Ambiance and Introduction

The ambiance of your spa and treatment room should always be neutral. Have a separate section just for men. Include things in this area like extra large robes, magazines that are geared towards men, and a service menu with a page or two dedicated to men. You can begin in the menu to do one of the most important things with your male clients: educate them.
When you greet your client, as always it is imperative that you be confident and clear in your introduction. Professionalism is key! Greet them by their first name. Tell them who you are and what service you are providing to them.

Consultation
As in every skin treatment, a proper consultation should never be overlooked. Include a special section on your form specifically for men. Here are some things you should incorporate

• Personal Data – name, address, phone numbers, and e-mail. This contact information will be useful for future marketing and promotions. You may also want this information to make any post-treatment calls to your client about the condition of their skin.
• Medical History – past and present illnesses or diseases, current medications, and allergies. This information is important so that you can be aware of any contraindications.
• Personal Skin Health – products they are using at home, past skin treatments, methods of shaving, and lifestyle habits.

The Treatment
Start off by giving a description of the facial and why it is important to receive one. Explain that the products you are using are designed for men and their skin needs. While describing the treatment and products, be careful not to use any industry lingo. Many clients (not just men) get overwhelmed and confused by jargon. Use some creative analogies that are relevant to them.
Give your male client very clear instructions on what to do and why. For example, “I will be stepping out of the room to allow you to get changed. Please remember to remove your wrist watch so that I can perform a hand and arm massage.”

1. Do an initial analysis of their skin and ask them their skin concerns.
   
2. Cleanse the skin twice with a cleanser appropriate for their skin type. Men usually use soap on their face. Explain that using soap on their skin will strip the skin of its acid mantle or natural oils and disturb its normal pH (4.5 to 5.5). This can leave it susceptible to bacteria causing congested areas of skin.
3. While applying any product to men’s skin, go with the direction of hair growth to avoid discomfort.
4. Always remove product with sponges or warm towels. This will avoid cotton getting stuck in their facial hair.
5. Educate them on products as you go along. Some things you could include are one or two ingredients and why they help men’s skin and their skin type.
6. Tone the skin to rebalance and invigorate.
7. Begin to lightly steam the skin.
8. Apply a mechanical exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and help avoid ingrown hairs from shaving.
9. Perform a hand and arm massage while they steam. Men tend to have dry or chapped hands, so use a moisturizing cream. Apply warm mitts to allow product to penetrate into skin.
10. Remove exfoliant with a warm towel. Make sure all of it is off before moving on to the next step.
11. Doing extractions on men can be very tricky. Do this very gently since most of them have not had this done before. They may not want to tell you they are uncomfortable so look for signs of discomfort. Using a desincrustation solution and galvanic current with a negative polarity will assist you in making extractions easier.
    
12. Cleanse areas that you extracted with toner. If you used galvanic current, go back over the skin using positive polarity.
13. Massage the face with a medium of your choice. Again, look for signs of discomfort and keep lines of communication open. Remember to massage in the direction of the hair growth.
14. Remove medium and apply a mask. I find that clay and mud masks are hard to remove on male skin. Use a cream-based mask, especially in areas where there is facial hair.
15. While the mask is on, perform a neck and shoulder massage.
16. Remove mask and apply moisturizer with sunscreen. I find that men like to keep the steps simple in their skin care routine. So this two-in-one product is ideal. Tell them the dangers of UV rays and how damaging it can be to the health of their skin. Believe it or not, many men don’t even realize they need to apply sunscreen on a daily basis.
17. Sit your client up slowly and remove electric mitts. Offer a glass of water to him and step out of the room to allow him to change.
18. Go over the products you used. Keep it simple. Try not to sell a line that has more than four steps because more than likely they will not do it. Write down specific instructions on how and when to use products.

Educate, Educate, Educate!
One of the biggest concerns for male clients is pseudofolliculitis barbe (razor bumps or ingrown hairs). Some tips to help this condition are listed on the next page.

1. Shave with a single blade razor. Using more than one can cut the hair to closely and will cause the hair to become ingrown.
2. Shave with a cream or gel that has glycerin or aloe as one of the main ingredients. These ingredients will soften the hair and make it easier to shave.
3. Shave with the hair growth and shave slowly.
4. Exfoliate every day! A cleanser with 2 percent salicylic acid works well. You can also recommend a mech-anical exfoliant.
5. Mosturize skin with a product for sensitive skin.
6. If these tips don’t work, suggest that they use witch hazel on the areas where they get ingrown hairs.

Add-on Services


Scalp Treatment
Many men are concerned about losing their hair. Provide an add-on service that will help stimulate new hair growth and is also quite relaxing! Create your own blend of essential oils that will help with hair growth.
Mix five drops of lavender, cedarwood, thyme, and rosemary with a carrier oil such as jojoba oil. All of these essential oils are known to stimulate hair growth when used together. Massage this into scalp for 10 to 15 minutes while the client is masking.

Moisturizing and Healing Hand Treatments
Many men that visit the spa have rough and dry hands. This is usually due to exposure to the elements and not caring for the skin on a daily basis.
Start by using a mechanical or chemical exfoliant on hands. This will remove dead skin cells and will increase product penetration. After removing exfoliant, use a moisturizer heavy in emollients. If you are not using a chemical exfoilant, apply three to five layers of paraffin wax. Then cover his hands with electric mitts. Leave on for 10 minutes and remove paraffin. Apply a light layer of moisturizer, if needed. 

Eye Treatments for Men
The skin around the eye is thin and delicate. It is usually where we see the first signs of aging. Men usually have wrinkling and sun damage in this area. Here is a treatment to help combat those conditions:
Begin by doing manual lymphatic drainage in the ocular area. This will increase blood and lymph circulation. It will help with concerns like puffiness, dark circles, and tired eyes. Apply a mask specific for the eyes area with a soft fan brush. Over the mask, apply cool eye pads made from cotton. Lastly, apply an eye cream that has ingredients that moisturize, like aloe; help with cell turnover, such as AHAs or retinols, and has high levels of antioxidants like vitamin C or co enzyme Q-10.

Deanna Beaver is a NYS licensed. She has received certifications in paramedical aesthetics and as a laser technician. Beaver is an aesthetic educator at Aesthetic Science Institute in Latham, NY. She also works as an educator, sales rep and aesthetician for Dimensions in Aesthetic Advancement in Latham, NY. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.