Feng Xiangdong's typical weekend afternoon does not involve swinging golf clubs or outings with friends.

A facial treatment, cast bath, and acupuncture - that's how the middle-aged businessman would prefers to spend his time.

The venue: a beauty parlor.

"Clean, relaxed and brisk," was Feng's description after one such course, which costs him around 1,000 yuan (US$120) .

He's not the parlor's only male client but he does not have to sit with women having pedicures or hair-dos.

"That's why we divided the salon into two areas, to provide separate service for men and women, and devised some special courses for male customers," the salon's boss Sun tells China Business Weekly.

Sun has competition, though. He says more and more of his counterparts are turning their attention to male consumers.

He reveals that typical customers are white-collar workers, private entrepreneurs, celebrities in various industries, and male models and actors.

His location helps, too. As the salon is situated near Sanyuan Bridge, one of the embassy areas in Beijing, patrons include men from Japan, South Korea and France.

In addition to general services, it offers acupuncture and cupping treatment - in which vaccuum cups are used to suck out toxins - to ease symptoms of sub-health (a condition between health and illness), which are supposed to be specifically suitable for men.

"Because many successful men indulge in bad habits such as staying up all night, smoking and drinking, and are under heavy pressure in modern society, they need comprehensive and essential treatment to enhance their physical conditions," says Mei Zi, the professional acupuncturist at Yiren Lishe.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the skin, hair and overall condition of a person mirrors the inner body, so "complete beauty treatment should focus on the inner body," says Mei.

Sun points out that men need more than just good looks - they want to be vigorous and energetic.

"That may explain why fitness centers are springing up, gyms are always packed and body-building equipment is selling well in the market, " according to Zhang Xiaomei, vice-president of the Beauty and Cosmetics Industrial Association attached to the All-China Industrial and Commercial Federation.

If men are eager to receive facial treatments, acupuncture, massage and exercise, what about spa-related services and Western health care?

"It is the same," says Zhang Sen, the boss of Dazizai (very easy in Chinese) Dead Sea Mud Spa Centre, located in Beijing's Fragant Hill area.

According to Zhang, about a third of his customers are men.

"Apart from mud baths and massages for relaxation, many of our male clients regard our place as an ideal business negotiation place, where the soothing atmosphere helps in discussing serious issues," says Zhang, who provides private rooms and related office equipment.

The male grooming market is also the target of cosmetics producers, with shelves of department stores and supermarkets increasingly populated with moisturizing creams, face masks, shampoos and colognes designed for and produced for men.

Top cosmetics manufacturers of Japan, which the edge in male-beauty products, have a firm grip on the market in China, with Shiseido and Mandom actively promoting their Shiseido Men and Gatsby line of male beauty products respectively.

Both have announced plans to further increase their market share by developing more products suitable for the local consumers' skin conditions.

Procter&Gamble (P&G), a leading global consumer product maker, purchased Gillette, a renowned brand of products such as shaving cream, after-shaves and gel, for US$57 billion in March, which demonstrates its determination to make a strong foray into the male cosmetics sector.

Domestic brands, as well, do not want to miss out - Mininurse, Caisy and Dabao present a series of products to meet the demands of male consumers.

One word creeping into the Chinese lexicon is "metrosexuals" - "aimei nanren" in Chinese, who embrace facials and other traditionally female grooming rituals.

"Many of these metrosexuals clearly want to be more appealing to women and to their clients and bosses," says Zhang.

Feng Xiangdong, regarded as a typical metrosexual, tells China Business Weekly that with a sculpted body, moisturized skin and fitted suits, he fells more confident and comfortable.

Psychologists also point out that in modern society, men shoulder huge pressure; and the beauty treatment may help them relax and enhance their self-confidence.

Although the market for male grooming in China is currently around 430 million yuan (US$52 million), Chinese men are becoming increasingly aware of their looks and bodies. The sector's annual growth rate is forecast to increase to around 6 percent by 2008.

(China Business Weekly May 27, 2005)