Photography by Syphotography Syed Yaqeen; client: Chris Gerber

Photography by Syphotography Syed Yaqeen; client: Chris Gerber

Service: Perfect Six Pack Pedi ($44)

Salon: Pamper Perfect Mobile Spa, Wilmington, Del.

Description: Dudes sink into a soak of warm draft beer and fresh lemon, followed by a raw earth mineral scrub and a deep sandalwood massage. The neck is cocooned in a warm menthol wrap while an ice cold brew is placed in his hand. Pamper Perfect creates its custom-blended shea butter spa products on site for this service.

Why Men Love It: Allison Moore, founder and managing director, says, “Men like the idea of the service not being frilly. They want to have the service done without the intimidation of feeling like a ‘beauty’ treatment.”

Salon Man-scaping: Pamper Perfect’s services are done on site so techs look for the “man cave” in the home or other location. They provide the service in the client’s favorite chair.

 

Service: In the Buff Pedi ($30)

Salon: Hoopla, Fairway, Kan.

Description: In the mood for nude? Men enjoy this pedicure sans polish — soak, trim, file, and buff. By the service’s end, toenails are freshened and ready for flip-flops.

Why Men Love It: It’s a great way to clean up the feet. ”You still get the added relaxation of the pedi massage, which, even if the men won’t admit it, they like,” say co-owners Megan Thornberry and Molly Maxwell.

Salon Man-scaping: Hoopla boasts two large screen TVs (muted with closed-captioning on). The staff will change the channel to specific requests, such as NFL games. Plus, an array of magazines are available from Men’s Health to Architectural Digest.

 

Service: MAN-icure ($30)

Salon: 18|8 Fine Men’s Salons, Irvine, Calif.

Description: A stylist sanitizes the client’s hands and preps the nails to ensure comprehensive cleaning. Then the client enjoys an exfoliating scrub and a long hand massage. The man is offered options including a high-shine buff and a hand mask (for extra dry hands). The products, one of which is by CND, impart a citrusy fresh scent, which men appreciate. A final toweling removes excess lotion from the hands.

Why Men Love It: “Professional men care about what their hands look like when they are doing crucial presentations. And women want their men to have groomed hands,” says national educator Kristen Hammond. “So our clients are typically asking for MAN-icures for business or because their wife is telling them this is what they should be doing!”

Salon Man-scaping: One of chain 18|8’s trademark features is its semi-private stations. Beer, wine, and other beverages are offered at many of its locations. Other manly services, such as shave packages, are also on the menu.

 

Service: Men’s Troegenator Beer Pedicure ($40)

Salon: Park Avenue Salon and Spa, Hershey, Pa.

Description: Created in conjunction with neighboring Tröeg’s craft brewery, this manly service encourages clients to “soak responsibly.” The hops in the beer soak help exfoliate the skin. The B-vitamin-laden active beer yeast acts as a skin softener. The added lemons have powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties, while the alcohol serves as a natural antiseptic. A scrub, calf massage, warm neck wrap, and ice cold Tröegenator Doublebock are also included.

Why Men Love It: “Most of the time wives or girlfriends will schedule services as couples (women enjoy a nice cold one too) first or purchase a gift certificate, but it’s funny; they do come back for another,” says owner Lynne Zsido. Guys can submit to a little pampering under the guise of “just having a beer.” Once a first-timer experiences this pedicure, he becomes comfortable enough to schedule another.

Salon Man-scaping: The spa and salon feature a non-gender specific decor. An earth-toned palette of browns, greens, muted blues, and gold welcomes all clients. The staff is trained to greet every guest upon arrival, offer a beverage, and lead him or her to the waiting or service area — a touch that prevents men from awkwardly loitering around upon entry.

 

Service: Sports Pedicure ($120)

Salon: Hammer & Nails, Los Angeles

Description: The pedicure, one of a full menu of men-focused services, includes hot stones, the salon’s signature scrub, a foot and leg massage, reflexology, and a hydrating mint clay mask that stimulates blood circulation. The Sports Pedicure also includes nail trimming and shaping, cuticle oil and grooming, moisturizing, hot towel wrap, and paraffin treatment.

Why Men Love It: “Our Sports Pedicure is specifically designed to ease the sore foot and leg muscles of athletic and active men and that’s why they love this service,” says manager Natasha Ray. “They’re able to get the foot grooming they need to maintain foot health and hygiene while at the same time experiencing a physical transformation that helps them exit our doors, ready for the next athletic challenge.”

Salon Man-scaping: Designed for men, Hammer & Nails looks and feels like the proverbial man cave. Guys enjoy oversized leather chairs, personal flat-screen TVs (with personal remotes), high-end headphones, and complimentary beverages. Add to that a high level of personal attention, and clients truly feel like kings.

 

Service: Organic Blueberry Soy Pedicure ($35)

Salon: McIntyre’s Salon and Day Spa, Portage, Mich.

Description: Dad enjoys a blueberry tea foot soak, followed by a blueberry soy scrub, blueberry soy massage cream, and mimosa champagne oil. The products are by Éminence Organic Skin Care.

Why Men Love It: “Every single man I have done this pedicure on returns and asks for the same thing over and over. It smells amazing and isn’t overly feminine,” says nail tech Anne VanSpronsen. As the salon’s most popular men’s pedicure, the service is also a hit because it hydrates the client’s skin (crucial during Michigan winters) without leaving it oily.

Salon Man-scaping: At McIntyre’s Salon, the pedicure units are semi-secluded, which is great for men. A mix of magazines that target both sexes are readily available.

 

Service: The GR Signature Foot Detail ($45)

Salon: Gentlemen’s Republic, El Paso, Texas

Description: The hour-long service includes a rejuvenating foot soak, nail trimming and filing, an aromatic foot scrub application, a foot mask complete with hot towels, and a light nail buffing, all topped off with a tension-relieving hot stone foot and calf massage.

Why Men Love It: “We are a sanctuary for men and a place where men are no longer embarrassed to take care of themselves. Plus our chairs are equipped with massage functions, and what’s not to like about that?” says owner Laura Sanchez.

Salon Man-Scaping: Gentlemen’s Republic boasts both a cigar bar and a cocktail/beer bar, so men can conveniently enjoy a scotch and a smoke before or after their services. They also have the option to play Xbox, which is a big hit at the salon.

 

Service: Sports Manicure ($27)

Salon: G20 Spa + Salon, Boston          

Description: The manicure begins with a warm, aromatic towel for the hands, setting the tone for relaxation. The tech preps the nails, then buffs them and applies cuticle oil. The hands and arms are massaged and moisturized with lotion. Nails are then given a final cleanse and buffed for a well-groomed look.

Why Men Love It: “We find that men enjoy our nail services, especially the massage when they can relax,” says Christine Gallardo, director of marketing and advertising. “Included in the price of our sports manicure is the use of our spa exclusive amenities. We have a Brine Inhalation Therapy Relaxation Room where you can unwind and experience the climate of the ocean shore; a penthouse Roof Terrace to stretch out and enjoy the breeze as you lounge on our intimate terrace high above Newbury Street; a Skylight Hot Tub where you can watch the clouds drift by during the day or gaze at the stars by night; and a Fireside Lounge to relax or order lunch.”

Salon Man-scaping: G2O boasts a private men’s locker room with a flatscreen television and a steam room that can be used either before or after services. There is plenty of space to spread out, relax, read, or surf the ’net with the space’s complimentary Wi-Fi.

 

At 18|8, men can opt for the MAN-icure Package, which includes an executive-style haircut, aromatic hot towel treatment, and a complete hand and nail treatment.

At 18|8, men can opt for the MAN-icure Package, which includes an executive-style haircut, aromatic hot towel treatment, and a complete hand and nail treatment.

The Way to a Man’s Heart

If you’re looking for ways to bring in dads on June 15, start planning early. Here are a few pointers:

> Offer gift cards for your men-targeted services. Your female clients will be looking for gifts for the men in their lives right about now — be sure to mention the convenience of picking up a ready-made card at the end of their services. Also, put out a stack at the check-out desk with promotional signage.

> Plant the seed in your clients’ heads that partner-pedicures are the perfect idea to celebrate special occasions, from Father’s Day to Mother’s Day to birthdays. “We are having an open house at our salon right before Mother’s Day. My plan is to cater toward the men coming in with their wives for a double pedicure. A his-and-hers retreat is perfect for Mother’s and Father’s Days,” says VanSpronsen of McIntyre’s Salon.

> If your salon is full-service, offer packages that incorporate a variety of services beyond nails. “For Father’s Day, we are working on a special shave package that encourages fathers and sons to come into the salon together,” 18|8’s Hammond says. “We offer an individual shave package as well. It is similar to a facial but it’s nice for someone to give a significant other a nice shave for a special occasion.”

> Launch a new service in anticipation of Father’s Day. And distribute a press release to the media as part of your marketing plan. “For Father’s Day, we will introduce the new Hammer & Nails’ Aromatherapy Pedicure. This treatment is designed to heal overworked feet with the use of essential oils and herbs. For anyone who wants to give the gift of pampering and relaxation, the new Hammer & Nails’ Aromatherapy Pedicure will the perfect Father’s Day gift,” says Hammer & Nails’ Ray.

> Cater to the pack mentality. “We do well with groups. The gal pals invite the guy pals and have a Six Pack Party!” says Pamper Perfect’s Moore.

> Offer gift boxes of men’s retail products. Even if a man refuses to enter a salon’s doors, you can still satisfy his grooming needs by offering a package of shave cream, cologne, nail clippers, and body lotion. Sell it to his significant other as the ideal Father’s Day gift.

 

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