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Women have been pampering themselves for years, but a new shop in Glasgow is offering luxurious face, neck, and hair treatments specially for men. Johnny

Regan went to check it out.

t's ol'lieial: male grooming has

become acceptable. Not only

among homosexual men. or even el'l‘ete heterosexual men. but also among the kind of men who hold subscriptions to Zoo magazine. The kind of men who think nothing ol having a lull manicure done before bottling someone over the head alter a scoop on a Friday night. In short. lads get facials. and male grooming is no longer an under-the-counter experience. It‘s a phenomenon. and your boyfriend. son or brother might have already succumbed to this most potent symbol of the metrosexual revolution.

I say this to pardon the fact that l have just visited The Men’s Store (47—49 Sauchiehall Street) for a shampoo. haircut (£18) and impact l‘acial (£20). For those of you who have not experienced someone else washing your hair. it is a most disarming experience. As your head dangles back. by the neck. into the loving hands of your hair care expert (in my case the lovely Kirstyl. you will run a gamut of the cranial senses. Acute vulnerability is replaced by reassurance. as your

Kirsty will run her slender hands through the hair to your needy scalp. The warm water and mentholated shampoo gives your head a glow that is simultaneously warm and cool. and the overall el‘l‘ect is that your often-neglected follicles are given time to luxuriate properly for perhaps the lirst time in their little lives. Your head l'eels alive.

The subsequent haircut is interesting to me. but probably not to Kirsty. I am the kind ol‘ guy who gets his hair cut for £3 every two

ACUTE VULNERABILITY IS REPLACED BY REASSURANCE, AS SLENDER HANDS ARE RUN THROUGH THE HAIR TO YOUR NEEDY SCALP

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thontlts. so to be interrogated about styles and products leaves me high and dry. Whatever she does works. however. because my hair ends tip looking presentable tor a change til I do say so mysell‘).

Then (‘hristina performs the impact lacial. The old familiar sense ol' insecurity returns as I am asked to remove my shirt. Much to my chagrin. whales are not singing to one another in the background through the process. Rather. a mix of contemporary aitd 70s sounds pumps outside our dimly lit room. (‘hristina works my peely-wally face with a series (it cleansing. exl'oliating and moisturising treatments. The massage part (it the l'acial brings about something akin to an out-ol-body experience.

As I levitate in pure pleasure approximately three l‘eet oil‘ the table. I finally understand the growing trend towards male grooming. Who cares about the erosion ol’ traditional macho stereotypes when your lace. neck and scalp end tip l‘eeling this great'.’

The Men’s Store, 47—49 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, 0141 331 2844, www.themensstore.com, Mon-Wed, Fri: 8.30am-6pm; Thu: 8.30am-8pm; Sat: Qam-Gpm; Sun: 11am-5pm.

Although not quite as bewildering

as women’s beauty products. men‘s skin care can still leave the head spinning. Here are five brands to keep the old epidermis smooth and smelling lovely.

Baxters of California

nthon Logistics For Men

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