The Barbershop Is NOT The Spa

Last week, I decided to surprise my man with couple’s spa session at Faina European Day Spa in midtown Manhattan where we received champagne rose body scrub for two, steam shower, aromatherapy body massage and champagne and chocolate. Sounds romantic, right? Well, it was a challenge getting to that spa. It is still unbelievable that a lot (not all) Black men still consider professional grooming and spa services for the soft at heart.

My honey whined, bitched and was downright disrespectful when he found out what his surprise was. He said:

                “You must not know me if you think I want to go to a spa.”

                “I never told you I wanted to go to a spa.”

                “Why would you think I want to go to a spa?”

At that moment, what I thought would be a romantic evening for two was starting on the WRONG note. Not to mention, my dude was a half hour LATE — unacceptable!

Well, as soon as he walked in, this guy loved everything from the smell, lights, music and most of all the massage. (I actually think he loved the massage too much.) He asked if we could go back once a month. Um, yeah, right?

Men, it’s okay to incorporate good grooming habits into your routine. Ladies, if you can’t treat your man to a spa right away, here are some at home grooming tips for him:

• Wash your face twice daily with a facial cleanser that matches your skin type — oily, dry, combination, or normal. Never use hot water while cleansing your face, because it can dry out African-American men’s skin.
• Some African-American men’s facial skin is noticeably dry, in which case it is best to use cleansing products that contain soy proteins, shea butter, or aloe vera.
• Use moisture lotions on the body, especially on hands, feet, knees, ankles and elbows. Women find ashy skin very unappealing.
• Even if you work with your hands, don’t neglect them. Get manicures and pedicures to keep your hands and feet looking good.
• Keep your mustache, beard and sideburns neatly trimmed and groomed.
• Exfoliating is especially important for African-American men’s skin, as it tends to blemish easily. Dead skin cells tend to accumulate on the skin, leaving it rough and uneven, with blocked or enlarged pores. Use a gentle exfoliating scrub with glycolic or citrus acid twice a week to keep black skin even and smooth and bacteria-free.  Protect your skin from the sun. This may sound unnecessary, but the truth is that long-term sun exposure puts African-American men at risk of skin cancer, despite their naturally high levels of melanin. Wear a high-quality sunblock all year long to keep black skin safe.

Guys, please be open minded when your women are trying to upgrade you. And remember, the barbershop is not the spa!

Tags: beyond black beauty, couples spa package, faina european spa, men grooming tips., rashidah ferguson

This entry was posted on July 7, 2010 at 8:31 am and is filed under Beauty, Relationships. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.