxing to manicure, pedicure, from ear piercing to ear wash, from face wash to bleach, from massage to body piercing and tattoos, everything is available here. “We specialise in a bleach treatment where a mixed fruit pack is used. “And body piercing – ear, tongue, naval and nipple piercing is our specialisation, and tattoo is the hottest item in our list,” he maintained. He also points out that it is a haircut for which most men come to the parlour. Besides catering to the regular customer, our salon offers a three-hour-long package for the groom.”
“We prepare the bridegroom exclusively so that one can go straight to the community centre from the parlour,” he said. So, the beauty business certainly has gone through a change in the last five years to accommodate a new category of clientele – the metrosexual males, as beauty conscious men are called in current jargon. Catering to this category of men is now a thriving business.
Youngsters and parlour owners are confident that in the future more men will find their way into the salons to have their looks improved.
Everyone is doing facials nowadays so why shouldn’t he? And it would also revitalise his skin. “Times have changed and with it, the age-old notion that men need to look rugged and macho has become passé. Men are now a more conscious gender, caring about their looks and posture,” commented a teenager Ahad Ahmed, a resident of F-7.
For years, it was taken for granted that it is women who had the right to spend hours dressing up for a date, while the typical man is allowed only a few minutes. While this ritual of making oneself up still remains an integral part of all women, the men of today also have suddenly taken a bold step forward and are resorting to beauty treatment. The men are now more conscious about their looks and their attire. More and more men, especially the younger generation can be seen mulling over the choices of facials they have, the options that they have with various types of haircuts. Male salons are a new pampering and entertaining concept that cater to men’s haircuts -from the conventional to ultra funky, massages, manicures and all other grooming treatments. Why simply look good when one can feel good inside as well? These hair and facial treatments also help the gents to take better care of their hair and skin to combat the effects of the pollution and dust of Islamabad. Whatever the reason, men have started caring more about their personal hygiene and looks and the salons have come up with treatments to help them.
