Self

Is Your Man Too Girly?

man primping in front of mirror

I recently moved to a new apartment and have since spent my weekends on the floor of my studio, putting together bookshelves and cabinets. For the things I couldn't do myself and for tools I didn't own, I asked for assistance—but it wasn't a handy boyfriend or male friend who came over to help. It was my 82-year-old grandfather. It seemed that, at least among my circle, the ability to wield a drill had ended with an older generation. The only kind of maintenance the men in my life do generally involves tweezers and perfectly groomed eyebrows.

A new study released by Gillette tells me that I'm probably not alone. The survey, conducted by Galaxy Research, quizzed 1,251 men between the ages of 18-64 on male grooming habits. What the survey found: guys are spending more time in the bathroom than ever, and it's not because of last night's Mexican takeout.

About 70 percent of the men said Generation-Y guys take almost as long as women to get ready... and they may be using our favorite products, too. Seven percent said they've used concealer to hide a pimple, 15 percent have had a facial, and over half of men say they've indulged in some form of beauty treatment, from spray tanning to manicures and pedicures. And these numbers are low compared to what a survey in Men's Health found, with 80 percent of men claiming they'd be willing to spend at least $100 a month on their favorite grooming products. Surprise: Men Primp As Much As Women Do

Hey, who can blame them? Women love to get pampered too, but what happened to the Renaissance men, the guy who trimmed his nose hair and could rewire a lamp? Sixty percent of guys surveyed said they haven't purchased a tool in the past year, and 25 percent said they've never fiddled around under the hood of a car.

An informal survey of my guy friends confirmed those stats—like me, they could put together an Ikea bookshelf, but that's where their skill-level peaks. Those same guys admitted to a surprising collection of beauty rituals: tweezing, acne treatments, highlights, regular manicures and pedicures and below-the-belt waxing. The common thread? An "I can pay someone to do it for me" mentality—and that goes for everything, from hair care to putting together furniture.

Male dating writer Abraham Lloyd agrees, saying that one of the primary generational differences between young men today and of generations past is what they measure themselves against. "Men today value their time differently than their fathers and grandfathers. When given the choice to either fix something broken or buy something new, more often than not men of the Ikea Generation will do just that, for the simple fact that we would rather spend that time on something more important." 19 Pastimes That Boost A Guy's Sex Appeal

Does "something more important" include primping? Abraham says it does.

"Women appreciate a man who respects himself, and one way to convey that is through your appearance. Today manicures, grooming, fashion, and shoes ooze masculinity the way that a worn set of hands did for our grandfathers." His beauty ritual: a haircut and eyebrow wax every three weeks, a mani-pedi every two weeks, a facial and massage every month, and manscaping a couple of times a week. And his last home project?

"Yesterday I used Drano to unclog my bathroom sink and bathtub. That's about how handy I am." He’s not apologizing for it though, saying that, "Women today don't really care what a man does with his hands... unless, of course, it involves holding a woman.”

Ladies, do you agree? Would you rather your guy skipped his manicure in favor of getting his hands a little dirty? Tell us in the comments!

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