In the beauty industry, there are some very quietly whispered affairs usually known as beauty secrets. When it concerns men, then it almost always starts like an underground movement.
One of those movements happens to
be male grooming. But not just any ordinary grooming. It’s manscaping. The term
is described in the Urban Dictionary as
“to groom a man-shaving, waxing, cleaning up the superfluous fur.” Or as “a
term used to define male grooming below the belt. A male can use either an
electric razor or a regular razor. A Mach 3 is preferable with the ladies…so
men must educate themselves on proper manscaping and maintenance techniques”
In the midst of some hilarious
definitions also erupts “a fine art form exclusive to men; the continued upkeep
of exceptional hygiene and strategic hair removal as they pertain to the male
body”
Hair
removal
As women, we have many a variation
of our own when it comes to hair removal. It has become normal to ask for the
landing strip. With men, however, manscaping may be growing more and more popular,
but its penetration into the Kenyan market is akin to a State secret.
But it now appears fate has an
ironic sense of humor because the men are having their turn at their version of
bikini waxing. Why, one may wonder, has ridding a man of his bodily hairs
become trendy? Well, there is the simple truth that men are just as vain as
women are.
But manscaping has not been
embraced by the typical male. Reports in women’s publications, websites and
blogs indicate that David Beckham and Sean “Puffy” Combs are legendary for
manscaping. Of course by now t has been clearly established that they are also
metrosexuals. Their influence, earning power and sheer star power also makes
them unmistakable alpha males.
Male grooming is also a trend on
runways, magazines and on male celebrities, particularly those who are brand
ambassadors.
An even more discernible trend is
that men’s underwear is becoming smaller, more fitted and rests lower on the
pelvic bone. And because the sight of hair around the privates is perceived to sexualize
the picture much more, the result has been to trim the errant hair. You see it
in advertising. Men’s hair is visually disappearing, at least in the public.
When Beckham was the face - and
body- of Armani underwear for men, and now his recently launched underwear
line, he was the world’s most photographed male. He steadily reset the standard
for male grooming and what masculine beauty means. At least when the men are
topless. In defense of manscaping, muscle tone is actually enhanced on a “naked”
form.
Manscaping is not exactly the kind
of conversation Kenyan men are having in public. They are, however, having it. How
do I know, you ask? Email inquiries. It is a trend with growing local traction.
The professional options are very
limited to the point where they do not necessarily exist. Salons and spas are
generally very female places. Nothing about them is likely to entice a man to
walk in. not with the fruity, flowery aromas and the heavy female presence.
It is not a service you can
casually ask for at the barber’s either. And just like bikini waxing for women,
manscaping is a matter of preference with discretion, where should he go? An exclusive
spa is your best bet. Exclusive-read expensive-means they normally have
treatments specifically geared towards men or sessions for couples. They are
already familiar with your need for discretion. Call ahead and make
arrangements.
You could also retrieve an article
by Christopher Hitchens in a 2007 Vanity Fair
edition where he wrote about his experience manscaping. It is quite
illuminating on what you’re getting yourself into.
One reason manscaping has not
picked up that much here is that we are a conservative country. Another is men
perceive waxing to be torture and regard it with a lot of suspicion.
Brought
to the fore
It is curious that manscaping is
regarded as a metrosexual activity yet it has been brought to the fore by men
charged with teresterone such as athletes and body builders. Their bodies are
instruments and they have learnt to sharpen it.
I am aware though that people have
personal relationships with their bodies and that male grooming is not every
man’s preserve. But once you choose the manscaping option, rather than arm
yourself with various razors and lock yourself in the bathroom, go to the professional.
Here, you will also learn how to sustain the manscaper’s lifestyle should you
choose to undertake it.
The kind of man most likely drawn
to this trend would be in his late 20’s through to his 30’s possibly with a cap
on 40, an age where a man will is likely to be set in his ways.
Further insight into the manscaping
trend can be found in the vast versatile categories that the market is
providing when it comes to men’s shaving products. The market is making it
easier to get rid of hairs from head to toe.
Research, though not in Kenya, has
proven that men who manscape do so because the women in their lives asked them
too.
It has a snowball effect and is
slowly catching on. Of course it could also be a passing fad that will run its
course soon enough, allowing the world to step back 40 years to re-embrace the
hairy look. One can never really tell until a tipping point, such as a skyscraper-sized
billboard of a half-naked hairy footballer pops up
Article appeared in the Sunday Nation April 8, 2012, pictures added.
by Carol Odero
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