Men And Women ‘Battling For Mirror’
By admin • Feb 16th, 2010Women in the UK may be used to fighting to use the bathroom mirror with their sisters or housemates but they could increasingly find it is their partner who is hogging the glass.
This is because beautifying themselves and ensuring they are well groomed is becoming a growing priority among males keen to ensure that they look as good as possible.
And while women grapple with plucking their eyebrows, moisturising and applying makeup, the male grooming process may in fact need longer to carry out.
Beauty writer Zara Rabinowicz explains while ladies can cleanse, tone and moisturise without having to check the label for instructions, guys have to spend time prepping their skin for shaving, making sure there are no stray hairs, in addition to applying all their other products - all of which can take some time.
She added: "The battle for the bathroom is no longer limited to women struggling for sink space, as the modern day male is embracing his metrosexuality and taking more care with his appearance.
"The statistic that suggests that men actually take more time than women to beautify might seem unrealistic, but one has to remember that women, on average, have had far more experience in perfecting their bathroom routine."
In order to end the battle for mirror time, women may wish to help their partners speed up their grooming routine.
Ms Rabinowicz advises that men need to have a basic grasp of skin care if they wish to beat the early signs of aging, which means at the very least it is important to cleanse regularly.
Using an exfoliator can also help as it removes any dead skin cells and keeps the complexion fresh, while a creamy moisturiser with SPF can help to limit skin damage.
The expert notes other essential male grooming products are an electric toothbrush, deodorant and tweezers - as the "Mr Monobrow" look is something to avoid.
A recent study by Superdrug revealed men take an average of 18 minutes shaving - four minutes more than women who are likely to have more areas to deal with.
Furthermore, while women are able to apply their makeup, get dressed and do their hair in 79 minutes, a man takes longer getting ready, with 83 minutes a day spent on personal grooming.
And keeping themselves looking good does not end here, as the poll also revealed the average guy shops for new clothes and beauty products at least once a month, while many regularly consult magazines to find out more about the latest products they should be buying, with 29 per cent always choosing designer brands.
But spending money on such products could be good news for many women, as research by Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance found 39 per cent of men admitted borrowing their partner’s tweezers, while 37 per cent dipped into their moisturiser and 31 per cent revealed they use at least three of their other half’s beauty products or gadgets.
Do you fight with the man in your life to use the mirror?