Be a well-groomed gent - your guide to male grooming in UAE
What’s On has a guide to male grooming in Dubai and Abu Dhabi; men’s hairdressers in Dubai, men’s manicure in Dubai in Abu Dhabi, men’s shave in Dubai.
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– Healthy holidays
– Weird men’s treatments
– Painless detoxing
– Best men’s spa treatments
They say clothes make the man, but we think a little bit of preening goes a long way too. Here’s where guys can get the best treatments…
Where: The One&Only Royal Mirage
What: The hammam
A great hammam will give tired and dull skin a new lease of life, and this Oriental version does that in the rather plush surroundings of the spa at the Royal Mirage. Every inch of your skin will be exfoliated by the masseur with traditional black soap, leaving you with skin softer than that of a newborn.
Al Sufouh Road, Dubai, daily 8pm to 10pm, Dhs425. Tel: (04) 3152130. Taxi: The One&Only Royal Mirage. royalmirage.oneandonlyresorts.com
Where: 1847
What: The quirky massage
What’s On is well-versed in spa treatments using sports equipment – a niche area of expertise, we admit. We tried the golf ball massage at the Ritz-Carlton on JBR last year and we’ve just about recovered from the pummelling we received on that occasion. Just down the road from the Ritz-Carlton, the classy 1847 men’s spa has also recently introduced a golf ball massage to their menu. The 60-minute treatment began with a regular massage using the hands. Then we heard the ominous sound of ripping Velcro, which signalled the entrance of our tormentor: the golf ball. Held in a small plastic square frame, it shows no mercy on our shoulder blades, which are the equivalent of bunkers: trouble spots to be avoided. The ball skips out of the bunker and rolls beautifully all the way down our spine and into deep muscles where it unlocks tension and stress. Whatever next? A back scrub administered with a tennis ball? Actually, come to think of it, that sounds quite nice.
The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai, daily 9am to 11pm, Dhs400. Tel: (04) 4221847. Taxi: The Walk. facebook.com/1847lounge (Branches also at City Walk, Emirates Towers, Mirdif City Centre and Grosvenor House Hotel)
Where: The Signature Lounge
What: The shave
There are few things in life as satisfying as a great shave, and Signature Lounge delivers just that. Featuring a thorough cleanse, tone and soothing face mask, this is the ultimate in self indulgent pampering. We warn you, you’ll never want to shave again.
Business Central Towers, Media City, Dubai, Sat to Thur 10am to 9.30pm, Fri 11am to 9pm, Dhs90. Tel: (04) 4342110. Metro: Nakheel. thesignaturelounge.com
Where: Rayana, Hyatt Capital Gate
What: The Rebuild package
The Hyatt Capital Gate’s Rebuild package promises to make you feel as good as new after a lengthy, two-hour, 30-minute session consisting of a dead sea salt body soak, a 90-minute massage and a facial. It’s claimed a sea salt bath can help relieve stress, exfoliate and even banish eczema if taken regularly, but our experience took an unexpected turn after too much salt was added to the tub’s water. The treatment room quickly resembled New York in Ghostbusters after the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man exploded, with foam brimming over the sides and creeping along the floor. The apologetic therapist made up for it by putting us into a deep sleep during the 90-minute massage, which combined Swedish and deep tissue techniques, and then a hydrating facial using June Jacobs products. June’s papaya purifying enzyme masque, which it’s claimed dissolves dead skin impurities, left our face feeling supple. Apart from the amusing bubble crisis, the Rebuild left us feeling reinvigorated, refreshed and renewed.
Hyatt Capital Gate, Al Safraat, Abu Dhabi, daily 10am to 9pm, Dhs1,070. Tel: (02) 5961100. Taxi: Hyatt Capital Gate, by Adnec. abudhabi.capitalgate.hyatt.com
Where: Kalm Grooming Lounge
What: The mani/pedi
A firm handshake makes a good first impression and that includes neat and tidy nails. The newly opened Kalm salon is a haven for relaxing with a neck and shoulder massage while the expert nail technicians turn your talons into nail beds to be proud of.
Riva Beach Club, Shoreline Apartments, The Palm, Dubai, daily 10am to 9pm, Dhs130. Tel: (04) 4519888. Taxi: Riva Beach Club, The Palm east side. kalmgrooming.com
Where: Urban Male Lounge
What: The haircut
There’s no shortage of barbershops in this town but it’s tricky to find one that ticks all the boxes. The barbers here at UML pride themselves on delivering a haircut with an edge. And, thank heavens, they’re speedy too, which is what a bloke wants. No faffing; you’ll get a warm greeting, a glass of water, and you’ll be out the door in ten minutes.
Precinct Building 2, DIFC, Dubai, daily 10am to 9pm, Dhs95. Tel: (04) 4505100. Metro: Financial Centre. facebook.com/urbanmalelounge. (Branch also at Mall Of The Emirates)
Where: Urban Male Lounge
What: The hand treatment
It’s common for men to go for a mani-pedi in the UAE, with many viewing neat nails as essential as a nice suit when conducting business. The Urban Male Lounge in The Galleria is taking this pampering one step further – not only do your nails get some TLC, your hands do as well. Heavenly Therapy By Deborah Mitchell is an anti-ageing treatment for your paws. It uses a bee sting mask, a natural product that mimics the effects of Botox and loosens skin. Urban Lounge is a smart, futuristic-looking venue with TVs in each cubicle with a variety of shows available to watch while you’re getting preened (we opted for Doctor Who), plus a stereo playing cheesy pop music.
It starts with your nails being smothered in vanilla pod cream to soften them. Cuticles are trimmed, nails are smoothed and buffed before your hands and arms are smothered in a dry, sea salt product, which exfoliates before it’s vigorously massaged off. Then it’s time for the white, creamy bee venom to be applied all over your hands, which are then wrapped in plastic bags. Your hands are inserted into two silver, hot gloves for ten minutes. Finally, they’re again smothered in the vanilla pod cream. The difference is instantly noticeable: wrinkles are reduced and they look extremely clean (although they look back to normal the next morning). We rounded off our visit with a haircut, which includes a head massage as well as shampoo and conditioner. If you told us watching Daleks attack planet Earth while listening to One Direction and wearing a pair of oven gloves was an acceptable form of male grooming, we’d call you bonkers. But the Heavenly Therapy is a great way to inject new life into yours hands.
The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Wed 10am to 10pm, Thur and Sat 10am to 11pm, Fri 12pm to 11pm, Dhs185. Tel: (800) 865. Taxi: Galleria, Al Maryah Island. nstyleintl.com
Where: Eastern Mangroves
What: The anti-ageing facial
Life in the UAE can play havoc on your face. There’s the harsh sun, the dehydrating heat and all those late nights. We forgive you if you’re staggering around looking like an extra from The Walking Dead. The Eastern Mangroves’ Elemis Skin IQ+ Facial For Men aims to tackle anti-ageing head-on, by using a Time Defence Wrinkle Delay and Time Defence Eye Reviver. It even claims it can lessen irritation from frequent shaving. This session is relaxing, non-intrusive and only lasts 75 minutes, and the products are soothing on the skin and we noticed our haunted, puffy bags were reduced even the following day. It’s perfect if you’ve got a big event lined up, an important business meeting or a job interview and need to look your best.
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, daily 10am to 10pm (open till midnight during Ramadan), Dhs625. Tel: (02) 6561000. Taxi: Eastern Mangroves. abu-dhabi.anantara.com
FOUR MORE TO TRY
Where: Samer Spa And Salon
What: Moroccan Bath
The service is a bit quirky at Samer, but the Moroccan bath is excellent. Start by opening your pores in a steam room, before your body is smothered in black soap, which is made from olives, and exfoliates. You’ll leave refreshed, and speckless.
Samer Spa And Salon, Al Muroor, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Thur 10am to 10pm, Fri 1pm to 10pm, Dhs250. Tel: (02) 6422264. Taxi: Red Crescent building, Muroor Road. samer.ae
Where: Man/Age
What: Hair removal
Man/Age will remove hair from pretty much all over your body, including your eyebrows, underarms, legs and even your ears, nostrils and cheeks.
Man/Age, Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Wed 9am to 10pm, Thur 9am to 11pm, Fri 2pm to 11pm. Tel: (02) 6818837. Taxi: Marina Mall. managespa.com
Where: The Lounge
What: Executive mani-pedis
The Lounge doesn’t just give your nails a bit of a touch-up with an emery board; it also throws in a massage for good measure. The pedi works on tired feet with pressure point foot reflexology, plus an exfoliation treatment to smooth feet. You’ll get a lower leg massage as well. There’s also an arm massage plus a paraffin wax treatment (which helps soften skin) during the manicure.
The Lounge, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Thur 11am to 10pm, Dhs110. Tel: (02) 6677377. Taxi: Corner of Al Falah Street and Arabian Gulf Street (30th Street). thelounge.ae
Where: Vintage Men’s Spa
What: The shave
Your five-minute ritual at home with a Gillette disposable will never come close to this. Vintage’s signature shaving package includes cleansers, a five-minute steam to open pores, and a hot lather rubbed all over your beard before the classic barber’s blade goes to work.
Vintage Men’s Spa, Al Wahda Mall, Al Wahda, Abu Dhabi, daily 10am to 10pm, Dhs60. Tel: (02) 4452127. Taxi: Al Wahda Mall. vintagemenspasalonabudhabi.com