6 Tips for Men Visiting The Hotel Spa
Often aimed at women, hotel spas can be daunting places for men. However, more and more treatments especially tailored to men’s needs are popping up on spa menus all over the world and it’s no longer a rare sight to see a man getting a massage, facial or even, (gulp) a wax.
Yet despite the evolution in spa culture, there aren't many male specific tips for navigating the spa. So we thought we'd come up with a few of our own. These aren't too dissimilar to those for women but here are few things that can optimize a man’s spa experience, whether a first-timer or a veritable spa hound.
A facial offers countless benefits for cleaning, nourishing, hydrating, and rebalancing sebum, the skin’s naturally secreted moisture. However, a facial doesn’t just focus on the face and its relaxation qualities are often underestimated. What could be better than someone cleaning your skin - getting rid of razor burn, ingrown hairs and black heads - followed by a transcendent face, back and scalp massage that takes you all the way up to nirvana? That’s right. A good therapist has exactly that power and will have you booking your next facial even before you’re off the massage table. In order to prepare for a facial, men should have a close shave at least two hours before a treatment for the whole face to be accessible. Never have a facial right after shaving as this could accentuate any skin irritation.
2. Avoid Creams Before, Um, Manscaping
It might sound like a given not to use creams before a wax, but actually a lot of people forget or don’t want to look like they neglect their skin in front of the therapist. However, it doesn’t matter if your skin is dry when you get to the spa and it doesn’t matter that the therapist sees it – remember that they are used to seeing all sorts of unsightly characteristics and dry skin is the least of their worries. Using creams less than five hours before a wax will make it less effective, and who wants to suffer for a half-done job?
3. Ask For a Private Treatment Room
While massages are usually done in a private massage room, not all beauty treatments are. Pedicures and manicures are often done in a communal area. For spa virgins who feel a little embarrassed about having to step up for a pedicure in public while feeling like the women in the room are staring and sniggering (although they probably
4. Don't Be Afraid to Express Yourself (No, not like that)
The key to getting the most out of your treatment is to tell the therapist exactly what you want. Not only will the experience be even better but so will the benefits. Before arriving at the spa for your treatment, think about how your skin feels and looks, or if having a massage, how your body and muscles feel. It is good to give it a few minutes thought in order to instruct the therapist. If having a massage, think about any areas of the body that need special attention – for example, people with a desk job will often have aches and pains in their shoulders and neck. Also, think about how you would like to feel as massages can be tonic, rejuvenating or relaxing. Last, always remember to let your therapist know if any recent injuries or aches and pains even if it’s right in the middle of the massage as this can lead to further pain.
5. Avoid Exposure to The Sun After a Treatment
This goes for both men and women, but is often ignored by men. If you’ve just had a massage or beauty treatment, it’s not a good idea to head straight for the beach or pool right after – even if you’re just dying to show-off that new-found million-dollar complexion to the rest of the world. Skin is usually sensitive after a treatment, even if men tend to have stronger skin than women, and if you’ve just had a massage, it is likely that the therapist used oil, meaning that the skin is doubly exposed to sun. You don’t want to bake your skin like a chicken in the oven, so wait at least half a day if you’ve had a facial and a day if you’ve had a body scrub.
6. Happy Endings.
Don't. Even. Try.
[Photo: HotelChatter]
