It’s Heroes’ Weekend and we’re dedicating this issue to the male heroes in our lives. Follow us to Totally Male Club Spa Salon, the experts on all barber and spa services for men.

Who to See: Sandra Samuels-Reid

Where: Totally Male Club Spa Salon

Suite #2, 1 Brompton Road,

Kingston 5

Tel. 1-876-946-2454

What to Get: Ingrown hair removal treatment, hot stone massage, haircut and shave.

This Week’s Pick…

Totally Male Club Spa Salon

Totally Male Club Spa Salon spokesperson, recording artiste Prodi (centre) is all smiles during his pedicure courtesy of aesthetician Keneisha Spence, surrounded by owner Sandra Samuels-Reid (left) and spa manager Judith McKenzie.

Totally Male Club Spa Salon has been diligently tending to the specific needs of Jamaican men for 20 years.

Our focus today is on ingrown hairs, sore muscles and a fun father-son experience.

Totally Male Club Spa Salon’s 20 years of dedication and service as Jamaica’s pioneer spa for men were recently acknowledged in the October issue of UK-based magazine Scratch.

Pesky Ingrowns Be Gone!

Neck and facial ingrown hairs are perhaps the most common shaving concern. Ingrown hairs occur when a hair follicle emerges from the root in a coil, causing it to surface but then curl back underneath the skin. It is aggravated by shaving in the wrong direction or shaving too close. Although the only way to not get ingrown hairs is to avoid shaving, that’s simply not an option for men like Totally Male customer Donovan Wignal. Samuels-Reid shows how to remove ingrown hairs like a pro.

Customer: Donovan Wignal, president of MSME Alliance and CEO of Mairtrans International Logistics.

Ingrown Hair Removal

The Tools:

– Needle-point tweezers

– Comedone extractor

– Lancet

The Steps:

1 Wash and pat dry the face. Always begin with clean skin.

2 Ensure you have an adequate light source and a magnifying lamp (the naked eye is unable to spot all the hairs hiding beneath the skin).

3 The aim is to ease, not pluck, the hair out of the skin until it emerges uncurled to later be shaved.

” Samuels-Reid advises that only infected hairs should be plucked. She also notes that most infected follicles allow the hairs to come out by themselves without any necessary intervention.

4 Once the ingrown hairs have been gently pulled out from underneath the skin, use a T-Outliner trimmer for a close shave. If a close shave is not required, a fading machine can be used on the lowest setting.

Bonus! Pineapple Sugar All-Natural Scrub

Client Donovan Wignal’s pores received a sweet treat in the form of an exfoliating, moisturising scrub made with pineapple and sugar. Exfoliating scrubs are useful in clearing away dead skin, which can cause ingrown hairs.

How?

By building up in the follicle and forcing hair to grow sideways instead of upwards.

A layer of dead skin is gently cleared from the face using the aromatic exfoliating scrub. A dollop of shaving cream is mixed into the skin to manoeuvre the scrub with more ease due to the added lubrication. Adding shaving cream affords an extra-smooth finish.

A peppermint-infused hot towel is used to remove the scrub and cream mixture, leaving the face clean and radiant.

“Totally Male Club Spa feels like family. Sandra would be like the mother in this family: when you forget to look after yourself, she remembers that you need taking care of. Running a very busy schedule that involves a lot of public appearances, there are times when you need a quick makeover, and Sandra is always willing to facilitate. You can’t get tired of good service. Sixteen years of being a client at this institution speaks for itself.” — Donovan Wignal, president of MSME Alliance and CEO of Mairtrans International Logistics, Totally Male Club Spa Salon customer since 1998.

Totally Male Club Spa Salon sources its exfoliating scrubs from Island Rituals, an Ocho-Rios-based line of all-natural products.

Totally Male’s Shaving Tips:

1 To avoid infection, shave only clean skin.

2 Make sure the tools used are clean and sanitised, both at home and at the barber’s.

3 Do not stretch the skin to shave. Hold the skin taut, without pulling too tight, as the ingrown hairs will snap right back under the skin once the skin is released.

4 If using a razor, shave in the direction of the hair growth.

5 To keep follicles clean and avoid developing pustules, apply an exfoliating scrub to the face and neck once a week.

6 Remove ingrown hairs after each shave, using needle-point tweezers. Flat-end tweezers will not work to remove ingrown hairs as their shape makes it impossible to reach under the skin to pull out the ingrown hair. Needle-point tweezers, however, easily access the hair and allows it to be gently pulled up to the skin’s surface.

Totally Male Tip!

If you suffer from ingrown hairs, use a rag or mitten to rub against the face and ease the ingrown hairs to the surface. Ingrown hairs tend to lie flat, forming a track called “pitting”. Using a rag to rub/scrub against the beard helps to make the hair stand, allowing for easy removal.

Totally Relaxing Hot Stone Massage

Men whose jobs are physically demanding or who spend a lot of time seated often complain about tight muscles that cause discomfort and pain. Treat your hero to a deeply penetrating massage done by pressing hot stones into the tense muscles of the body to release tension and achieve relaxation. Hot stone massages have the added benefit of providing relief from pain associated or caused by arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other chronic conditions.

Bonding Time with Dad!

Attorney-at-law Gregg Scott observes as Totally Male Club Spa Salon owner Sandra Samuels-Reid gently works her magic on his four-year-old son, Joshua.

Attorney-at-law Gregg Scott recalls that going to the barber with his father and brothers while growing up was part of the weekly routine that he fondly remembers. Now, Scott brings his four-year old son Joshua with him to Totally Male Club Spa Salon as part of their bonding time.

“My son lives abroad, so, when he’s here, a part of our father-son bonding time is coming to the Totally Male barber. It really brings us closer.” – Attorney-at-law Gregg Scott, Totally Male Club Spa Salon customer since 2011.

Totally Male Club Spa Salon owner Sandra Samuels-Reid works carefully as she gives young client Joshua Scott a neat haircut.

“It’s important to introduce our boys to grooming at an early age so that it becomes a part of their lifestyle. Part of our mandate is to educate boys to men; there’s a total focus on the males of Jamaica right now. I encourage the males in each household to use the barber, as a bonding experience with their sons. As wonderful and involved as mothers are with their sons, they are not men. There are certain things that should be done with their dads. When children see their fathers placing emphasis on grooming, it invariably becomes their norm.” – Totally Male Club Spa Salon owner Sandra Samuels-Reid

Spotted!

“The quality of care and service keeps me coming back to Totally Male. Wonderful service is delivered by reliable, caring ladies.” – Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Peter Phillips shared with Under the Dryer his experience as a Totally Male Club Spa Salon client of eight years.

Note

As of Sunday, October 19th, Totally Male Club Spa Salon’s location at 48C Constant Spring Road will be permanently closed. Totally Male Club Salon Spa on 1 Brompton Road will become its only location, offering barber and spa services seven days a week.