The Rise of the #MaleMani or MANicure

With stars like Harry Styles donning nail colours and even nail art, the rise of the #MaleMani sees the trend of men taking care of their nails to new levels. With global lockdown, it is estimated that men have had more time to experiment with new trends whilst at home, with nail polish and grooming being a popular choice. Statistics show that the men’s personal-care market in the US is expected to reach $81 billion over the next five years.

Whilst women have endless amounts of products marketed towards them, it can be harder for men to find products that truly help their specific needs and make them feel looked after.

After a year of being told to wash our hands more regularly and for longer, it is no surprise that our hands are suffering with all the extra attention, so now is the time for men to be looking after their hands more than ever. We have a range of hand and nail care products to cater for men’s specific nail needs and our in-house nail expert Lynn Gray is here to demonstrate how men can give themselves a much needed mani.

Lynn says “men’s nails and hands are actually very different to women’s. You will often find men’s hands are harder, tougher and rougher so need specialised products. Looking after your hands is really important as we use them all the time, so here is a simple mani men can follow to keep their hands looking neat.”

Step 1: Shaping

“Start with the Mavala Stainless Steel Hard Nail Clippers, £43 to trim down nails as traditionally, men prefer their nails shorter in length.  As mentioned, men’s nails are usually much harder than women’s so require extra strength clippers to get them looking neat. If you wanted to file them down after so you don’t have any sharp edges, the rough side of an emery board can also be used”

Step 2: Cuticle Care

“Looking after cuticles is one of the best things you can do for your nails, especially as men’s cuticles are harder and thicker. Men are also more inclined to chew their nails and bite off any skin surrounding the nail which can cause cuticles to become thicker and painful. Not only do healthy cuticles promote even nail growth, but if neglected, nail infection and disease can easily get into the surrounding skin. To deter you chewing the skin and nails, Mavastop, £5.95 will help you kick the habit in no time and give your nails and cuticles a well-deserved rest. I’d also recommend the Perfect Cuticle Duo, £25.65 a pair of products which help cuticles look less ragged in no time at all. Tease the dead and dried up skin at the base of the nail off with the Cuticle Remover and apply a generous amount of cuticle oil to soften any extra hard skin around the nails afterwards. If done regularly, nails will look much cleaner and neater for longer.”

Step 3: Treatment

“Even though men’s nails are usually harder, frequent handwashing can make nails become soft, flaky or peely, so to remedy this, try the Stronger Than Strong nails duo, £32.50. The Mavastrong base coat promotes a thicker, more resilient nail plate that is less vulnerable to breaking and thinning, and Scientifique K+ hardens the nail plate to make nails stronger.

Step 4: Finish

“Whilst I think everyone should take a leaf out of Harry’s book and try a nail look that is more daring, I understand a lot of men don’t often frequent red carpets so would prefer something more subtle. The Mavala Colour Matte, £11.20 topcoat will add a discreet matte finish to the nails, keeping them cleaner and looking more healthy for day to day life, or if nails are discoloured and yellow, the Mavawhite, £11.50 is an optical nail whitener which will make then look cleaner.

Step 5: Hygiene

“Lastly, MavaClear, £6.20 is a great hand sanitizer option for men as it avoids floral scents and bright coloured packaging. This subtle gel cleans up 99% of germs and has a citrus scent. It is quickly absorbed and leaves a soft finish to the hands.”