10 ways male grooming has changed in the last 10 years

To celebrate National Grooming Day we spoke to men's hairdressers Ross Charles and Jim Shaw to find out 10 ways that men's grooming has changed in the last 10 years. 1. Men’s skin is changing. Men’s skin used to be much tougher than it is now and I think this is because men traditionally used to work in harsher environments, which meant their skin was exposed to more elements, whereas now times have changed skin can become more sensitive as a result of this. This is particularly important for hairdressers and barbers to be aware of when providing male clients with shaves in the salon and when trimming their beards. 2. Grooming products are more advanced, as they know men are looking after their skin and facial hair more. Brands are also starting to offer ranges specifically for men and their hair types. Salt sprays, texturising products and pomades in particular are on the rise, allowing men to be more experimental with their hair and create on trend looks instantly. 3. Barber tools are now a lot more advanced in order to provide clients with more tailored looks. Razors such as the Donald Scott Chopstick Pro Razor with a tapered end providing texture to the hair whilst cutting and softening the look whilst removing weight. 4. Men are taking care of their beards and trying out different trends. They are aware their beard style can help shape their face and that there are different styles to suit specific face shapes. They are also experimenting more with trends like goatees, moustaches, stubble and longer beards as well as having their eyebrows trimmed and shaped. 5. Men are becoming more confident when discussing hair loss. Although this is still quite a complex issue in which a lot of men do not always want to discuss, we are starting to see more men into the salon asking for advice on their hair loss and hair thinning and looking for hairstyles, which will help disguise areas of hair loss and thinning and products that will help their hair look fuller. Quotes from Ross Charles, owner of Ross Charles 6. The 21st century man is becoming more aware and self-conscious of their appearance and due to this, men are becoming a lot more experimental with hair colour. Colour is currently booming and men are more confident to try out different hair colours, especially with the influence of celebrities and social media. We are starting to see a lot of men visit the salon for a variety of different hair colour services including highlights, lowlights, bleaching, all over colour and even trying out bolder hair colour shades and pastels. 7. Men are also starting to think more about conditioning treatments in the salon, particularly men who are concerned about colouring  their hair too often and bleaching services and with that there has definitely been a rise in men coming into salons for hair masks and treatments to get their hair in better condition. 8. Salons are catering more for men and offering more services such as facials, manicures, pedicures and threading. Men no longer want to come into the salon for just a hair cut, they want to be truly pampered and that’s why it’s so important to be able to offer many different services to your male clientele, and allow them to leave your salon looking and feeling the best version of themselves. 9. Consultations and longer appointments are what male clients want. At EssensualsMen we give full consultations to men on their hair, skin and use of professional products, as well as allocating them full 45-minute appointments to ensure they've had the best possible service. I think this is so important in this day and age, as men are really starting to care about their hair and choosing the perfect style for them and their lifestyle. It also gives them time to answer any questions/concerns they may have in regards to their hair and to recommend suitable hair products for them prior to leaving the salon. 10. Older men are starting to embrace their greys! In the past few years in particular, a lot of older men are embracing their grey hair and not wanting to cover this up and instead, coming into the salon to get grey toners to keep their hair looking a very clean and pristine looking grey hue. Quotes from Jim Shaw, director of Essensuals and EssensualsMEN