Archive for the ‘Men’ Category

The comb over: Are you with me on this one?

Mar 4th, 11 / 12 Comments

Janet, my vastly older sister, called me the other night. “I have a great idea for a blog post,” she told me. “You’ve got to tell men with comb-overs to give it up!”

Janet went on and on about this unfortunate styling choice. You’ve seen it – balding men grow their hair long on one side, then flip it over the top of their heads to conceal their baldness.

Yes, the overgrowth of hair covers the bare dome, but it’s an obvious subterfuge. It’s ineffective, and it’s often the source of much joking.

Thanks for the blog idea, Janet. The next morning, I arrived at the office, fired up my computer, and started writing. After clacking out a few hundred words, it dawned on me: Who am I to tell men not wear comb-overs?

I wouldn’t dream of using this forum to tell women to abandon a hairstyle that makes them feel better about themselves. So how dare I use it against men with comb-overs?

Maybe instead of saying don’t do it, I should assist them in their mission. Hey, men, here’s a great gel that will help keep your comb-over in place!

Biotera Volumizing Spray Gel. It gives medium hold and even adds some volume. You can use it on wet hair after you shower, or dry hair anytime. Sweet!

There it is. I just recommended an excellent gel that’ll even help with comb-overs. No, I never expected to find myself doing that.

Our mission is to offer the right products to help women – and men – achieve the look they want. Perhaps even when it’s the much maligned comb-over.

So I ran this idea by my editor, Lindsey. She said she understands my point. But another colleague, Jennifer, objected. Jennifer told me that all men with comb-overs must be aggressively discouraged from continuing the practice. And she said I should ask women why they allow their men to wear comb-overs.

Where do you stand?

Should we support beauty decisions like comb-overs? Or should we spread our scorn and insist that all men get an honest haircut?

Click on “comments” near the top of this page to let me know. I’m waiting!

Men

Finally, “Grooming for Guys.”

Dec 29th, 10 / 7 Comments

Hair removal: It’s every guy’s responsibility.

Kind people have said nice things to me about my blog posts. I love it!

But I have yet to address the subject “Grooming for Guys” in any significant way, much to the dismay of at least one reader.

So today’s blog entry is about male grooming, and it’s FOR MEN ONLY. If you’re a woman, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO READ THIS. The topic is getting rid of hair, and it’s a little embarrassing, so women, stop reading now.

Women, I said STOP READING THIS NOW.

Thank you.

OK, now that the women are gone, let’s light up cigars and have a chat.

I have good news, men.  Grooming for guys is easy — getting rid of extra hair is 90 percent of it. And most of it involves electric gadgets. How cool is that?

Eyebrows

Kasha, the woman who cuts my hair, once told me, “I’ll trim your eyebrows, you don’t have to bother.” Dear, sweet Kasha. If I waited five weeks between eyebrow trims, my vision would be impaired. I recommend the Wahl Trimmer and a comb. This trimmer is also good for the outside areas of the ears and for touch ups here and there between haircuts.

Ear and nose hair

The Conair Pro Deluxe Nose and Ear Hair Trimmer  is an excellent $10 investment. Turn it on and use it where needed. (Here’s an idea: Ask for one for a present. Then when you open it, act humiliated and embarrassed.) Also purchase a high quality tweezer, like this one by Tweezerman. It’s good for plucking those prominent individual hairs that have the consistency of wire.

The back of the neck

Yes, hair grows there. I take care of it a couple of times a week while shaving, using the razor I use on my face.

A mirror

Magnifying mirrors are revealing to a fault, and more frightening than Freddie Krueger. Do you really need to see what your nose looks like three feet high? It can be disturbing, but these mirrors make trimming sessions precise and easy. The Zadro Spot Mirror is a good choice.

Men, all of these items are available for you to purchase easily and anonymously online www.sallybeauty.com. You’re also welcome to visit your local Sally Beauty Supply where you’ll receive excellent and expert attention. Tell them William sent you.

Men

A New Look

Aug 20th, 10 / 3 Comments

Me in college, with my very first beard.

Every now and then I grow a beard.

The comments usually begin about three days into the process.

Numerous people look at me and make this statement: “You’re growing a beard.”

Yep, my days are spent endlessly answering people who have stated the obvious.

It gets tedious. So I’ve come up with something to say other than, “Yes, you’re right. I AM growing a beard.”

One response reveals my interest in being precise: Actually, I’m always growing a beard. I’ve just stopped shaving it.

My favorite response is one I borrowed from the actor Martin Mull: No, I still shave every day. I just think the blade’s gotten dull.

(By the way, regular trimming is the first responsibility of every beard owner. The Wahl Trimmer I’m always telling you about is ideal.)

I’ve never been brave enough to shave my head. Ray, a friend of mine, told me that every man has to shave his head once. For some men, it’s a good look. For others, it isn’t. But you never know whether it’s a good idea for you until you’ve done it.

I’ll always remember the moment Ray told me that. It was a Monday morning. I’d just walked into his office and was shocked to see he’d shaved his head over the weekend.

I was determined to act like nothing was out of the ordinary. That lasted about five seconds, then I burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Ray is a handsome guy, but the shaved head look was not for him. Poor Ray. He heard a lot of laughter over the following few days. I give him a lot of credit. He could have just taken vacation days and disappeared for the rest of the week, but he was brave and returned to the office every morning. Ray ended up letting his hair grow and grow and grow. It got REALLY long. He didn’t cut it for ages.

Let’s have some fun here. Tell me the comments you’ve received – positive and negative – when you’ve changed your look. Feel free to add your responses.

One more thing: If you see me and I happen to be growing a beard, I hope you’ll say hello and tell me what you’ve been up to. But please don’t say, “You’re growing a beard.” I knew that long before you did.

Men, Tools

Driven to Madness

Jul 19th, 10 / 1 Comment

This photo is just for illustration purposes. Kasha wouldn’t really harm me if I got my hair cut elsewhere in an emergency. (I don’t think so, anyway.)

I have a Wahl Cordless Trimmer that is AWESOME. I use it to trim my eyebrows and to touch up the hair near my sideburns and ears. It’s great between haircuts. If your man doesn’t have one, get him one.

However, a trimmer is too little too late when a haircut is overdue. When the entire head needs attention, self-trimming around the ears is as futile as an amateur using a Sham Wow to clean up a giant deep ocean oil spill. It needs the full attention of a professional.

That’s where I am right now. I really, really, really, need a haircut.

Kasha cuts my hair, and I’m a Saturday customer. Poor Kasha, she was out of town for a family emergency the last two Saturdays.

Bless her heart, as we say in Texas. But I’m losing my mind.

My hair has a heaviness that I find uncomfortable. It looks and feels too long, and I’m pretty sure I can actually hear it growing.

I’m doing my best to concentrate, but I’m losing the battle. I’ll bet you’ve been here. Driven to the brink of insanity because you’re overdue for a haircut.

I confess – all day Saturday, I kept thinking, I can get my hair cut at this place or that place. No, no, no! I’ll wait for Kasha. She has a special talent for bringing order to this stuff that grows randomly on my head.

Now I’m counting the hours until Saturday and trying to turn off all self-awareness of my head. I’m going a little nuts.

So what’s the point of this blog post? Let’s see. The Wahl trimmer is nice, waiting too long for a haircut can be maddening, and PLEASE TELL ME YOU FEEL MY PAIN!

I promise my next blog post will be more useful and purpose-driven. I will have had a haircut and recovered by then.

Men

Lessons Learned

Jul 7th, 10 / 4 Comments

Let me introduce myself, then I’ll move along to something useful. I promise.

I’m a grown male who writes for Sally Beauty Supply. It makes sense that I find myself here.

I’ve been surrounded by women all my life. I was raised with three sisters, including my twin. My part-time job in high school was running the stockroom at a women’s clothing store. And today, I have two teenage daughters.

My daughters have benefited by the expertise I’ve acquired at Sally Beauty.

Such as…

We have many, many products that our customers tell us they can’t live without. A perfect example is our Miracle 7 line of hair care products. When I bring home Miracle 7 Leave In Conditioner, I’m a hero. If you haven’t tried it, please do. And let me know what you think.

Want to try something fun? Have you ever colored your hair a wild color? Sally has temporary hair color that washes right out.

My daughter Erin painted her hair blue for a football game, and I told her, “After it dries, spray it with hair spray. It will last longer.”

Wow – that useful tip rolled out of my brain without even thinking! Thanks to Sally Beauty, I’m both a father and a mother!

I believe every woman should paint her hair a bold color to spread the fun at a party or event at least once! Try that sometime and report back to me.

And as long as I’m sharing knowledge, one last thing: Eye cream. It is NOT to be used on the eyes. It’s meant to be used AROUND the eyes, to moisturize and cover wrinkles. Let’s all spread the word about that one!

Color, Men, Skincare, Styling Products