For the Refined Man: The Barbershop Tampa
Oh, the spa. It’s a slice of heaven for the women of the world to wind down and relax from everyday stressors and indulge in self-care in the form of a massage, facial, mani/pedi - the list of possible services go on and on. But, what about the men of the world? Sure, spas offer services to men just as they do women, but you hear women talk way more about self-care and spa time way more than the average male. Why is that?
I did a very informal survey on my Instagram Stories (take it for what you will - it’s Instagram, not sound statistics), and was surprised to find that while 64% of male respondents say they regularly indulge in self-care, such as grooming, stretching, mani/pedis, massages, meditation and face masks, 85% of respondents (both men and women) admitted there’s a stigma associated with men indulging in spa services the way women would.
Honestly, it’s kind of a bummer. I would want pH to feel like he can unashamedly indulge in him-time at the spa just as much as I do! I know a part of it has to do with education - pH wouldn’t even know half the world of pedicures and facials if it wasn’t due to my introduction. He also points out that men aren’t typically a part of the conversation surrounding self-care; I mean, it’s true - when’s the last time you saw an ad for a men’s facial vs. a woman’s facial?
Luckily for him, and the rest of the gentlemen in Tampa, there’s a local spot that caters specifically to the refined man, called The Barbershop by Salon Inga.
It’s one of the most impressive man caves in town, offering male clientele custom grooming options, manicures and facials. In the spirit of encouraging self-care for the modern male, The Barbershop recently invited pH in to experience a back facial treatment with Jessica, Salon Inga’s skin care specialist who stops by The Barbershop once a week to offer skin care services.
A back facial treatment is a fantastic option for those who suffer from back acne, find themselves in the sun often, or just want to take good care of their skin and ease back tension. At The Barbershop, a back facial treatment with Jessica consists of a cleansing phase, followed by steam and exfoliation with an almond-honey scrub, a thorough extraction process, a balancing toner and a mask. While the mask is setting, men receive their choice of a hand massage or scalp massage, and once the mask is washed up, the treatment is completed with a moisturizer massaged into the back.
At both Salon Inga and The Barbershop, Jessica uses Repêchage skin care products, a premiere professional line of seaweed-based products with an emphasis on training and continued education. Their products are great for all skin types, and especially for those with sensitive skin.
It’s an hour-long treatment for $55, a very reasonable price to pay for a moment of self-care. pH absolutely loved it, and plans to make it a part of his monthly routine, and I’m honestly curious to experience it for myself! Don’t worry, ladies - Jessica also offers the back facial treatment when she’s at Salon Inga in Carrollwood.
So, men - I hope knowing that there’s a haven created specifically for you is worth venturing out and indulging in self-care more often. It’s a great place to start. Let’s make it part of a normal narrative, shall we? It’s time to help bring men back into the conversation of self-care and remove the stigma associated with it!
The Barbershop by Salon Inga is located at 4544 West Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To stay updated on the latest with The Barbershop and to see when Jessica is in next, follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
*Disclosure: The service featured in this post was provided by The Barbershop by Salon Inga for editorial placement. Opinions expressed here are my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of The Barbershop or Salon Inga.
