The rise of the metrosexual male.

metrosexual

noun: metrosexual; plural noun: metrosexuals

1. a heterosexual urban man who enjoys shopping, fashion, and similar interests traditionally associated with women or homosexual men.

 

David Beckham. The Dream.

 

You only have to switch on your television to be greeted with an abundance of metrosexual men. Reality TV shows like Geordie Shore, Made in Chelsea and TOWIE feature young adult males who aren't phased by going for a quick sunbed after the gym, or spending longer checking themselves out in the mirror than their girlfriends. The 'Caveman' look is a distant memory, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Of course, there is the odd few who take it just a little too far..

..Not the Dream.

But the majority seem to get it right. Why should we spend hours getting ready when men can just roll out of bed, brush their teeth and think they are set for the day? It isn't fair, and it is about time they started taking care of their appearance. No woman (that I know, anyway) would want to marry a man with greasy, messy hair, unclean man with badly fitted clothes and a beer belly.

Take my boyfriend for example. He hits the gym almost every day, dresses impeccably, has the odd sunbed and always wears just the right amount of Hugo Boss. OK, I might be being slightly bias here, so I tracked down some other males to ask about their grooming regimes.

Joe Richardson

 

Joe Richardson is 24 and works as a field sales executive. He was just 16 when he started indulging in a treatment (or ten!)

"I go on sunbeds, get my eyebrows plucked, moisturise daily and get my hair cut every two weeks. I have worn makeup before, and do still like to wear eyeliner. I've never had a 'back, sack and crack'; I prefer to just shave those areas myself. I also used to have facials."

Alex Adcocks

 

Alex Adcocks, 23 confessed to slacking on the grooming front but admits that it doesn’t really bother him.

"I use cleanser and moisturiser when I shave but not really anything else. I don't wear make-up but I did go through a little 'emo' phase when I was about 15 so maybe the occasional bit of eyeliner but no anymore. I don't remove hair from anywhere other than my face and never have. I wouldn't say I take that good care of my appearance."

'Wallflower' Adam enjoying a quiet night out.

 

Adam Murphy, 21, primps and preens himself probably more than the average female. Although he is homosexual, I was so intrigued by his regime I would include it to show the extremes some men go to. He started using sunbeds age 17, and over the last four years has managed to build up a pretty intense grooming regime.

Working as a hairdresser since he left college, Adam cuts and colours his hair every two weeks. But that is merely the tip of the iceberg.

"I have my eyebrows tinted and threaded, my eyelashes tinted, my beard line threaded, and I get my arm pits waxed. I shave my chest, and even though I don't have a hairy back I still get a 'back, sack and crack' wax. I get manicures, use sunbeds, moisturise everywhere twice a day, I draw my eyebrows on every day and most days I will also wear makeup, mainly bronzer. I do it as it gives me more confidence! A lot of my gay friends do all of the above and most of my straight friends have their brows done too!"

The TOWIE boys...the cause of the metrosexual madness?

 

Suzanne Rowbotham, has been running her Sheffield beauty salon, The Blossom Tree, for over eight years. It was until the last year that the demand for male beauty treatments because so big that she decided to open a male grooming lounge, The Fig Tree. "I have always offered unisex treatments, but I noticed such a large increase in male clientele over the last year that I decided to open The Fig Tree."

Offering a wide range of treatments from waxing, massage, facials and shaving, Suzanne opened the male only salon so men didn’t feel "too girly" coming into a beauty salon. It also prevents the chance of her female clients feeling awkward or uncomfortable getting treatments whilst men are in the room.

"Male grooming is definitely on the up. We tend to get the younger lads in for eyebrow shapes and spray tans and the older generation visiting us for more relaxing treatments such as facials and massage. I think 'The Only Way is Essex' has a lot to do with the growth in male grooming too!"

Check out The Blossom Tree at: https://www.facebook.com/suzieblossom

or The Fig Tree: https://www.facebook.com/suzieblossom#!/Malegroominglounge

Looking back on the rise of the metresexual male, I can remember a few trends from the last few years. First there was the awful 'deep V' T-shirts. Anything with nipples on show in public should be illegal. Then there was the famous All Saints army boots! Then Nike blazers, sleeve tattoos and snap back hats. And at the moment it seems to be the little top-knot hairstyle teamed with a beard. I must admit I am a fan of the latter. As long as the beard is regularly trimmed and crumb-free.

 

Does anyone else have an impressive beauty regieme or know anybody that does?

Are you a fan of the metrosexual or do you prefer the 'rugged' look?

I would love to hear from you!

Claudia

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