Meet the lads who spend more on beauty products than their partners
MORE and more couples are fighting over the bathroom mirror – as male grooming goes mainstream.
There has been a surge in the number of men buying cosmetics. Superdrug has reported a 14 per cent rise in sales of its B.Mens grooming range. And skin brand Clinique For Men reckons a fifth of British men have treated themselves to a grooming treatment in the past year.
Some are calling it “the Love Island effect” as blokes spend more of their cash on beauty products. Here, three couples tell how the men in the relationship are doing the lion’s share of the preening.
‘Maybe we need to have a chat about cutting back’
GRAHAM Brind and his wife Hikari live in Saffron Walden, Essex, with their son Yoshiyuki, eight months. Hikari, 35, a kitchen shop sales assistant, is used to fighting for the mirror. Graham, 43, an office worker, spends a small fortune on grooming products while she gets ready in minutes. Graham says:
“Unlike some of my mates, I cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day. I think it’s really important.
“My friends do laugh at my routine. I reckon it takes me about an hour to get ready for work. I set my alarm half an hour earlier than Hikari so I have enough time.
“I decided I had to learn how to shave properly and it all started from there.
“I began using a swanky Dovo straight razor, priced around £100, but I also realise I had to prepare my skin properly and take better care of my appearance.”
“I like to use a face wash, a good-quality moisturiser and a good-quality moisturising soap. I have to order the toner online because it comes all the way from Japan.
Hikari says: “My routine is very different. I wash my face with water in the morning and evening and I use a cheap and cheerful Nivea Creme moisturiser.
“It probably takes me two minutes and the moisturiser costs about £3.
“I do like to quickly apply some ancient make-up and nail varnish if I’m getting dressed up but this is extremely rare with an eight-month-old baby who takes up my time.
“It’s nice for guys to take care of themselves.
“We did the maths and Graham’s products come to a staggering £311.96 a month and mine a paltry £3.
“So maybe we need to have a chat about him cutting back.”
‘It’s grimy at work, I take an hour to wash’
FULL-TIME mum Lucy Madgwick, 32 and James Middleton, 37, from Chessington, Surrey, have been together for 12 years and have a son, Alfie, nine. Construction worker James spends two hours a day grooming and “manscaping”. He says:
“I WORK in tunnels and come home after a 12-hour shift covered in grime. It takes an hour to wash it all off and get clean. Despite the fact I know I’ll get filthy at work, I still spend an hour in the morning getting ready, while Lucy only takes 20 minutes. I wake up and floss, then brush, rinse, trim my beard, nostril hair and my ear hair. Then I’ll tidy my eyebrows with the tweezers and jump in the shower.
“There I clean my nails, exfoliate and wash my face and body. Once I’m out I moisturise my face, put my hair in a man bun and then I’m ready.
“Once a week I wax and manscape my legs and downstairs, too. Don’t get me wrong, though – I can do a festival for a few days and ditch the whole routine.
“I suppose I’m a bit like Jekyll and Hyde. I spend so much of my life absolutely filthy that when I’m not at work I like to be totally clean and on point.
“Our son Alfie realises how much effort I put into my appearance and he likes his hair to be perfect but other than that he’s not like me.
“My routine might be excessive for some and I get teased mercilessly by the older builders at work, but it gives me confidence and I feel like I’ve already achieved something by the time I step out the door.
“I then get to carry that momentum with me all day.”
Lucy says: “James’s routine makes me feel grubby. He’s so dedicated whereas I just get up, wash and go.
“I even cut my own hair, which he would never dream of doing. His routine makes me laugh more than get angry.
“I see it gives him confidence, which is nice, as he works so hard.”
‘If beard isn’t symmetrical I start shaving routine again’
JOE Street, 31, from Hemel Hempstead, Herts, has been dating Yasmin Ryan, 26, for the past four years. The croupier drives his model girlfriend up the wall with his vanity. Preener Joe says:
“I SET my alarm an hour and a bit before I need to go out the door to give me enough time to get everything done.
“The first thing I do is wet-shave and shape my beard to keep it tidy. I use a beard trimmer to take it down to stubble-length, then a post-shave balm before getting in the shower.
“I’ll shampoo my beard, wash and exfoliate my face and wash my body. I check my beard once I am out of the shower and unless the lines are symmetrical, I’ll start the whole wet-shave procedure again.
“I moisturise then start on my hair. I’m receding at the corners but try to make it look less obvious.
“I brush my teeth and a few times a month Yas plucks my eyebrows for me.
“A few times a week I pluck my arm hairs. I trim my underarm hair and ‘downstairs’ too. Once I’m all done, I’ll tackle any spots by squeezing them or using concealer. I never used to care about my hands as long as my nails were trimmed but now I have a hand and nail cream I use.
“My routine gives me confidence and I know I don’t look as good if I haven’t done everything I usually do.
“It doesn’t help that Yas is smoking-hot too.
“When we got together, friends said I was punching above my weight. She looks incredible when she wakes up, so I try to look as good as I can for her.”
Yasmin says: “I rarely bother with make-up and usually get up with just enough time to shower before I leave the house – around ten minutes.
“I do get huffy when we’re going out and he’s taking ages while I’m ready. I see his routine makes him feel good but I don’t like how much it bothers him if he can’t get everything done before we go out.”
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