The traditional- Englishman who cheerily carries his tin tub and bath sponge into the remotest wilderness, and never fails to dress for dinner, has set a high standard for male grooming. American men do not go about armed with tin tubs, nor do the majority leap into their dinner coats with shouts of joy, but a surprising number do have ideas about grooming. Don't be misled by their Public denials, Male pride makes them hate to admit, openly, how really interested they are in finer faces and figures, and more luxuriant hair.
Ask their wives for the truth: the wife whose lotions disappear so rapidly that when she catches her husband using her precious skin tonic she is only mildly surprised; the wife who knows that mere collar-button frenzy is nothing to the storm that breaks when fathers hair tonic is temporarily mis laid. Ask the men themselves in their unguarded moments. I have before me the results of a recent investigation among several hundred business executives—successful discriminating men whose ages range from 35 to 50. How do they feel about creams, scents, professional manicures and showers v. tubs? Do they dread the day the first friend calls them "Baldy"?
It has been said that over G.$200,- 000,000 is spent yearly in barbershops. Not to mention expenditures for beautifying in the privacy of the home bathroom. The four favourite items are not surprising. They are, in order of popularity, shaving cream, shaving lotion, talcum powder and hair tonic. It's the odd facts that are more interesting. Twice as many men use talcum on the face as on the rest of the body. Toilet water is less used than. lip pomade—the colourless kind, of course. Hand-lotion users outnumber cold-cream users and most of the latter confess they steal the cream from their wives! About one third of the talcum is stolen, too, and a smaller percent tage admit to making inroads on their wives face powder. Since in about one case in four the wives shop for their men, how about providing these husbands with their own cream and powder?
"Might be Educatea"
More than half of the iron say they like scents, and are not afraid to explain stoutly that' they choose fragrant lotions solely to give satisfaction to themselves. A good many identify a light, pleasant smell with a clean, fresh feeling. One says warily, "I don't like them, but might be edücated"—typical of the American who is at once open-minded and afraid of violating manly tradition.
Even more interesting than theb opinion of perfume for themselves is their feeling about perfume for other men. They were asked, "If you found a good man for a job, would you turn him down because he wore scent?" The executives were almost unanimous in their feeling that a light scent woüld be no handicap Wut a strong scent would mean "thumbs down." Lilac and lavender are the masculine favourites, although violet, rose, carnation and gardenia all receive favourable mention, as well as a number of "dry," tangy odours.
Busy men prefer shower baths, although they admit tubs are good for relaxation or a sudsy scrub. They like a rush of hot water followed by a cold drenching. One man in four uses talcum; one man in three uses a regular deodorant; a few use cologne as a body rub. Fewer than half have tried to reduce. Diet has been the favourite method, although golf, tennis, swimming, bicycling, riding and handball have been tried. Also rowing machines, pulleys, cabinet baths and gymnasiums.
What about the vanishing hairline? It is an unhappy moment when a cheerful shaver peers at himself and finds the top of his head no longer completely thatched. What to do? The majority rush for the brush and tonic bottle; about one fourth of the number take professional treatments. Courage, brothers! That is one of the few physical advantages we have over you. Don't begrudge us a gentle smile, Travelling Kit Ttems Most of them prefer to assemble their own travel kits. When you read the list of contents you, can understand why—46 different items are listed. Razors come first. Then, in the following order, toothbrushes, combs, hairbrushes, shaving cream, tooth paste, shaving brush. Beyond these prime necessities there is great variety: scissors, first-aid equipment, pumice stone, shoehorns, nailbrushes, manicure sets, ointments, talcums, lotions, and so on. AN this somehow: gives one a vision of a crisp, well-
sharp rebuke, I am going to polished et of mien. M the risk of that to this list of toilet E amis be added a powder brush. Teleum is now smeared on with hands and towels. A few confess they use puffs but feel guilty. Why not the highly practical powder brush, redeemed, in husbandly eyes, by its résemiblancé to the familiar shaving brush?
Big businessmen are more conscientious in the care of their hands than some of us give them credit for. As already stated, they use hand
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