Business Is Grooming
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday October 5, 2002
Peter Vincent heads into the sweet-smelling territory men often fear to tread.
If you're anything like me, the words "skin care" are an absolute mystery and the likelihood of actually purchasing anything described as such is remote at best.
So it was with no small amount of alarm that, strictly for the purposes of research, I agreed, under extreme duress you have to understand, to have ... no ... undergo, no ... endure, a facial.
My attendant, Angela, was very softly spoken, which only added to the dream-like ambience inside the Jurlique Wellness Day Spa in Chatswood. The muzak was floaty, the chat friendly but minimal. No, I wasn't the first man through the doors. Yes, I could close my eyes and imagine myself playing in the grand final if it helped me relax.
Afterwards my skin felt softer and cleaner, but the fragrances were overpowering - I drove home feeling like I'd been rolling around in a giant basket of potpourri.
As it turns out, the basics for good skin are the same for men as for women. Minimising fatty food and alcohol is crucial, but the ongoing maintenance, which initially seems so baffling, is actually quite simple. Most women follow a three-step process: cleanse, tone and moisturise.
A cleanser removes dirt and excess oil, a toner helps absorb moisture, moisturiser rehydrates the skin.
Turi Blake, spokeswoman for The Body Shop, says men are becoming more interested and confident about grooming. "There isn't the stigma there once was. Years ago men would nick in and quickly buy something and skulk out. Now they come right up to the counter and ask specific questions."
But not so confident that they are treated the same as female customers. "The names on all the men's products are very simple and straightforward," Blake says. "Our market research tells us men like the labelling to be very clear and obvious, in terms of what it is and how to use it."
Jurlique
This boutique Australian label boasts chemical-free cosmetics. It stocks mainly women's gear, but does make a few men's products, including a herbal antioxidant moisturiser ($23.28 for 40mL), foaming facial cleanser ($34.66 for 200mL), herbal shaving gel ($22.88 for 100mL), herbal aftershave ($23.10 for 100mL) and moisturising calendula cream ($46.90 for 125mL), which is a soothing agent made for those who work outdoors, teenagers and those who get shaving rash. Blokes can even indulge in an hour-long facial for $75.
1/1B The Strand Arcade, 412 George Street, city, 9231 0626, or 1800 805 286 for other stores.
The Body Shop
Just so there's no confusion, The Body Shop men's range is called Mechanics for Men and comes in grey and blue tubes. The basics are also clearly named: Face Wash (soap-free), Face Scrub and Face Protector (moisturiser), which are $18.95 each for 100mL tubes. Also stocks a wide range of men's accessories, including shaving cream (with coconut oil), a nifty travel razor ($5.35) that pops up like a tube of lipstick and aftershave gel. The hemp range of hand, feet and body creams (which come in funky aluminium packaging) is also popular with blokes.
Warringah Mall, Brookvale, 9905 7157, or 1800 065 232 for other stores.
Lush
This no-fuss store isn't nearly as intimidating as most skin-care outlets. It has a large range of unisex products and a dedicated men's line, too. Included are: Coalface ($16 for 100g), a black facial cleansing bar which contains liquorice and charcoal; Ocean Salt ($19.75 for 100g), a cream-based foaming facial scrub made from sea salt with lime extract and vodka; and Cosmetic Lad ($22.45 for 50g), a creamy moisturiser. Lush also sells a tea-tree water-based toner for oily skin ($17 for 250mL).
Shop 2127A, Westfield Parramatta, 159 Church Street, Parramatta, 9687 2576.
Ciao Bella Salon
Stocks unisex Dermalogica products. The most popular with men are special cleansing gel ($45 for 237mL), skin prep scrub exfoliant ($42.50 for 74mL) and the oil-free moisturiser, active moist ($47 for 52mL). It also sells a spray-on SPF 25 waterproof sunblock ($40 for 118mL) and does a "rebalancing" 75-minute skin treatment for men ($80) which includes cleansing, exfoliation, pressure-point massage, a mask, plus hand, arm, foot and leg massage.
32A Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 9361 0612.
Grace Bros
The city store has a vast (almost overwhelming) range of cosmetics and fragrance counters at ground level. Men should look out for Biotherm (a large men's range), Aramis (which makes two series for men - Lab and Surface), and Clinique (specialises in women's skin care, but has a small men's range). Biotherm and Aramis have free sampler packs to ease the way for first-time buyers. Grace Bros also has a wide choice of men's fragrances, including top sellers such as Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gio and Ralph Lauren's Polo Sport.
436 George street, city, 9238 9111.
Fuss Spa
This unisex beauty salon carries the highly rated Dermalogica skin care range, but also Pevonia products, which are made for men aged over 30 or those who work outdoors. The Pevonia range includes aqua gel, a combined exfoliant/cleanser ($65), a dry skin moisturiser ($50) and eye zone balm cream ($65), which hydrates and strengthens the skin around the eyes. A "gent's" one-hour facial is $95, which includes a mask (the most popular choice is the multivitamin one, which is recommended for smokers) and upper body and foot massage.
No 3, 5-11 Boundary Street, Rushcutters Bay, 9331 7166.
© 2002 Sydney Morning Herald