More men are going to spas, because getting pampered is awesome

For $75, you can relax with a cleansing foot bath filled with fresh ale and a scrub made with crushed barley and malt. It's topped off with a foot rub using none other than hop oil.

This Brew and Renew "Amber Ale Foot Soak"offered by the Four Seasons Resort in Vail, Colorado is just another example of new spa treatments aiming to attract men.

Contrary to popular belief that spas are flowery, effeminate hubs, more guys are getting pampered to look and feel their best. 

The proportion of pampered dudes has increased over the past few years from 31% to 47%, according to the International Spa Association, or ISPA — that’s almost half of all spa-goers. The number one reason people go to spas is to manage stress, according to Lynne McNees, president of the ISPA.

"I don’t think spas have necessarily been geared toward women, but rather, they have become very successful in making women feel comfortable," Now, she says spas are finding success making men feel comfortable too.

The main reasons men are attending spas are for results-driven treatments, sports-related treatments or anything that gives them a competitive edge.

These are services such as grooming -– think mankini waxing (it’s real) — and laser work for acne scars or skin tightening. Guys also tend to sign up for less-dramatic chemical peels — not the bleeding forehead-induced "vampire facials" loved by Kim Kardashian.

“There’s something about being attended to,” says Topper Schroeder, owner of Gendarme Fragrances and the Gendarmerie Spa in Los Angeles. “I think men’s spas relate more to their mental health.”

So why now? Schroeder calls out the male skincare boom on this one. Beauty and personal care launches that have been specifically marketed towards men has increased by 70% from 2007 to 2012.

Just grab a magazine like Men’s Health, which frequently publishes articles entitled "How to Prevent Razor Burn" or the "Manly Guide to Using a Face Masque." Even actors like the forever-young Rob Lowe are releasing their own male skincare lines.

In other words, the world is telling guys to wash up.

“The first men who came in for facials were brought in by wives,” Schroeder recalls. “All of them stayed.” Now, Schroeder says some guys host bachelor parties there.

Jose Girona, manager of Living Fresh Spa in New York, believes changing the environment of traditional spas has helped bring in more masculine clientele.

“I think it’s really good to create a space for men to come in and feel comfortable,” Girona says. 

Girona compares the spa to a man cave — a dark, brooding and luxurious atmosphere, with dark wooden accents and low lighting. Cold gray tiles surround the Jacuzzis and the trimmed plants are rose-less. The TVs surrounding the spa often play sports games.

“I think that guys are becoming a little more comfortable with taking care of themselves and realizing that beauty and taking care of things such as aging in the future isn’t such a feminine thing,” he says.