At a time when the male grooming industry in the UK is worth an estimated £1.4bn, Daniel Howlett finds out if he has what it takes to become a ‘modern male’.

I WOULDN’T exactly say I was a man’s man. I am partial to the odd packet of steak crisps, but I’m not sure how many guy points that entitles me to.

I like to keep myself looking relatively good, but there are limits and I’ve never been hugely into male grooming. My daily routine includes a brush of the teeth, a wash of the face and a bit of product on my hair.

So when I got the call asking me to go into a new salon in Hartlepool for some male grooming treatments, I didn’t really know what to expect.

And when I found out I would be getting a manicure, pedicure and a facial, I felt distinctly uneasy.

When I went along to Garbo’s, in Grange Road, I think the staff could see from my shifty feet, red face and nervous smile that I was a little out of my comfort zone, but they made me feel at ease straight away.

I was taken to the manicure room and given a little reprimand for biting my nails. I apologised and the treatment began.

A strange thing started to happen while my nails were being done: the more time that passed, the more I began to gossip – about nothing in particular, just general chit-chat, something I am normally not prone to. Perhaps it’s part and parcel of the experience.

It pains me to say it, but when I looked at my shiny nails I actually quite liked them. Just to clarify, there was no nail varnish used – I’ve got to draw the line somewhere – but they were given a nice buff.

I was dreading the pedicure, though. I haven’t got the most attractive feet in the world and I warned the therapist about this.

“I’ve seen worse,” she assured me, and since she’s been working with feet for more than ten years, I took a little comfort.

I have to say I liked the look after the treatment, though she faced a difficult task. With my feet, a belt sander would have been required to do a proper job.

Time for my facial, a 45-minute treatment involving all sorts of products and witchcraft that I couldn’t begin to understand.

My skin was positively glowing afterwards, a phrase I never thought I’d use.

I felt like I was walking on air after leaving the salon which was probably as much to do with the three inches of hard skin removed from my feet as anything else.

It was an enjoyable, if very different, kind of day and I suppose I can now empathise a little more with “modern man” and his gruelling beauty regime.

All I have to do now is make sure my dad and grandad don’t read this piece or we could be in for a little family meeting.

■ Garbo’s unisex hair and beauty, 6 Grange Road, Hartlepool, TS26 8JA. Tel: 01429-265575.

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