It’s impossible to stop the impending cicada invasion hitting the East Coast, but that doesn’t mean hands can’t look their best while swatting and feet shouldn’t look great when you step on them.  Dodge the swarm and duck into a Grooming Lounge location for $10 off any hand or foot service through the entirety* of cicada season with mention of the promotion*.

Also, please take note of our limited-edition Cicada Shave Cream.  Available only once every 17 years, it’s infused with real Cicada-extract and is guaranteed to help attract a swarm of potential mates.

* Offer only lasts while those annoying cicadas are out and about. Can’t use promo with any other offers or Gift Cards. Other restrictions apply.

Anyhoo, we just finished polishing up a Grooming Lounge “How-To” Guide on anything and everything men’s skincare.  Whether you’re looking for a better way to pop a zit or seeking out an easy face routine, we’ve got the details below.  Enjoy…

HOW TO…

CREATE A SKINCARE ROUTINE

FIGHT ACNE

PROTECT SKIN FROM SUN

REDUCE OILY SKIN

REDUCE PUFFY EYES

STOP WRINKLES

TREAT WINTER SKIN

USE A MASK

Fast forward to a few months ago and the nice folks from Castle Forbes are in our office (via Scotland and England), waxing poetic about their brand’s history and its essential-oil infused, luxurious products. It was a nice presentation, but not one we haven’t heard dozens of times. Despite our initial negative thoughts, they left behind some samples of the product for the crew to try. That was the hook.

After about a week of use, several of the men in our office approached one another with the same line of questioning. “Did you try that shave cream — it’s the richest I’ve ever tried?” “Is that aftershave as amazing as I think it is?” “This stuff is ridiculous.”

Bottom line is the product performed as good as anything we’d ever tried. The scents of the shaving supplies were out of this world and the soothing and calming properties are unmatched. Castle Forbes is beyond legit.

So, now we carry it, because it’s awesome and deserves to be carried. And if we can provide a personal recommendation, try cocktailing our Grooming Lounge Beard Master Shave Oil with their Lavender Shaving Cream for one of the best shaves of all time.

Why are we telling you this? Nutshell is that it’s an easy transition to update the status of our “hero” product. As you may or may not know, we’ve been out of the full-size version for a bit, just waiting to introduce a brand-new size and packaging design. And… it’s almost here.

The new packaging will feature a pump-top (as featured in the Leibowitz-esque photo above), finally allowing you to do some great things like:

1. Travel without fear of the super-viscous oil going everywhere in your dopp kit.
2. Dispense this “liquid gold” in more measured, effective and easy doses.
3. “Prime” the pump prior to its first use — which is always a hoot.

Anyway, the new packaging (same great product) will be unveiled before month’s end (April) and will come in a 1 oz. size for $25. So the best shave product around will now also come in the best packaging available.

We’re pumped.

Congrats on having no desire to relive those “Platinum” days JT. And we’re not sure, but thinking that style was designed using either Grooming Lounge Some Hair Cream or Grooming Lounge Some Hair Goop.

WOMAN: “Mustache Wax?”

KATHLYN: “Sorry Ms., we don’t offer that service for ladies.”

WOMAN: “No, I’m looking for some mustache wax for my son.”

KATHLYN: “Yeah, I knew that. Yours doesn’t need waxing… I mean you don’t even have one.” (5-10 uncomfortable seconds follow).

KATHLYN: “Enjoy this Clubman Mustache Wax with our compliments.”

GROWING IT
Push Through The Crockett Phase: Obviously, the first step in growing any beard is to stop shaving. This can present an awkward few weeks (or months depending on your “sprouting level”) where co-workers and friends aren’t sure if you’re lazy, hung over or vying for a spot on Miami Vice III. Keep doubters on their toes by avoiding extreme cases of “neck beard” (hair between lines b. and c. on illustration). Remove these hairs with a quality trimmer or fresh blade.

Get Soft: The main reason men prematurely pull the plug on beard growth is adverseness to itching. There’s a degree of this that’ll always be there, but softening immature whiskers with a beard wash and conditioner can help a beard mature easier throughout its lifespan.

MAINTAINING IT
Pamper Those Whiskers: Just like the hair on a man’s head, facial hair needs to be cared for to ensure it doesn’t get wiry, dry and offensive looking (unless that’s the goal). Having handsome facial hair can be accomplished by regularly washing and conditioning with targeted beard products and working out kinks and curls via regular facial exfoliation and a beard comb.

Outline A Perimeter: Unless going for the 100% bohemian look, setting beard boundaries on your cheeks and neck is essential from the start. Make lines too tight and you look like a tight-wad or gang member, let them sprout too long and you’re in Haight-Ashbury territory. For the neck area, we recommend an inch or so below the actual jaw line (line b. on illustration) and for the cheeks, follow “smile lines” (line d. on illustration) up toward sideburns.

Hold The Line: Knowing where the beard ends is only half the battle. From there, one needs to effectively carve things out. Always use a mirror to ensure balance and symmetry.

– On The Neck: Using a professional grade hair trimmer on the “0″ setting or a fresh blade and some shave oil (its see through nature helps keep things straight), start at the center of the neck/chin and toward the ear, following the natural curve of the jaw line. Then, do the same on the flip side to maintain symmetry. If using a trimmer, apply light pressure downward or in the direction of hair growth. For a blade, gently “dig in” and create your line, then shave gently in the direction of hair growth below that point. Apply a gentle post shave solution/balm to shaved areas when complete.

– On The Cheeks: Using a professional grade hair trimmer on the “0″ setting or a fresh blade and some shave oil (it’s see through nature helps keep things straight), work down or up the natural smile line (line d. on illustration). Apply a gentle post shave solution/balm to shaved areas when complete.

Regular Upkeep: Regulating the density and general bushiness of a beard can be easily accomplished with a professional trimmer and guard system. Start with a larger guard (bigger #) and trim up the stragglers, moving down a size or so as you desire. Don’t push too hard and pesky or longer strands can always be terminated with a targeted facial scissor.

Sure it’s kind of an insulting question and he’s obviously not the most diplomatic guy — but it got me thinking about the core concepts and values we adhere to that have enabled Grooming Lounge to have some modicum of success over the last decade (not thinking we’re Google or Zappos by any means — but have to aim high). While my response to him was just that “we try to do business the right way” — further thinking has led me to these pillars Grooming Lounge tries to rest itself upon:

– GIVE WOW-WORTHY HOSPITALITY: We strive to WOW our guests at every touch point — whether in our stores, online or via our custom created solutions. The status-quo just isn’t enough to ensure a first-timer becomes a regular or a regular becomes a raving fan. We have to do the little things that ensure our guests leave each interaction feeling as if they are special and were just treated amazingly. The WOW.

– PROVIDE THE BEST “PRODUCT”: The “product” could be a haircut, tube of shaving cream, advice article, delivery box, set of samples or other — but it has to be of great quality or at a minimum — exceed expectations. All the bells and whistles in the world aren’t enough to overcome a bad “product.”

– ABI (ALWAYS BE IMPROVING): Consumers have options and to maintain loyalty, it’s important that we change with the times. Could be as simple as updated fixtures in the stores, a new brand on the web site or an updated formula for our product solutions, but staying stagnant isn’t an option. We always have to show our team and guests that we are reinvesting to make their experiences incrementally better.

– GET & KEEP THE BEST PEOPLE: If we want Grooming Lounge to treat our guests right… we have to treat our team right. The compensation, training and kindness we treat our team with will have a direct affect on how they interact with Grooming Lounge guests.

– HAVE FUN: We realized early on that if we expect people to spend so much time at work, it better be an enjoyable experience. It shows through when people enjoy their jobs (and when they don’t). As much as possibly, we’re always striving to make the energy around our company fun, irreverent and always professional.

There’s a lot more we try to do and please know that 99.8% of these concepts were borrowed from trailblazing companies we admire. Anyway… thanks for reading and for your time.

- Picture Frame(s) with or without pictures included
- Any sort of poem (Haiku excluded as those are always awesome)
- A multi-pack of pretty much anything (except chips or imported beer)
- Cirque de Anything
- Russell Stover __________
- Salmon Jerky
- Flowers (even if he says he liked them… it’s a sham)
- Badminton Set
- Deer Antler Spray
- DVD of “Steel Magnolias”