With an increasing number of men having a desire to look and feel their best, offering male treatments in your salon means you can boost and diversify your client base.
The last few years have seen an increased interest in male grooming practices, along with men’s perception of these treatments. Outdated ideals of masculinity are being replaced by more contemporary ones, while gender neutrality in beauty and fashion is another rising trend that is helping to pave the way for inclusivity.
According to Sisu Clinic, an aesthetics chain with 16 branches in Ireland, more and more men are using its services, with about 15% of its client base now being male. The company believes this shift has come about for a number of reasons, including changing social norms as men, like their female counterparts, now have a desire to look and feel their best.
Skin & Bodyworks, which has two clinics in Navan and Ratoath, Co Meath, offers a range of male treatments, such as laser hair removal, waxing, facials, tanning, manicures and pedicures.
“When I initially opened my business, I was based out of a gym and I offered sports massage to male clients there,” says owner Andrea Farrelly. “Then when I moved to my own premises, they followed me there, and organically those clients started having other treatments, such as a deep cleanse facial, or having their brow and nose hairs trimmed. I realised that men love being pampered just as much as we women do, but they won’t admit it as much. Since then, we have built a large male client base and now offer a menu of treatments specially for them.”
“We have always offered treatments for men in our salon, but lately we have noticed our male clientele has grown hugely,” says Annie Kennedy, co-owner of The Beauty Room Greystones in Co Wicklow.
“Catering to male clients has allowed us to diversify our client base, reducing our reliance on a single demographic. There is an awareness out there about the importance of self-care, and clients of all genders are taking the time to look after themselves.”
There is an awareness out there about the importance of self-care, and clients of all genders are taking the time to look after themselves
Popular requests
According to Kennedy, laser hair reduction is among the salon’s most popular treatments. “It’s great to see our male clients’ confidence increase after having this done – it can be life-changing for some men as they can feel very self-conscious when going on holidays or to the gym.”
Laser treatments can also help men achieve a sharp, clean beard line. As well as saving time on daily maintenance, this treatment option reduces ingrown beard hairs that many men struggle with, and also helps to treat folliculitis.
There are some noticeable differences when treating male clients for laser hair removal, particularly around variations in hair growth patterns, skin thickness and hormonal influences, so it’s important to take all of this into consideration. Men tend to have thicker and coarser hair that is commonly found on the face, chest, back and shoulders, so laser settings may need to be adjusted to accommodate different hair types and ensure optimal results.
Hormones, particularly testosterone, can contribute to the growth of coarse, dense hair, and cause hair to grow back over time. This may lead to male clients needing more sessions or maintenance to manage the regrowth. Male skin is also generally thicker, meaning that they can potentially absorb more laser energy, so it’s important to adjust the laser intensity and duration to avoid burns or hyperpigmentation.
“Pedicures are also a big hit with our male clients, along with skin treatments, specifically the HydraFacial,” says Kennedy.
“Our male clients love the HydraFacial as well,” says Farrelly. “We have a male trio offering, where we trim their ear and nose hair, and their brows, and that is very popular too. I find that once men try something more than a maintenance treatment, they love it. They realise it is OK for them to have facials and a bit of pampering and they start to really enjoy it. They are also great students – if you recommend skin products to them, they are more than happy to try them.”
We have a male trio offering, where we trim their ear and nose hair, and their brows, and that is very popular too
All-inclusive
If you are offering male treatments in your salon, there is no rule that says you have to perform them in a separate section. “We are a unisex clinic so all our treatments are done in the same area,” explains Farrelly. “Since we opened, we have always offered male treatments, so we have had that unisex appearance from the start. I believe it is good for business to be open to everyone.”
“We don’t have a separate area for male treatments – we have our designated treatment spaces and these are for everyone,” says Kennedy. “For us as therapists, there is very little difference between treatments for men and women, although a lot of men opt out of a polish after a pedicure! We do have a separate page on our website dedicated to male treatments because when we designed the site, we wanted to make sure that everyone felt comfortable visiting us. Being inclusive is very important to us.”
Neither is there a need to have specific staff members do male treatments. “A few of our therapists are trained in male waxing, but the only difference really is that obviously men usually have more hair, so the treatment can take a little longer, but we allow adequate time for this,” says Farrelly. “When it comes to skin treatments and massages, all our therapists are trained and comfortable to treat both men and women.”
From a business perspective, offering male treatments can boost footfall and profits, and position your salon as a reputable establishment that welcomes everyone. “Providing services that meet the specific needs and preferences of male clients is good for client loyalty,” notes Kennedy. “This inclusivity reflects the evolving nature of the beauty industry, where traditional gender norms are being challenged and businesses are adapting to meet the diverse needs of their clients.”
“Men are human too – they have skin concerns and conditions just like women, and they like to have smooth and hair-free backs for their summer holidays, the same way as women like to have smooth and hair-free legs,” notes Farrelly.
This article was published in the July/August issue of PB/HJ Ireland.
