We saw it in 2018 but in 2019 we’ll be seeing it even more. Men are becoming more aware about self-grooming, focusing on their skin and hair – the male to female ratio in-salon is increasing. Now, most men are removing or grooming their facial and body hair because they want to, for their own body image or for something as simple as hygiene. Grooming makes them feel more confident in themselves; their body looks more defined, they have less itchy ingrowns and they look good.
While we’re used to stubble and waxing, this year might throw up a few surprises in the manscaping department.
Bushier brows for men? Will men be trimming or waxing their brows, removing their monobrow?
2019 is definitely the year of the brow. Already, we’re seeing a growing number of male clientele in-salon who are paying more attention to their brows, especially their mono-brows, looking to create a clean look through waxing and trimming. The ultimate aim is to open up the eye and remove stray, unruly hairs while still keeping the shape, rather than going for a complete brow overhaul which can look too overdone. For those DIY-ers, taming their brows at home, I suggest using a sensitive depilatory cream in the centre of the brow to remove unwanted hairs. Tweezers will also be your best friend for those random stray hairs so be sure to keep a pair in your kit!
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Will nose hair removal become in vogue?
Nose hair is a total turn off and definitely must go. The older we get the more hair in the nose and ears becomes more obvious and evident. If you’re looking to add a new grooming gadget to your arsenal, ear and nose trimmers are a must-have. In-salon, we’re seeing men come in for a tidy up, using hot-wax on these hard-to-reach and awkward regions.
Beards? Moustaches? Will it be more cleaner shaves or will the big bushy beard be back?
Shorter, cleaner and more stylised beards will be trending for 2019. Out with the big unruly bushy hipster beards, finally! For those who struggle to muster the stubble, clean-shaven is always in. The best way to achieve this look is by keeping the area clean around the cheek, to give the look of a clean line. Clippers and trimmers are the best tools to achieve this more stylised look.
Moustaches are less in vogue, especially those 70s hipster moustaches we were seeing for a time. Like with the beards, it’s all about keeping growth short to blend in with the beard. Try this by trimming at-home using clippers.
Chest hair versus no chest hair?
Chest hair is really up to personal preference. Most men will keep their chest hair, trimming it to keep it short whilst others will completely remove it for that dolphin-smooth look. Male clientele who come in are opting for the strip waxing method for longer-lasting results (up to 6 weeks) whilst those who are grooming at home are trimming and using depilatory cream, which is an affordable option, to achieve a clean finish without the stubble and ingrowns.
Hair down-stairs? How will men be maintaining their pubic region? Trimming? Waxing? Depilatories?
Removal of the hair down-stairs comes down to hygiene and preference. Most guys are keeping the region clean for hygiene reasons, using trimming scissors or sensitive formula depilatories.
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Will men be removing hair from their armpits/arms/back/chest?
There’s nothing worse than sweaty, irritated underarms, especially in summer, when it all clumps together! 2019 will not be the year for total armpit hair removal. However, it will be all about trimming with scissors or trimmers to help with the way it looks.
What are the techniques men might use? i.e. wax strips, hot wax, depilatories, trimming?
In-salon, men are coming in for strip-wax for their chests and backs, hot-wax and tweezing for their eyebrows/mono-brows and beards.
At-home, men are DIY-ing using tools such as tweezers, trimming scissors, clippers and trimmers for their facial hair and sensitive formula depilatory creams for those hard-to-reach places such as the pubic-region or in-between their brows.
Daniela Costa, who is a Syd-based brow & beauty specialist and a Nair ambassador