Man, I feel like a woman!

Men, the days when soap, a razor and a can of deodorant were all you needed to groom yourself are well over.

Male grooming in the modern era is something more and more men are embracing.

Deciding to step out of my comfort zone, I took a trip to Back to Beauty at Rey’s Place office park in the Ballito CBD for a facial to enjoy a little pampering and see what all the fuss was about.

Kinga Milan has more than 15 years experience in the beauty and sports massage industries and although I was at first skeptical (of all beauticians), she quickly won me over.

Also read: Beauty Review: Time to be a queen

Originally from Johannesburg, Kinga moved here three years ago after practicing beauty in Johannesburg for a few years, working in London for two and then spending another nine years practicing both beauty, and sports massage together with a pair of chiropractors.

She said that she has seen a definite increase in the number of men coming in for a facial over the last several years.

“There were always those few men who would come in every so often but now I have several male clients who come in every month for a facial.”

She said men tend to be surprised at how relaxing and meditative the whole process was.

“At the moment I have a handful of regular male clients with the occasional once-off visitor, but the regulars keep coming back for more.”

The facial began with a relaxing breathing exercise to calm the mind, followed by a double cleanse: first to get rid of superficial dirt and oil, second to get a deeper, penetrating clean.

After the cleanse Kinga brings out the steamer (thoroughly confusing to a man who had never seen such a device before) which exfoliates the skin, removing old, dead skin cells and promotes the body’s own natural exfoliating process.

Also read: Beauty Review: KUZA Wellness Lab

The steamer also softens the skin and opens the pores, not to mention being extremely relaxing. Then it was time for the extractions – something Kinga said few beauty practitioners offer anymore.

With a firm but sensitive hand, Kinga extracts all blackheads and blockages, before beginning the dreaded waxing of eyebrows/ ears/nostrils.

Despite years of hearing just how painful this is, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it was over and it really was not so bad. Before the facial masks are applied, Kinga wipes over the skin with a toner to sterilise and restore pH balance.

Then it is time to apply the facial mask, but not before a bit of massage for the neck and shoulders.

“The massage is for relaxation but also to stimulate muscle tone and circulation, bringing fresh oxygenated blood to your skin,” she told me.

There are various kinds of mask for different skin types and conditions, and she will advise which to choose depending on the condition of your skin.

While the mask is doing its magic you get treated to another massage of the head, neck and scalp.

Finally, once the mask comes off, she uses a concentrated serum for deep skin penetration before cleaning off the face and applying some eye cream and moisturiser with spf to moisturise and protect the skin.

When all was said and done it was an experience well worth the effort.

I left feeling relaxed and refreshed and yes, more than a little pampered.

I felt like a new man. Kinga offers sports massage, facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures and tinting for men and women.

But just a word of warning, she did say it was not advisable for men with beards to get a facial.

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