More and more men here are getting their eyebrows threaded, but not everyone is smitten by this idea – at least, not yet.
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WHEN Mr Aaron Lim stepped into a salon full of women nine years ago, heads turned and eyebrows raised. Though they quickly looked back down at their phones, their fleeting expressions could not contain their surprise at the sight of a man in a beauty parlour. And even more so, at his request to get his eyebrows threaded.
He had expected this sort of reaction though, since it was uncommon then for men to thread their eyebrows. Yet, the fear of having unkempt eyebrows – which, to him, was as bad as having messy hair – steeled him for the inevitable, curious stares. That fear also kept him going back for threading every month for the past nine years.
But in 2015, the civil servant started noticing more and more men joining him in beauty parlours to get their eyebrows threaded. Many are accompanied by a female friend, said the 33-year-old, but he sees men who are there alone from time to time.
Many threading shops here have also noticed the same trend. Some experts believe this follows society's growing acceptance of men's personal grooming as people become increasingly image-conscious – with eyebrow threading being one of the more recent additions to the grooming repertoire.
He had expected this sort of reaction though, since it was uncommon then for men to thread their eyebrows. Yet, the fear of having unkempt eyebrows – which, to him, was as bad as having messy hair – steeled him for the inevitable, curious stares. That fear also kept him going back for threading every month for the past nine years.
But in 2015, the civil servant started noticing more and more men joining him in beauty parlours to get their eyebrows threaded. Many are accompanied by a female friend, said the 33-year-old, but he sees men who are there alone from time to time.
Many threading shops here have also noticed the same trend. Some experts believe this follows society's growing acceptance of men's personal grooming as people become increasingly image-conscious – with eyebrow threading being one of the more recent additions to the grooming repertoire.
According to one of the industry's leading threading salons, Rupini's, the trend turned in recent years. From making up only 20 per cent of their customers in 2016, males now make up 40 per cent of their customers.
Likewise, for most threading shops beyond Little India, men make up around 30 per cent of their customers today, from close to zero in the past. With outlets in Hougang and Yew Tee, Kushi's Beauty & Bridal Services now sees secondary school boys, middle-aged businessmen and even men in their 60s coming in for threading. "Men used to be shy about threading, but not anymore," said Ms Brintha Dass, the salon's sales and marketing manager.
This change in mindset towards men's grooming – which threading falls under – could be attributed to South Korea's growing influence on Singapore, said celebrity make-up artist Peter Khor.
"Korean men care a lot about their appearance, and this was a trend that initially started with Japanese men. They're not shameful about applying foundation or about drawing their eyebrows," explained Mr Khor, who has been in the industry for 18 years. Singaporean men are also paying more attention to their appearance, he said.
For him, eyebrows are one of the most important parts of men's personal grooming too.
"Men's eyebrows tend to be messy and need to be shaped, since they help enhance one's features," he said. "It's all part of looking presentable – for men, grooming is important, not sissy."
Likewise, for most threading shops beyond Little India, men make up around 30 per cent of their customers today, from close to zero in the past. With outlets in Hougang and Yew Tee, Kushi's Beauty & Bridal Services now sees secondary school boys, middle-aged businessmen and even men in their 60s coming in for threading. "Men used to be shy about threading, but not anymore," said Ms Brintha Dass, the salon's sales and marketing manager.
This change in mindset towards men's grooming – which threading falls under – could be attributed to South Korea's growing influence on Singapore, said celebrity make-up artist Peter Khor.
"Korean men care a lot about their appearance, and this was a trend that initially started with Japanese men. They're not shameful about applying foundation or about drawing their eyebrows," explained Mr Khor, who has been in the industry for 18 years. Singaporean men are also paying more attention to their appearance, he said.
For him, eyebrows are one of the most important parts of men's personal grooming too.
"Men's eyebrows tend to be messy and need to be shaped, since they help enhance one's features," he said. "It's all part of looking presentable – for men, grooming is important, not sissy."
Similarly, etiquette and image consultant Melisah Ng believes this follows the rise of metrosexual men both here and abroad. Metrosexuals refer to heterosexual men who pay attention to their personal grooming and style, yet are by no means "sissy".
Famous names include David Beckham, who is not only the former captain of England's national football team, but also a fashion icon with a prominent male following. He can effortlessly wear a sarong or paint his nails, and even routinely graces the covers of multiple fashion magazines with a sleek pompadour and perfectly groomed eyebrows. Yet, he remains undoubtedly masculine.
Famous names include David Beckham, who is not only the former captain of England's national football team, but also a fashion icon with a prominent male following. He can effortlessly wear a sarong or paint his nails, and even routinely graces the covers of multiple fashion magazines with a sleek pompadour and perfectly groomed eyebrows. Yet, he remains undoubtedly masculine.
GQ / Alasdair McLellan
Since caring about eyebrows is the first step into personal grooming, added Ms Ng, it makes sense that threading is becoming more popular too as more men embrace metrosexuality.
"It's the easiest thing to do, and is as important as your posture or etiquette when it comes to making a good first impression," she said.
According to her, a man who styles his hair and grooms his eyebrows gives the impression that he is diligent and detail-oriented, which are attributes employers want. Meanwhile, a bushy brow could make someone seem fierce and unapproachable.
"As much as we don't like to acknowledge it, first impressions depend on your physical appearance," she said. "When you look good and presentable, that's when you get attention, whether it's from females or potential employers."
"It's the easiest thing to do, and is as important as your posture or etiquette when it comes to making a good first impression," she said.
According to her, a man who styles his hair and grooms his eyebrows gives the impression that he is diligent and detail-oriented, which are attributes employers want. Meanwhile, a bushy brow could make someone seem fierce and unapproachable.
"As much as we don't like to acknowledge it, first impressions depend on your physical appearance," she said. "When you look good and presentable, that's when you get attention, whether it's from females or potential employers."
Still too feminine for some
Despite the growing number of men threading their eyebrows – and the growing number of reasons for it – some are still not open to it.
When commodity associate Melvin Goh, for example, threaded his messy eyebrows four years ago at his friend's persuasion, his mother was livid. "You're a boy, but you don't look like one anymore," he recalled her saying in Mandarin. After seeing his mother's explosive reaction, Mr Goh, now 25, never stepped into a parlour again.
It is often this kind of backlash men receive from their parents and people around them that discourages them from threading and grooming their eyebrows.
According to Ms Cindy Tien, a senior image consultant and corporate trainer, the older generation of Singaporeans may be averse to men threading their eyebrows because of how they may have been brought up. "In the past, men were expected to be very masculine and this meant not caring too much about their appearance. If they spent extra time grooming themselves, it wasn't considered very manly," she said.
Ms Tien observed that men from younger generations, on the other hand, seem to have less traditional ideas about masculinity. "This stigma has definitely changed over the years," she said. "Men are more open to grooming, and it's not related to their sexuality at all."
When commodity associate Melvin Goh, for example, threaded his messy eyebrows four years ago at his friend's persuasion, his mother was livid. "You're a boy, but you don't look like one anymore," he recalled her saying in Mandarin. After seeing his mother's explosive reaction, Mr Goh, now 25, never stepped into a parlour again.
It is often this kind of backlash men receive from their parents and people around them that discourages them from threading and grooming their eyebrows.
According to Ms Cindy Tien, a senior image consultant and corporate trainer, the older generation of Singaporeans may be averse to men threading their eyebrows because of how they may have been brought up. "In the past, men were expected to be very masculine and this meant not caring too much about their appearance. If they spent extra time grooming themselves, it wasn't considered very manly," she said.
Ms Tien observed that men from younger generations, on the other hand, seem to have less traditional ideas about masculinity. "This stigma has definitely changed over the years," she said. "Men are more open to grooming, and it's not related to their sexuality at all."
" For me, being a real man is about what you have on the inside. It's not something eyebrows can define."
In the same vein, when undergraduate Samuel Ong first threaded his eyebrows in 2016, his parents were initially unsupportive.
"They thought it represented an emasculation of the stereotypical male self, which often features a rugged rather than a neatly-groomed look," said the 22-year-old, who is a student at New York University.
But his parents soon came around as they noticed that stigma become less common in recent years. "They saw more men dressing immaculately and placing a bigger emphasis on personal grooming," said Mr Ong, who now threads his eyebrows every month. "Once the barrier on personal grooming gets broken down, it's easier to explore different options and threading eyebrows is one of them."
Similarly, Mr Nathaniel Tan, a father of two, thinks this acceptance of men threading their eyebrows comes with the world's changing values. "Our fathers didn't really do it. They were more concerned about putting food on the table. That's perhaps why some of my peers don't think it's right," he said. "But now, people are taking cues from what we see on television, from celebrities and even politicians."
Even though the 41-year-old has never threaded his eyebrows, he is certain he will be understanding and accepting if his son, who is now 10, does so in the future.
"Of course I'll still make sure that he's not doing it because of self-esteem issues," added Mr Tan, who is a pastor. "But I'll remind him that it won't affect his masculinity. For me, being a real man is about what you have on the inside. It's not something eyebrows can define."
Whether having neat eyebrows make a man look feminine or masculine depends largely on the look they hope to achieve too, said Associate Professor Elison Lim from the Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) who specialises in the beauty market.
"You can trim your brows and still look very masculine, or you can choose to go for a more androgynous look," she said. "Certain looks may attract more comments, but I think taking care of yourself now is quite well-accepted."
The general rule of thumb for men, though, is to simply neaten their brows instead of shaping them. Ms Vanitha Subramanian, 40, a beautician at a beauty parlour in Little India called Rhemas, said: "For men, threading is more to neaten their eyebrows rather than to create a defined shape, like we would do for women."
"They thought it represented an emasculation of the stereotypical male self, which often features a rugged rather than a neatly-groomed look," said the 22-year-old, who is a student at New York University.
But his parents soon came around as they noticed that stigma become less common in recent years. "They saw more men dressing immaculately and placing a bigger emphasis on personal grooming," said Mr Ong, who now threads his eyebrows every month. "Once the barrier on personal grooming gets broken down, it's easier to explore different options and threading eyebrows is one of them."
Similarly, Mr Nathaniel Tan, a father of two, thinks this acceptance of men threading their eyebrows comes with the world's changing values. "Our fathers didn't really do it. They were more concerned about putting food on the table. That's perhaps why some of my peers don't think it's right," he said. "But now, people are taking cues from what we see on television, from celebrities and even politicians."
Even though the 41-year-old has never threaded his eyebrows, he is certain he will be understanding and accepting if his son, who is now 10, does so in the future.
"Of course I'll still make sure that he's not doing it because of self-esteem issues," added Mr Tan, who is a pastor. "But I'll remind him that it won't affect his masculinity. For me, being a real man is about what you have on the inside. It's not something eyebrows can define."
Whether having neat eyebrows make a man look feminine or masculine depends largely on the look they hope to achieve too, said Associate Professor Elison Lim from the Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) who specialises in the beauty market.
"You can trim your brows and still look very masculine, or you can choose to go for a more androgynous look," she said. "Certain looks may attract more comments, but I think taking care of yourself now is quite well-accepted."
The general rule of thumb for men, though, is to simply neaten their brows instead of shaping them. Ms Vanitha Subramanian, 40, a beautician at a beauty parlour in Little India called Rhemas, said: "For men, threading is more to neaten their eyebrows rather than to create a defined shape, like we would do for women."
One thread at a time
Today, there are still some people who look up in shock when Aaron Lim enters a salon to thread his eyebrows.
While this has become less common in the last five years, he thinks there is still a ways to go before threading for men is fully and widely accepted here.
Nonetheless, Prof Lim believes it is already well on its way there, since threading is merely a minor modification to a man's appearance.
"Anything that comes in small doses is generally easier to accept. It's more palatable," she said.
"Our society is also changing, as more people today are willing to accept that if someone – even a man – invests time and effort into improving their looks, it's not necessarily a bad thing."
While this has become less common in the last five years, he thinks there is still a ways to go before threading for men is fully and widely accepted here.
Nonetheless, Prof Lim believes it is already well on its way there, since threading is merely a minor modification to a man's appearance.
"Anything that comes in small doses is generally easier to accept. It's more palatable," she said.
"Our society is also changing, as more people today are willing to accept that if someone – even a man – invests time and effort into improving their looks, it's not necessarily a bad thing."
