A Mans World

A White towel is spread over the marble table-top,but instead of pulling up a chair,I am asked to lie down on it wearing a pair of disposable underwear.

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A Mans World

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Spas are rolling out beauty treatments to pamper an increasing client base men

A White towel is spread over the marble table-top,but instead of pulling up a chair,I am asked to lie down on it wearing a pair of disposable underwear. The room is dimly lit with aromatic candles and a wavy music plays softly in the background. Next,I am asked to relax as a man I have never met before begins to apply generous amounts of olive oil all over my body. This is a Balinese,deep tissue,high-pressure oil massage. Until a few years ago,most men would have cringed at the idea,but today,the statistics tell a different story. About 40 per cent of my clients are men. This is vastly different from three years ago when only a handful of men would come in for spa treatments, says Dr Jairam Nair,spa manager at the Amatrra Spa,The Ashok.

As the number of male clientele increased,spas,which generally focus on pampering women,began to introduce packages exclusively for men. This summer,Amatrra Spa has several specialised treatments for men like the Balinese massage,which releases blockages in various pressure points of the body. Another popular spa,Three Graces,opened in Rajouri Garden two months ago and offers five treatments tailored for men. Among these is the Ayurvedic Choorna-Sweednam massage which is done with a heated pouch of powder dipped in medicated oils and is said to rejuvenate the muscles and joints.

The year-old Harnn Spa at MGF Metropolitan mall offers the Thai Heritage massage to men. Since it involves yoga movements to relax body muscles and detoxify the body,we target our male customers for this treatment, says Rakhi,a representative from the spa. She adds that though women may avail themselves of these treatments,the,there would be a difference in its application. Most massage packages cater to men above 35 with disposable income,largely because the services each priced above Rs 2,000 arent cheap.

Apart from massages,the Galaxy hotel and Spa in Gurgaon offers a Mens skin treatment facial,which starts with a deep cleansing for involves a hand,foot and shoulder massage with a customised treatment masque. After checking the skin type,we recommend a facial mask. We have been getting around 20 men for skin treatments every month since we introduced it last year , says Sonia Sharma,spa manager. At The Aman in Lodhi Road,which has two Turkish hamams,the Traditional Peel,a full-body exfoliating treatment,is proving to be a hit with the male guests. This is generally done before the Sabal oil,deep-tissue massage,which uses a mustard based oil in combination with ginger and black pepper , says Karen Biancardi,spa manager. Men who lead a hectic life between boardrooms and offices enjoy these de-stressing moments. Adds Nair of Amatrra Spa: Men prefer to walk in for rejuvenation treatments to untangle those weary muscles and joints since they lead a hectic and outdoor lifestyle. And there is nothing feminine about it.After my hour of Balinese indulgence,I fully agree.

Amatraa Spa: 46075721

Harnn Spa: 45682000

Three Graces: 4316 5757

The Aman: 43633300

Galaxy Hotel and Spa: 4565000

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