The following post is from Mr C, the technical whizz and resident tea maker at Cosmetic Candy.
The other day I had the rare opportunity to go for a treatment at The Gentry Grooming Co in Didsbury, Manchester.
I was booked in for The Gentrification Package which is a Luxury Cut & Finish, Indian Head Massage, Gentry Cut Throat Shave and Indian head massage.
I normally shave about once a week, or longer if I can get away with it, before having to shave. To get a close shave I need to soften the hairs so usually shave after showering otherwise it’s painful and the razor pulls the hairs.
At the moment I am using Gillette’s Fusion Razor and Gillette Fusion Hydra Gel Stealth also for washing my face I use Lab Series Multi-Action Face Wash and Lab Series 3 in 1 Post Shave gel.
Mostly shaving for me is a chore and is something I get out of the way quickly although I do take care to get a close shave and take care of my skin, so I was interested to see what a professional shave would be like.
The salon was clean and unpretentious with a nice atmosphere. The staff were very attentive and I every made sure I was ok – I was briefed throughout so the process wasn’t daunting despite me not being used to salon treatments.
The Treatment
My treatment started with the haircut which was done by a young man called John. He did a great job. My hair is quite fine and tends to grow out and look clumpy at the edges but he did evened everything out.
Whilst my hair was being cut I was asked to fill in a quick form asking about my skincare routine and any problems I might have with dry or oily skin, so when it came to the shaving treatment Jon Lock the Salon Director and Technical Director gave me some advice and tips.
Jon started with a face was using The Face Wash- Black Pepper and Mint, one of their own brand products (which I really liked). My skin can be flaky and sensitive but I didn’t experience any discomfort with the products Jon used on my face.
The towel process is important with wet throat shave and it helps open the pores and soften the hairs so that it’s easier to shave off. There were lots of towels and also oils being rubbed into my skin!
I had never had this done before but the whole treatment was very relaxing. This towel process took around 15 minutes this was then followed by Jon applying the shave oil, another one of their products which I found highly moisturising and nourishing.
Cutting
The razor they use are cutthroat razor but with a disposable blades so there is always a fresh unused blade for every shave. The shave took about 45 minutes, I think, although I did lose track of time and Jon explained the process along the way.
Once the shave had finished (it was done twice) Jon used a cold towel which woke me up a bit, and I had some moisturisers rubbed into my face.
Hair
Even though my hair had been cut at this point they washed my hair again to get rid of any trimmings, and after it was dried I went downstairs for the Indian Head Massage with Pat.
I am really not used to things like massages but it was nice – I preferred the shoulder and neck massage element and liked that it was incorporated into the treatment.
Verdict:
I would definitely go back to The Gentry Grooming Co. Obviously I couldn’t go back every week for the shave but I really liked the hair cut so I would be tempted to get the shave done every time I needed a trim, every 6-8 weeks as a treat. It’s also a nice gift for the guy.
Mrs C Verdict:
After waiting nearly 2 hours for Mr C to emerge, I was please to find a clean shaven, soft skinned man, who smelt of basil (I love basil) and lemon. I would definitely book him in again, men need pampering too!
Contact Details:
I visited the store in Didsbury but there is one in Wilmslow, Manchester City Centre and also a shaving centre in Glasgow – please visit the site for details.
For the Didsbury salon:
Didsbury Salon
675 Wilmslow Road
Didsbury
Manchester
M20 6RA
tel:
*This was a complimentary treatment
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
If I had a boyfriend, and if I had money, I’d book him for this experience.
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I helped my mum buy my wee bro a groupon deal for christmas for the one in Glasgow. He gets a shave, facial, manicure, and aftershave to take away. Hopefully he enjoys it as much as Mr C!
Anna x
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Awwww…it’s nice for guys to get pampered too
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