Friday, June 27, 2008

It's A Guy Thing

Guys before you close this page at the sight of a correction stick please note that it’s for you. See there, Clinique Stick Correcteur for men. That’s a pocket size concealer pen that can go with you from the office to the pub. Apply it to hide the razor bump marks and other blemishes for an even toned skin. But the razor bumps may be non existent in the first place because you probably also use MenScience Shea Butter Intensive moisturizer.

There is nothing wrong with a guy looking after himself. Top designers like Clinique, Clarins and Lancome have long known that and are making a killing out of masculine skin care products. While the male cosmetic market is not as old and flourishing as female, it has grown very rapidly over the years and sales of male grooming products are leaping by the billions. That means there’s something there. The idea is, if you can spend money on cologne to smell good, why not spend money on products to look good.

When our grandfathers think of grooming, they think of soap. Tough gritty Dark Age soap that you showered with and then lathered the same to use as you would lotion. More recent generations of men can talk about Rexona, Imperial Leather and Old Spice among other products. They can go further and incorporate shower gel, shaving cream, aftershave and cologne. But of late there is also the man who is as much at home having facials, manicures and pedicures as he is having botox injections.

There are only so many ways you can sell three-step-cleansing kits and other beauty handsome products to men – high quality, macho packaging (no pink bubbles) and tough as nails names. No small time romances in the naming. It’s gruff and vaguely scientific names like Bath Bombs, Brute, Free Range Chicken Poop Lip Balm (Ok that’s not for men), Apothecary, Anthony Logistics Hair Treatment, Ultraceuticals Even Skintone Serum ………. you get the drift. And not so gentle on the instructions either. Don’t ask the guys to dab them gently and apply in circular motions. They need hard working moisturizers and lip exfoliators so tell them to slap them on rub hard.

Ladies whose guys have taken grooming to the next level are lucky they don’t have such a hard time manscaping. What’s more, you can compare notes with your man on whose eyebrow shaping and colouring came out better. It’s so much easier for you to gift shop for him. Over the years you have bought him enough wallets and belts. Now you can have a longer list of possibilities with gifts like microfine soothing facial scrub, Almond hand/nail cream or soothing lip exfoliator. But when your toner is finished do not attempt to go for his. What looks like a friendly bottle of bubbles could turn out to be a harsh wake up call. Macho products have some extra bite. It’s a guy thing.

21 Comments:

Anonymous said...

yourpost has left me laughing!im sure my wife would concur with you that i should carry around that correction stick, but id be caught dead doing that.Well i take care of myself but that stick looks like lipstick may just send the wrong signals and somebody grabs my...#$%@

Shiko-Msa said...

ha ha Nairobian. Wearing make up is a tiring business believe me. Even for us ladies. The touch ups and all are just a real chore. Mrs Nairobian would start wondering what's happening if you buy this one coz it sure looks like lipstick. Groom on though. Just enough.

Maua said...

hey,you, I can't even begin to justify him looking good(better i mean), seriously, hebu imagine

Mr maua: powder yangu imeisha, umeweka wapi yako.

maua: Iko kwa hand bag, ndani ya cosmetic bag.

Mr maua: no, hapana, bag za wanawake siingii.

Maua: basi chukua foundation hapo juu, it works the same.

I'm not ready to give those lessons.

Unknown said...

I have nothing against mens grooming, Shower gels, colognes and hand lotions are Ok after all who doesn't love soft hands and razor bumps anoy me to no end.(anti perspirant is a must!) but sijui foundation, eyeliner and lipgloss is pushing it a little caveman is ok.

Shiko-Msa said...

Maua Lol.

Kirima ladies love the guys just as you describe. At least this lady. Well groomed and a little caveman. Antiperspirant a must!

Mama said...

Kirima, I have to say totally agree with you. I am also not against male grooming but some things are just taken too far.....Marilyn Manson in the blog photo, comes to mind.

Okay let me confess, I am one of those simple ladies who dont really fancy putting on make-up. For me moisturiser and lip balm, well made hair and neatly done nails is enough for me and then of course smelling great is a must for me, but other than that I dont do anything else.

Now imagine, if I got into a relationship with some Clarins and Clinique foundation and concealer type of guy, it would be very hard to tell who the girl is and who the guy is.

Actually, I have had something similar happening to me, I used to go out with one of those very fly coastal men. Now this guy took his grooming a bit too seriously for my liking. He would always preach to me the benefits of eating vegetables coz they were good for the skin, drinking water in plenty and so on and so forth. The man would really take care of his nails, his eyebrows, his lips, his perfumes, his skin(kwanza he used to apply fair and lovely) and by the way me I dont! Sasa imagine if I ended up with such a man, I wake up in the morning I apply my Nivea moisturiser on the face then him he starts asking me whether I have seen his fair and lovely?!!!! I dont think so.

Fifi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fifi said...

Lol @ Mcheku. True, men do have to take care of themselves but as long as they dont get vain and go overboard as in Mcheku's case. I would show that fella the door. Ati do his eyebrows?! Thats a no-no

Mama said...

Oh yes Fixated, Imagine and I have never done my eyebrows since I was born...I forgot to mention the contrast there.

BP 1 said...

"Sweat has been the main focus of research on human pheromones, and in fact, male underarm sweat has been shown to improve women's moods and affect their secretion of luteinizing hormone, which is normally involved in stimulating ovulation." For details See link http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/02/06_sweat.shtml

Unknown said...

@ BP one, True! but there is miles of difference between fresh sweat and stale sweat, the stale variety will do absolutely nothing to improve anyones mood

Shiko-Msa said...

aaii Mcheku ongeza compact powder to your list bwana hehehehe. Na Lip gloss. And this guy of yours, what is it he used to do to his eyebrows? Tweeze, wax, razor, what? Lol.

True Fixated some guys are going overboard but what to do. It's a brave new world.

BPONE lol. Thanks for the link. An interesting detailed read that one. But male underarm sweat no way! Kwanza hapa Mombasa! No no. Ovulation or no ovulation no sweaty underarms.

Shiko-Msa said...

Kirima what about braids and cornrows that have become so common on guys?

BP 1 said...

aai!!! Shiko, you may not like the smell, neither do I, but believe me they say, there is something more to the sweat under male armpits ...look here another research says..."Forget deodorants. The scent of sex is in your armpit sweat, for a study has found that women are attracted to chemicals in a man's underarm smell that can make her decide if you are the one for her” and “ Even the female test subjects admitted that they felt increasingly relaxed as they sniffed the hormone" and "According to the researchers, the finding may one day lead to the development of new fertility drugs. They have also speculated that men's fragrances can contain male pheromones, which would presumably be irresistible to any woman." Read more http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Women-attracted-to-mens-underarm-sweat-Study/319037

BP 1 said...

Kirima that is true “there is miles of difference between fresh sweat and stale sweat ”…..but I think the stale sweat needs medical attention rather than applying deodorants.it is said “People usually associate body odour(odor) with sweat, but sweat by itself does not give off an odour. Sweat is nothing more than water and salts expelled by the sweat glands to regulate body temperature. Bacteria on a person's skin mix with the sweat in order to produce body odour. Body odour can sometimes indicate a more serious medical condition” see link http://www.allhealth.com.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?keyword=body-odour

Unknown said...

Corn rows are fine but depends on how you earn your living would you trust your banker or lawyer with cornrows?
@BP one true that male pheromones are quit powerful (thats how a bloodhound can follow your trail even after 48 hrs) and yes they are oduorless what is important is hygene but I still feel one needs something to prevent those yellow stains on the underarms so roll on stays!

BP 1 said...

Kirima@1:40Pm. I agree with you what is important is hygene... just basic personal hygiene .Do you know "Only 25 per cent of Kenyans wash their hands regularly, making most of the population susceptible to diseases" this is according to a report Published by the standard. see detail report http://216.180.252.4/archives/index.php?mnu=details&id=1143987403&catid=159

Shiko-Msa said...

BP & Kirima I'm enjoying this debate! ! Go on guys. Let's hear more.

Unknown said...

LOL! What sort of debate starting with I agree with you? I don't have any references so I just go with my intuition and experience.
So again I agree with Bp ONE on the hygiene issue.

Maua said...

The hygiene, the hair thing, what about body (ear) piercing? Would I trust my doctor, lawyer, banker with an earing/s?

Anonymous said...

Maua.. personaly, I will not trust them . Methinks their must be some distinction between the THE GUY, THE GAY AND THE GIRL. Just imagine a situation you come across three people, namely Jane , John and Jacob…all with cornrows, earrings, clean shaved faces and with makeup , can anyone spot the difference?