Men's grooming under one roof
The male grooming industry is booming. Worth an estimated £500 million in the UK, it’s proving that today’s men are more open to the idea of having a facial or a spray tan than their male counterparts would have been two or three decades ago.
In recent years, an increasing range of male grooming and beauty products have become available along with a growing number of salons catering for male customers.
But sensitive issues such as hair loss and thinning have remained somewhat of a taboo subject for some, leaving those affected reluctant to seek advice when they need it.
Helping men to feel more confident by providing a safe space to talk is the aim of husband and wife beauty entrepreneurs Bryson and April Scott-Simmers.
Two-thirds of all men will eventually be affected by male pattern baldness while others may suffer hair loss due to factors such as illness or stress.
Bryson and April realised that many men feel embarrassed going into a traditional salon, where they could be overheard by others, to ask for advice.
They wanted to make hair replacement services and other beauty treatments more accessible in an environment which was non-judgemental.
So, last month the couple opened The Men’s Room in Lichfield with the aim of providing men of all ages with a place where they could feel comfortable and confident to talk about sensitive subjects.
The couple offer private consultation rooms so customers can discuss their hair loss and find out about the different options available to them without fear or embarrassment.
Bryson and April are no strangers to the beauty market with a chain of barbers and beauty salons across Staffordshire and a hair extensions business in Lichfield, called Goddess Extensions.
“After working in the male beauty and grooming market for 30 years I knew it was time to create a cool space and service where men could feel confident to come into an environment and discuss often sensitive issues around problems like hair loss,” says Bryson.
“The Men’s Room will allow men to feel 100 per cent comfortable to have a consultation about anti-wrinkle treatments, hair removal and how to get support with hair loss without any embarrassment and in a totally private space.
Bryson has been trained in providing non-surgical hair replacement systems, which are an alternative solution to hair transplants.
They involve fitting new hair to areas that have thin or no hair to create a realistic front and side hairline.
“Hair loss can be a tricky area for men and we offer services now that can transform people’s lives should they want to look at hair integration systems. The demand is there but often men are reluctant to seek help for fear of lack of privacy, we have addressed this,” Bryson explains.
At the Men’s Room, they offer ‘complete care for men’ under one roof with services including gents barbers, perms, colouring and a clinic for men suffering from hair loss.
Full waxing services are offered alongside an aesthetics clinic, facials, full sports massage and spray tans.
April says the couple spotted a gap in the market where they could offer a wide range of services all within the same shop.
“Byrson has also had a dream of having everything under one roof, somewhere where a man could have a haircut but also have a massage, a facial and get waxed. They could spend all day here if they wanted to,” explains April. “There is a huge demand for this. Men like to look after themselves, they like to have facials and some men even have botox now.
“But they want to be in a nice, modern environment, they want somebody who is experienced, qualified and professional, and they want privacy whether it’s for waxing or having a consultation about hair loss. They don’t want to be in a salon full of people, they want a private room.
“We’ve spoken to two or three men who have been travelling to Manchester to London for these services.”
Bryson believes that having a great hair cut should be an uplifting and relaxing experience and that every man should leave the salon feeling great about themselves.
“We offer a modern barbers service, but we want to be positioned as much more than that with sports massage, waxing and grooming advice services. The Men’s Room is a full beauty and grooming experience for men,” adds Bryson.
The couple have been delighted with the feedback from customers since The Men’s Room opened its doors for the first time on April 12.
“In this industry, it’s very much word of mouth. Someone will come to the salon, then tell someone else about it and then they pass it on. It’s been really good and much better than we expected,” says April.
