3 mins
MAN ON THE GO
"I’ve had a
LOVE FOR BEAUTY
SINCE DAY DOT, HONESTLY,
but it
MAKES ME QUITE SAD
now how long
I WAITED
to be able to
LOVE IT OPENLY AND HONESTLY."
While there is a smattering of male nail techs active in the industry, nails is still traditionally considered to be a female-dominated sector. So, in this new age of fostering inclusivity and diversity and breaking genderstereotypes, it’s inspiring to hear of men forging ahead in the industry
In an article in Professional Beauty UK, Lollie Hancock chats to Alex Philamond, someone who is relatively new to the nail game, having begun training as a 30th birthday present to himself. Within two years, Philamond has cemented himself as the go-to-tech for beauty industry leaders – working with some of his favourite brands.
“I’ve had a love for beauty since day dot, honestly, but it makes me quite sad now how long I waited to be able to love it openly and honestly,” he says. “In fact, I’ve always been captivated by femininity and beauty rituals, but it’s only in the last five years or so, since moving abroad to New Zealand – where literally nobody knew me – that I shed that insecurity and allowed myself to ask the questions about beauty I always wanted to know.
“Truly, it’s been liberating. I feel like, at 31, I’m finally enjoying the things I was always fascinated by but never allowed myself to indulge in.”
Concerns
When Philamond first considered a career in beauty, he did have some concerns about entering the industry as a man. He continues: “I’m quite an anxious person, but my entire motive for training to become a manicurist was because I felt like there was a gap in the market around where I live for a manicure service that provided gender-inclusive nail treatments to men, women and anybody identifying in-between.
“I knew that if I was looking for a service like this, other men would be too! So I felt confident that I could provide that service and my self-confidence had grown so much in owning my love for beauty that I knew I couldn’t let my nerves obstruct something that I was so certain could be really special.”
"Consequently,
I’D LOVE
to
HELP DESTIGMATISE
the perception of
‘THAT’S NOT WHAT BOYS DO’
for other men wanting to get into beauty. I’m a
FIRM BELIEVER
that you
CAN’T BE
what you
CAN’T SEE"
Career path
Philamond worked as a primary school teacher for eight years before retraining as a manicurist last year. “It was my 30th birthday present to myself! I was literally, and I believe I still am, the only male that Nat Beeley, my educator, has ever taught. She told me to embrace being one of only a few and to be proud of that. That’s why I admire her so much, she’s in equal measures very no-nonsense, but also so nurturing and uplifting.
“I can only speak for myself but, honestly, I’ve never known such an embracing, accommodating, and warm community as those belonging to the nail industry.”
Sting
Philamond notes that while it isn’t an actual hardship, it is sometimes a bit of a sting when brands send out emails beginning with ‘Hey ladies’ or ‘Hi girls’.
“However, I’m very understanding that this has been a female dominated industry for so long that some might assume it’s only women that make up the sector. I’d like to see this change fully to become more inclusive, but it’s definitely well on its way.”
He notes that he wasted so many years of his life not doing things he wanted to do, or not learning about the things he was curious about, because he was scared of people saying, ‘Well, that’s not what boys do’.
“Consequently, I’d love to help destigmatise this for other men wanting to get into beauty. I’m a firm believer that you can’t be what you can’t see.
“The fact is that I would never have known that I could be a manicurist if I didn’t find Robbie Tomkins, who I’ve since met and been mentored by. If I could be to another guy or LGBT person what someone like Robbie Tomkins was to me and enable them to see themselves in this industry too, then that would be so wonderfully fulfilling.”
Source: https://professionalbeauty.co.uk/site/ newsdetails/men-in-beauty-professions