A Man's Manicure and Massage
June 28, 2005 — -- Some curious names are cropping up on the schedules at spas across the country.
In between the Amys, Karlas and Debbies is a growing list of gentlemen on the calendar, as guys increasingly claim their own share of the spa scene.
And while they might cringe at the notion of pink toenail polish or a fruit-scented body treatment, men are embracing this traditionally female domain, boosting business for the spa industry and unwinding along the way.
"To have my pedicure done was like nothing I'd ever felt before," said 45-year-old Vito Schimdt. "And was something I would do again."
The New York-based homebuilder did more than get his toes cleaned up -- he participated in a weekendlong makeover at a hotel in New York, including etiquette classes, a wardrobe consultation and cooking class, as the hotel and spa industry looks for new ways to cater to its male clientele.
Schmidt admits he took some "ribbing" from his friends after his Metro Man makeover, but if he returns to the spa he probably won't be the only guy in the room. Men now account for 29 percent of the spa-going public, according to The International Spa Association, which began tracking the statistic five years ago.
Toning Down the Pastels, Welcoming the Guys
It's one thing to schedule a massage at the end of a demanding week of hiking or golfing when sore muscles are crying out for help. It may take a little more persuading to encourage some guys to seek out a terry cloth robe in their hometown.
From men-only spas, such as Nickel in Manhattan, to day spas stressing the health benefits of a facial, there is a burgeoning list of possibilities for the man who may have first experienced a spa on vacation and wants some help getting rid of his stress.
"I'm glad there are more places I can go … it's not taboo anymore," said Paul Hirsch who occasionally visits a local spa in Chicago to unwind from his job in advertising. "I'm hardly any sort of 'metrosexual' but I do like to take care of myself."
Guys with a little less confidence might easily be spotted amid the scented candles and soothing music in a spa. "On their first visit they're a little bit nervous and want to make it clear that it's their first time," said spa owner Natalie Tessler. "They usually announce it, 'I've never done this before.'"
Tessler, a lawyer, opened Spa Space in downtown Chicago four years ago with the intention of appealing to the businessmen working long hours nearby. "I did feel like no one was approaching men at the time -- there was a big gap there," she said.
To welcome them, she avoided pinks and pastels and threw green and gray paint on the walls, even adding a television for the men to watch while in the typically technology-free relaxation room.
She also prepared a spa menu in the hopes of attracting guys, including a "sports pedicure," "man hands manicure" and a "space mission massage." The products used during the treatments were also handpicked for the men.
"They don't want to walk out smelling like a flower," said Tessler. "And there are some differences in terms of the skin."
While You're at It, Polish Up Your Whole Life
As men swap their business suits for flip-flops and some rest and relaxation, one hotel is taking the experience a step further. It's looking to completely remake the man.
The new pedicure fan, Schmidt, devoted 48 hours to his makeover. He and his wife headed to Manhattan so that he could attend a Loews Hotel Metro Man weekend at the Regency Hotel.
Promotional materials for the program state it will "help any man polish his look, improve his culinary skills and refine his taste." The men receive a wardrobe consultant, a manicure and pedicure, and attend seminars with an etiquette coach who reviews proper behavior for dates and business meetings.
"Everybody talks about the pedicure," said John Iachetti, executive chef at The Regency. "Everybody loves it. I guess not a lot of men do that."
And while it's easy to poke fun at the idea of a guy getting made over, Iachetti said this type of attention is really lacking in the lives of the busy money managers, real estate professionals and businessmen he has taught to cook during their stays. "They want to be able to be pampered and feel good because they work so hard," said Iachetti.
Schmidt, who typically throws on a pair of jeans for work, said his friends still like to poke fun at him for getting his teeth bleached and having his eyebrows waxed, but their wives have since asked, "Why can't we do that?" said Schmidt.
For the guys out there who still think a spa experience is best-suited to the ladies, Iachetti jokes, those days are over.
"Get with the times," he said. "Things are definitely changing. If you walk down Park Avenue right now, in the salons you see there are men in there at their lunch hours getting their nails done."