There was a time when “male grooming” was considered something that only certain men would do, but those days are long gone. Whether you are a man who enjoys going all out with a packed schedule of pedicures, weekly beard trims, and standing wax appointments, or one who has never considered any of the above, there is a service out there for you. The trouble with the phrase “men’s grooming” is that for many people it tends to imply something “female or feminine, but that’s just no longer the case,” says David Nicholas, renowned makeup artist and owner of David Nicholas International. Male grooming is nothing more than a part of taking care of yourself, says Nicholas. You watch what you eat, you go to the gym, you take time and effort in selecting your wardrobe; why wouldn’t you take a few simple steps to maintain a groomed look that suits your style?
Brow shaping is often a critical first step in maintaining a man’s look, says Nicholas. Even the most anxious first-time brow client becomes a quick convert when they see it is possible to clean up their eyebrows without looking like they just had them done. “Brows can become too perfect,” says Nicholas, and a “natural, clean-looking brow” is what many men seek. Nicholas works with clients ranging in age from children to seniors and uses a combination of waxing and tweezing that is customized to the individual. When a man takes a razor to his own face in an attempt to self-correct a unibrow, the result is not a look anyone desires. The regrowth is a mess and can be avoided altogether with a subtle professional brow cleanup. Typically, male clients will need some of the bulk of their brows removed. Nicholas likes to remove every other hair, which yields a more natural result. Male brows can have unwanted length, and for this Nicholas likes to chip into the brow with safety tip scissors. No matter what the specific client’s needs are, Nicholas reassures men that “brow shaping and grooming is absolutely for everyone. Just as you would trim your beard, you should maintain your brows.” For clients that have sparse areas, he recommends his own line of brow balms, which come in three shades and help “fill in, groom, and condition” the hair. All of DNI’s products for men are void of any shimmer or shine, so even the most makeup-wary man will feel comfortable using them.
Facial hair on men is not just something to be maintained; it is very on-trend right now. From goatees to chin straps and stylized beards, facial hair can go a long way toward helping a man round out his individual look. Nicholas is able to work with a man’s existing facial hair and guide him on how to properly style it to enhance the jawline and individual face shape. Many men will have noticed beards can go gray or take on a shade of orange or red, sometimes before the hair on their head does. DNI’s men’s product line includes creams, sprays, and powders to help remedy this, and can also address bald spots on top of the head by reducing shine in an understated manner.
For the especially skeptical male, Nicholas emphasizes that DNI’s entire makeup line for men is composed of “invisible cosmetics”; from their vitamin E lip balm to brow gels, mattifiers, and more, all will go undetected. For the man wanting a little more, DNI’s makeup line includes stick foundations that can mask everything from razor rash to five o’clock shadow.
Nicholas’s makeup skills extend to “corrective camouflage” and helping those with more serious concerns. He has worked with clients wanting to address skin discolorations and disorders to help give them renewed confidence using products from DNI’s detection-free and waterproof product line.
Unwanted or unkempt hair anywhere on the face should be taken care of, and with results that can be achieved with a few simple steps, there’s little reason not to make a change. You (or your man) might just have a medicine cabinet full of products before you know it.
POLISHED look
• Buzz beard down to shadow length and define jawline by shaving neck area.
• Shape brows by trimming and “chipping.”
• Smooth on T-Zone Mattifier to control shine.
• Apply “camera-ready” coverage to even skin tone.
• Apply Invisible Brow Ink to tame brows.
• Shade using a matte finish.
• Add shadow to areas needing definition—jawline, hairline.
David Nicholas International Inc