Now, suddenly such questions are long gone and grooming has become as common as going down to the corner barbershop for a trim. Societal evolution can carry some responsibility for this. With homosexuality an accepted fact and on the forefront of political debate, it seems only logistic; and would be somewhat hypocritical to accept sexual equality but not grooming equality. Further responsibility can be given to the role models that we have in the White House. Like Anna Wintour proclaimed, "we have friends in the White House now," and the same can be said for men's style as a general concept, with President Obama being much more clean around the edges than our last few presidents. Whatever the case, it needn't be said that men in DC are taking a new-found interest in grooming, and I think no ones complaining on that front. Much more after the jump.
"A cabinet of facial products isn't a stretch for a guy with a subscription to Details mag. But can our average, Capitals-loving dad embrace the pore-cleaning mud mask?
Six months between haircuts? Shaggy hair equals surfer cool. Calloused hands? That's a sign of a hard-working dude. But in an era of metrosexuals and a manly yet manicured president, those excuses start to fall flat. And, truthfully, there's no good way to justify those long yellow toenails hanging our of your flip-flops, Howard Hughes Jr.
Scouring the Digits
What: The Manly-cure ($25), Basic Pedicure ($55) and Callus Conqueror ($15)
Where: Bliss Spa (W Hotel, 515 15th St. NW, 877-862-5477; Blissworld.com)
Best Part: The manicure lasted a long time; I didn't dull the buffed nails or tear the carefully rounded cuts until I yanked leaves out of the gutter, sans gloves, two weeks later.
Worst Part: Super-shiny buffed fingernails were an odd sight on my sausage-like digits. Luckily, my bowling league was hiatus - I'm pretty sure the guys would've heckled me straight back to the spa.
Shaving Face
What: The Royal Shave ($55)
Where: The Art of Shaving (1050 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-223-1433; Theartofshaving.com)
Best Part: The all-natural products, which didn't irritate my sensitive skin.
Worst Part: With no fancy occasions in my future, I cant justify the $55 price tag again.
Pore Me
What: Cleansing Face Treatment ($80)
Where: Grooming Lounge (1745 L St. NW, 202-466-8900; Groominglounge.com)
Best Part: Duran dug deep into my forehead, nose and cheeks to produce more oil and cheese than OPEC and France combined. Since I have skinholes for pores, I felt bad for her - and then envied that she basically gets to pop zits for a living. Result: Smooth skin without bumps or blackheads.
Worst Part: My extra-moisturized face broke out like a 13-year-old's (a common side effect, especially for facial virgins). It took a week for the pimples to calm down, but by then the oil had filled my pores again, basically rendering all that hard work moot.
Cutting Back
What: Remington's Body & Back Groomer ($40, remington-store.com)
Best Part: The groomer can go in the shower, meaning all your ape shavings will pool in the strainer, not on the bathroom floor.
Worst Part: You'll need a wingman with a stomach of steel to tackle any back hair grooming.
Bottle Service
What: Molton Brown Re-Charge Black Pepper Bodyscrub Bar ($22, Moltonbrown.com); Anthony's face products ($20-$25, Anthony.com); Alchimie Forever's Antioxidant Skin Repair Gel ($55) and Superpulse Titghtening Eye Contour Gel ($45, Alchimie-forever.com)
Best Part: My drugstore soap was stripping my skin, so switching to the combo of Anthony's face products left my skin better moisturized, healthy and (Dare I say it?) glowing. And I found I really liked regularly exfoliating - it made my itchy sandpapery dermis feel soft.
Worst Part: For as many products as I liked, there were just as many I didn't. (The ones above were my fave.) Its best to test with product samples first.
And as a final note of my own, I highly recommend Bliss Spa & The Grooming Lounge.
2 comments:
great post.
I really like the Grooming Lounge.
Post a Comment