Grooming For Guys

Has your too-busy life run roughshod over your looks? Maybe it’s time you took a moment for yourself.

While just about everyone can benefit from could benefit from some additional personal care these days… men in particular. The workaday world can be brutal on a guy’s body. Long, caffeine-fueled days leave bags under the eyes, ragged fingernails and knotted back muscles. Yet many men don’t notice their slow demise, nor do they take the time to get a massage or a manicure because they’ve been taught that such things are effeminate, overindulgent and silly. In truth, though, how a guy looks often speaks volumes about how he feels about himself.

Send a man for a shave and a haircut, and nine times out of 10 he’ll leave the shop with a spring in his step, feeling like a new man.

Many women have long been aware that paying for extra pampering at the salon or spa every now and then can relieve stress and improve self-esteem. Now, thanks to a boom in the spa industry over the last few years, there are plenty of places for guys to go for grooming, tips, products and a little TLC.

In fact, the stereotypical image of beauty parlor as exclusive female retreat has been all but shattered. More and more men are joining their wives and girlfriends in full-service salons to have their hair cut, skin exfoliated and eyebrows shaped up, or even for GuyBrows… a microblading service specifically for men who have lost definition and are experiencing thinning eyebrow hair. The International SPA Association, or ISPA, has been tracking the industry in partnership with Price Waterhouse Coopers for over a decade. In 2005, it found that only 29 percent of spa-goers were male. Today that figure has rocketed to 49 percent, thanks in large part to changing attitudes men have toward grooming.

Although older, professional men with disposable income have historically embraced the manicure, spa-goers of late are guys of all ages and income brackets. For guys, a trip to the spa isn’t as much about pampering and conversation, but rather the aesthetic and therapeutic benefits. That is, it’s an opportunity to improve their appearance and delay the aging process, while providing benefits to their bodies and overall health and wellness. A sports massage isn’t to relax as much as it is to cure sore muscles and enhance recovery. A healing pedicure will repair dry, cracked feet. and eyebrow waxing, well because two are better than one!

While standard barber shops cater almost exclusively to men offering service menus including haircuts, beard trims + shaves, some color and gray blending services. Hybrid Salons, cater to both men and women and offer a far more extensive range of packages and services, paired with products from top-tier brands. PLEIJ Salon + Spa is a hybrid salon, featuring expert hairstylists and barbers trained to deliver cutting-edge salon and barber services, in an environment designed to foster a comfortable and enjoyable experience for both sexes. While barbering is typically limited to classic and vintage haircuts including tapers, fades and transitional cuts. We offer our own brand of men’s grooming, one which borrows from traditional barbering combining this with modern men’s hair styling and hyper-texturized cutting. Our style is a mélange of coiffure and upscale sophistication, and one that is putting us at the vanguard of men’s grooming in Columbus and Central Ohio.

Men have different needs than women and at PLEIJ we offer an extensive men’s service menu including – men’s haircuts, beard services, straightening/texturizing, men’s color, highlights and grey blending in addition to a number of services you won’t find at your standard barber shop such as — brow services, men’s facials, men’s waxing and hair removal, manicures and pedicures, hair restoration treatments (for a fuller, healthier looking head of hair including hair loss prevention, hair and follicle repair, as well as hair transplantation), massage services (including regenerative and performance massage) as well as health + wellness services.

At PLEIJ Salon we cater to the gentleman who appreciates quality, exceptional service, craftsmanship, and looking and feeling his best. Appointments and availability are limited to ensure that all services are performed to the highest quality standards, and that no service is ever rushed.

The Rough Edges

Eager to see a better man staring back at you? Consider the following six-point grooming guide. Some of these items you can no doubt handle yourself. But if you sense you need extra help with something technical or mystifying, don’t be shy about striding into a local spa and putting a pro on the job.

First, get a mirror. Now, take a top-to-bottom look at yourself.

1. Study Your Hair

Have you changed your haircut or style in the last five years? If not, there’s a good chance you have an unflattering or outdated haircut — perhaps even a comb-over or an orphaned ponytail, left behind when the hair above it disappeared. Do you see dandruff? Ear hair, nose hair, overgrown brows or sparse of thinning eyebrow hair?

What about your hair color and texture is it starting to show signs of your age? Our color services utilize non-toxic, eco-friendly pigments that produce long lasting, natural results while our deep conditioners and scalp treatments enhance the health and appearance of your hair and scalp.

If you haven’t been paying enough attention to yourself and are ready to make a change we invite you to schedule haircut and style service. Our highly trained stylists will assist you in crafting a look that is tailored directly to you, one which will compliment your features and enhance your look, while matching your lifestyle and ease of maintenance (comfort level with hairstyling).

2. Check Out Your Face

Examine yourself closely in a mirror. Be on the alert for enlarged pores and blackheads (especially around the nose); dull, flaky skin; or age spots. Our facial treatments use medical-grade cosmeceuticals and we offer corrective procedures (including chemical peels, microdermabrasion and light therapy) and products that produce exceptional results. Whether you have acne, blocked pores, wrinkles or dry and damaged skin we have a range of facial treatments that are suitable for you. Our facial treatments help to cleanse, exfoliate and to promote a clearer, well-hydrated complexion that makes your skin look fresh and healthy.A good facial can get your pores de-clogged and your flakes exfoliated, but then you need to follow up with regular care and good products.

3. Tour Your Body

Chest or back hair that climbs over your collar is not a good look. Manscaping (trimming or waxing) any spots prone to overgrowth isn’t just for bodybuilders and meterosexuals as reducing body hair makes your trunk look trimmer and “everything else look bigger.” Waxing is the recommended method as not only does it remove the hair at the root, but it also exfoliates the skin, providing no stubble and ultra smooth results, fewer ingrown hairs, while slowing hair growth. Got back acne? Our Back Purifier Treatment helps to purify, soothe and balance oily and problematic skin on the difficult to self treat, and often overlooked area of the back. Deep cleansing works to eliminate and prevent blackheads and whiteheads, dissolving plugs while helping to reduce breakouts and congestion.

4. Focus On Your Hands & Feet

Uneven, long, dirty or ragged nails are a turn-off to the ladies, but they’re also a sign to others that you’re not good with details. Keep nails tidy and smooth with a clipper, file and nail- brush. Use a pumice stone on calloused spots, and push cuticles back or invest in a Gentleman’s Manicure and/or Pedicure Service. Rub in a dab of hand balm before you leave the house in the morning.

As for your feet… first, if you have fungus in your toenails or calluses, see your health professional for a diagnosis and a systemic treatment. Athlete’s-foot powder should not be a fixture in your life. Rough, craggy calluses? A pumice stone is your first line of defense, but if it’s a big job, you may want to see a pro for a pedicure the first time, then do the maintenance yourself. Clip your nails just after you shower, when they’re softer. Then slather your dogs with an herbal-based moisturizer.

5. Massage Therapy

Take time to regenerate and elevate mental and physical performance with a massage service. Massage therapy focuses on muscle recovery, tissue regeneration, flexibility, detoxification and more. Enhance performance. Reduce the signs of aging. Purify, cleanse, relax, repeat. Whatever your motivation, a massage provides a wide range of benefits and a deeply restorative experience.

The spa is the heart of regeneration at PLEIJ. It’s your personal recharging station: a refuge for those looking to power down to power further. Take time to regenerate and elevate mental and physical performance with our always-evolving roster of spa services which offer something for everyone. Whether they’re therapeutic, corrective, or a little bit frivolous, our treatments are the best in class. Our talented professionals have up-to-the-minute knowledge of their fields and an attention to detail that is unrivaled. Our team is deeply attuned to our guests needs using their expertise to provide you with the highest level of service.

LEARN MORE about our extensive range of Men’s Salon and Spa Services available at our Polaris location at 8930 Lyra Dr. Columbus, OH 43240.