Archive for the ‘Jason Shankey Male Grooming’ Category

October news and offers

Sorry for the delay in this month’s blog. We’ve been really busy organising the refurbishment of all our salons and we’re even building a new one!

Jason Shankey Male Grooming at House of Fraser Belfast will open it’s doors to the public on 3rd November. You probably already know it’s been something we’ve been working on for quite a long time, so we’re delighted to finally announce it. You’ll find us on the menswear floor (upper ground floor) just to the left of Cafe Nero.

It’s a full service concession, which means we’ll be offering all of the same hairdressing and grooming services that we provide in our other shops. We’ll be doing some good launch offers too and a prize draw, so we do hope you’ll drop by and see us on opening week.
Also this month, we’ve been doing a lot of work with Movember, the month formerly known as November. It’s a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health.

I’m fronting the UK campaign with their main sponsor, Wilkinson Sword, and will be doing some filming for their video viral on Monday and Tuesday in our London Salon. Look out for it, since anything to do with Movember is normally hilarious. Click here for Wilkinson Sword’s Movember Facebook page.

The Movember campaign is great craic and we’ll be trying to raise some money ourselves. Look out for some dodgy moustaches in our salons next month (especially our staff members). If you’d like to join our team, or make a donation, we’d be delighted if you visited and joined our ‘Mo space page‘. This is where we will be keeping our customers and ‘Mo Bros’ up to date with our progress, and it’s also where people can donate. I hope you can drop by.

As with last year, we’ll be offering free moustache trims and ‘mo styling’ in all of our branches during Movember, and will happily shave off your Mo at the end of Movember if you have raised some money for the charity.

Finally, a few special offers for you which are valid until 18th November.

Ballyhackamore salon: Haircut, Shave and 30 Minute Massage £50 (22% off). 3 for 2 on Jason Shankey Expert products (lowest price product free).

Lisburn Road salon: £10 off any waxing treatment over £20. Additionally, £20 for a Tension, Neck and Back massage with Kim on Thursdays (save £15.35). 3 for 2 on Jason Shankey Expert products (lowest price product free).

House of Fraser salon (after 3rd November): 3 for 2 on Jason Shankey Expert products (lowest price product free). Prize draw for one of three Perfect Shave Gift Boxes.

Thanks for reading and I’ll hopefully be in touch on time next month.

Kind regards,

Jason.

Our contact details:

House of Fraser salon: Phone – TBA | Email – hof@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyhouseoffraserbelfast

Ballyhackamore salon: Phone – 028 9065 8001 | Email – belfast@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyballyhackamore

Lisburn Road salon: Phone – 028 9068 1291 | Email – lisburnroad@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeylisburnroad

Fulham salon: Phone – 0207 386 3900 | Email – fulham@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyfulham

Jason Shankey Expert Male Grooming Products: Phone – 0845 124 9071 | Email – custserv@jasonshankey.co.uk | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyexpert

All salons: http://www.jasonshankey.com | Twitter @JasonShankey

Movember

October 2011

Moustache Season is almost upon us, so I’ve decided to register for Movember and embrace the hair of the wild. I’ve pledged to cultivate a genuine 100% face grown moustache for 30 days to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

Now, I’m on the hunt for fellow trusty and fearless pioneers to join me by signing up to my team. Together we can change the face of men’s health.

To join my Movember team go to https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/218014

Movember is about raising funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Did you know one man dies every hour from prostate cancer in the UK each year and more than 2,000 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer this year.
The more people we can get to become Citizens of Movember, the more lives we can impact. You can either grow a moustache as a Mo Bro, or join as a Mo Sista to show your support and help recruit other Mo growers to the team.

Once registered, Movember will send you all the information you need to raise funds and start raising awareness for men’s health as part of my Movember team.

If you’d like to find out more about the type of work you’d be helping to fund by supporting Movember, take a look at the Programmes We Fund section on the Movember website: http://uk.movember.com/about

Please join me at https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/218014

Jason

Losing your hair

Realising that you are losing your hair can be one of the scariest moments in a mans life since hair plays a large role in defining your image, and with around 50% of us thinning out before were 50 years old, thats certainly quite a lot of men who will be affected.

Androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) is a genetic affliction which is passed down through either your mothers or fathers genes and affects men who are sensitive to a hormone produced by the body called Dihydrotestosterone. This hormone gradually shrinks the hair follicles over the top of the scalp leading to the classic hair loss patterns known as Male Pattern Hair Loss.

Whilst you may be feeling uneasy at the prospect of losing some hair, bear in mind that it can often be a very long, drawn out process and you might not lose as much hair as you think. In fact, for many men, its not until their older years that the hair loss accelerates and becomes noticeable to others.

With half of the male population experiencing some hair loss, you will also find that other people will not notice it in the same way that you do. What seems like huge hair loss to you will not even be noticed by others.

What can you do?

The most important thing you can do is keep your hair short and neat. This will make your hair appear much thicker and healthier and will disguise your hair loss. Dont try to keep your hair longer in the thinning areas as this will only draw attention to the problem.

While most men are entirely satisfied by the result of a good haircut, there are also a number of treatments available although some of the clinically proven hair loss treatments are fairly expensive, and range from topical ointments (Minoxidil) to daily tablets (Propecia) through to hair transplants. At the time of writing, there are only a handful of drugs on the market which can effectively stop hair loss and in some cases bring back lost hair. Due to possible side effects, some treatments should only be used following a consultation with a GP, Trichologist or Dermatologist.

Haircuts from just £10 – Affordable Luxury!

I haven’t blogged for a while because I’ve been so busy with both Father’s Day and the refurbishment of our Ballyhackamore salon.

VIP Room

VIP Room

Since I bought Adobe CS5 last year, I’ve got a new penchant for graphic design and photography, and have enjoyed making up all of the artwork, and taking the photos for our new marketing campaign – Affordable luxury!

We’ve decided to expand our business during this time of economic unrest, by diversifying into a broader market, and have built a completely new salon within our Ballyhackamore branch called The Loft.

The Loft

The Loft

Prices in The Loft start at just £10 and you can view our complete price list by clicking HERE. Value is key at the moment, and all of our stylists have been through my personal training programme to ensure the service we offer you is unrivalled. If cost has been a barrier to visiting us in the past, then we hope to see you soon for some of our renowned hospitality. Sit back with a speciality coffee or a beer, relax in the sumtuous surroundings of our salon, and leave looking great and feeling completely relaxed.

And if you thought it was difficult to get parked, did you know we have car parking all around the shop? (See our map below)

Car parking Ballyhackamore

Car parking Ballyhackamore

Now that the Father’s Day rush is over, we look forward to seeing you. If you’re really lucky, someone may even have bought you a Father’s Day gift voucher.

You can book an appointment at one of our salons by choosing the most appropriate link below:

Book a Ballyhackamore appointment online by clicking this LINK.

Book a Lisburn Road appointment online by clicking this LINK.

Book a Fulham appointment online by clicking this LINK.

Father’s day gift

Wondering what to buy your Dad for Father’s Day? This could be your solution!

They say men are difficult to buy for, right? Well it’s probably because there’s not always a great choice of gifts available to men, compared to those available to women. But men aren’t difficult to buy for when you know what they really want!

For us, it’s simple. You see, our business only caters to men and we know exactly what makes them tick! We look after the grooming of over 3000 discerning men per month, and we know exactly what makes them look and feel better about themselves, which is why we developed our system called ‘The Perfect Shave’.

Picture of The Perfect Shave - Father's day gift

The Perfect Shave

It’s a really special system because 97% of men suffer from pain and irritation due to shaving (that’s almost all men!), and The Perfect Shave is the result of 10 years research aimed at preventing pain, irritation and redness.

The luxurious gift box comes complete with our three premium contemporary shave products: Exfoliating Face and Scalp Scrub, Smoothing Shave Cream and Skin Soothing Moisture Balm, as well as a step-by-step guide to achieving the elusive pain-free shave.

Retailing at just £48, it’s the perfect gift for Father’s Day.

It’s available from 1st June at both jasonshankey.co.uk and our authorised stockists. Click here to see our map of authorised stockists.

Make your Dad’s Father’s Day one to remember with a pain-free shave.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

Looking instantly younger

I’m always being asked how I can make men look younger. There’s so many ways we can achieve this in the salon, but there’s a simple way you can look much younger at home. Click the image below to download my simple PDF guide.

Men, look younger in just 3 days!

Men, look younger in just 3 days!

How to achieve a perfect, pain-free shave…

The perfect shave?

It’s something 75% of men do on a daily basis and yet only 1% of us enjoy doing it. It’s time consuming, costly and can cause ingrown hairs and razor burn and it is quite literally, a pain in the neck. So why do you go through this horrendous ritual each day and why, after all these years, have you not found a way of shaving that is fast, enjoyable and pain-free?

If you think about it, the reason is really quite obvious. You had lessons before passing your driving test and you had lessons to pass your exams, but were you ever taught to shave properly? No?

There’s a common misconception amongst men that a good shave is when you put a blob of shaving foam on your face and you shave as close as possible, but scraping your face to oblivion with a razor blade and some foam is actually the cause of why you hate shaving, and the reason you’re suffering from pain and redness.

A great shave, like any process, requires a system. I prefer to call it a shaving regime because it’s a simple series of steps which you put together in the morning shower. It’s so simple, you can master it in just a few days and transform the way you look forever. All you have to do is remember to follow it, step by step, every day.

The first step takes place only once and this step will make the most noticeable difference to your shave. It requires you to examine your beard growth and figure out which direction each area grows. Go on, have a feel. Rubbing your beard in one direction will feel rough and stubbly. This means you are rubbing your hand against the growth. When you rub it in a different direction, it feels smoother and this means you’re rubbing it in the same direction as the growth. Remember which direction it grows in each section of your beard.

For the perfect shave, you will shave with the beard growth, not against it.

The shave begins with hot water and of course, the shower is a perfect source for this. Hot water softens down your beard hairs making them easier to shave so if you’re not planning to shave in the shower, make sure you splash plenty of hot water onto your face before you begin.

The next step will require the use of a scrub. Use about a teaspoon of scrub and use it to scrub your face, particularly in the area you’re going to shave. This will help remove old and dead skin and create a smooth canvas for shaving.

Rinse off the scrub with hot water and rub a quality shave cream into the beard. Unlike most foams, shave creams soften the hair and condition your skin. Take a sharp triple blade razor and shave in the same direction as your hair grows. Stretch your skin behind the razor to ensure it is taut and shave each area only once. Give it a quick check to ensure you didn’t miss any bits out.

When you’re done, splash your face with cold water and pat dry with a towel. Then apply a small amount of moisturising balm to your face.

Your shave is complete. It’s a simple regime which is fast, effective and painless.

Related products: Jason Shankey Exfoliating Face and Scalp Scrub £11.99, Smoothing Shave Cream £11.99 and Skin Soothing Moisture Balm £11.99. Available at jasonshankey.com/shop.php.

Grab your FREE E-book to achieve a pain-free shave at http://painfreeshave.com.

At last, it’s Spring!

Finally, after what seemed to be the longest winter on record (and definitely the coldest), some sunshine is starting to arrive in our wee climate. Not only that, but we’ll soon be moving our clocks forward to enjoy an extra hour of daylight. Nice one!

There is a common misconception that sunlight is always bad for you, and in particular, your skin. But like most things in life, sunlight is good if it’s consumed in moderation. For most people, it creates a feeling of cheer and a feeling of wellness, and its effect on other forms of life are evident, especially now when we enter the Spring. Sunlight is the body’s main way of obtaining Vitamin D which helps to contribute to healthy bones and a healthy nervous system, and it helps to increase the production of endorphins in the brain leading to that feeling of cheer. Its tanning properties also help to make you look healthier, and who doesn’t want to look better?

So what’s all the fuss about and why do some people think that sunshine is a bad thing to be around?

The answer is simple; Too much sunshine can cause damage to the skin. It might not be immediately evident, but sunlight is a contributing factor involved in the ageing process. Its ultraviolet light penetrates through your skin and speeds up the breakdown of the youthful substance that keeps your skin taut, collagen. Collagen is like elastic and its breakdown can be likened to an elasticated trouser waist. When the elastic is pulled tight, you get a smooth surface but once the tension is released, you get wrinkles. Over a period of prolonged sun exposure, which can be anything from a few hours to a few decades, the same thing happens with your skin. So excessive sun exposure leads to premature ageing.

Ageing isn’t the only issue with overexposure to the sun’s rays. Painful sunburn, cataracts, skin cancers and even cold sores can be triggered by its radiation so we need to strike the right balance between too much and too little sunlight.

With so many health scares over the years related to sunlight, many people have decided to avoid it altogether and somewhat surprisingly, more than half the UK population has insufficient levels of vitamin D. This can result in a number of health concerns too.

There are lots of ways to ensure you get just the right amount of sunlight. Based on our generally light coloured skin, experts advocate ten minutes per day of sunshine on our skin to generate sufficient levels of vitamin D, although people with darker skin may require more sunlight to generate the same levels of the vitamin. And when you’ve reached your quota of sunlight, make sure you cover up, and use skincare products which contain a sunscreen to slow down the ageing process and protect your skin from sun damage.

So now that the Spring rays are almost upon us, get out there and enjoy the sun (in moderation of course!).

My 987 mile UK road trip

This wasn’t intended to be a blog but to be honest, I really enjoyed the trip in the Jason Shankey Mini (a Mini adventure if you like) as I took in the challenges normally reserved for long distance lorry drivers.

Belfast at Dawn

Belfast at Dawn

My plan was to meet all of my new House of Fraser retailers who are stocking our male grooming product range, and it was going to be difficult. They’re spread out between Edinburgh in the north, down to Bristol in the south. I could have spent ages getting lots of flights and hiring cars, but the thought of spending hours in airports just didn’t do it for me. The alternative was to take my car from Belfast (in Northern Ireland) across on the ferry to Scotland and drive the trip myself. Always up for a challenge, I quite enjoy doing things in different ways, so I planned all the meetings, booked the ferry and some accommodation and off I went.

It was a 6 O’Clock start on a beautiful February morning to catch the 7:30 sailing to Stranraer. I had filled up with petrol and washer fluid the day before so I could get a good start. One of my customers works at the port check-in and gave me a ticket for priority boarding and disembarkation which was a nice touch. The sailing was smooth but took around 3 hours (I think they only run the fast, 2 hour ship in the summer months) and I had breakfast on board. Not the best food, but there’s nowhere really else to go.

When I arrived in Scotland, I was looking forward to getting off the ship first so I would avoid the lorries and car traffic taking the A75 to Carlisle, but the driver of the car in front of me must have fallen asleep on the ferry. He emerged, bleary eyed, just as everyone else had left so I ended up at the back of the traffic jam.

I was relying on my trusty navigator, Garmin, to take me to my first destination, Darlington, in the north of England. I hadn’t brought a map so Garmin was my only source of info for the route.

Lesson one: Don’t always trust technology. At around 5 miles from Stranraer, Garmin decided to take me left, off the A75 and onto another ‘A’ road. I thought this was strange because the A75 was, as far as I could remember, the direct route to the England/Scotland border, so I pulled over and zoomed out Garmin’s map; But it seemed to be programmed correctly, taking me on a direct route to Darlington.

So this apparent ‘A’ road was Scotland’s answer to the Circuit of Ireland rally. It was a mountain pass which went through a forest and the road surface was old and broken, most closely resembling a cross between gravel and a forest floor. Since the ETA was clocking up on Garmin, I realised I’d have to put the boot down to get to my meeting on time and ended up hammering along this road in the spirit of Colin McRae, aiming for a good stage time but what I didn’t know was that this mountain was also a training ground for RAF jet fighters. At one point, I flew over the crest of a hill, mostly sideways, with a car coming at me from the other direction, and an RAF Tornado flying right at me. I thought I was in a Bourne movie and slowed down a bit. I could make up time on the motorways where it was a lot safer.

House of Fraser Darlington

House of Fraser Darlington

It took about an hour to reach the end of this road, and guess where it took me? Yes, back onto the A75. Garmin must have had a change of mind and was perhaps jolted back to reality by our off-road adventure.

It didn’t take long to reach Darlington after that, perhaps a couple of hours, where I was to have my first meeting at 2PM. I couldn’t find House of Fraser at first and resorted to Google on my Blackberry, followed by the built-in SatNav, to get me to the front door. It’s actually called Binns in Darlington and I can only presume that Binns was a former department store which was taken over by House of Fraser.

I met the skincare sales manager Heather and we developed some great ideas to launch the product to the men of the North East. An hour later, I was back in the Mini, off to my next stop, Bristol.

Now, you’re probably thinking I’m a bit crazy driving all that way (I think it was about 6 hours), but I like a challenge and I was staying at my mate’s house who I hadn’t seen since August, so I was looking forward to a catch-up before our ski and boarding trip in April.

The drive was fine until I got to Birmingham where, for some unknown reason, I get stuck in a traffic jam, stationary for an hour. It was incredibly boring and wasteful of time, but once I got through it, it was a straight run down to Bristol. Garmin said I’d be there for 9:50PM and he was finally right!

House of Fraser Bristol

House of Fraser Bristol

However, I did experience some of the odd things that happen when you drive when you’re tired, and it may also have been something to do with the Costa caffeine overdose as well. The motorways around Bristol have chevrons and big signs that say ‘Keep 2 chevrons apart’, but at one point, I thought I was heading for speed bumps at around 70 mph. Not a pleasant experience! I can see now why they advise you to take good breaks during the journey.

It was good to catch up with Glenn. He’s been my skiing partner for around 7 years and his rock band, Doubting Kim, was playing the largest venue in Bristol the following night. We restrung his guitars and got them tuned up for the Wednesday night.

After a few beers and a good night’s sleep it was off to Cabot Circus the next morning, Bristol’s premier shopping destination, for my next House of Fraser meeting. I was given a tour of their spa whilst I waited for my meeting with their Apothecary sales staff. After a great meeting and some more ideas, it was off to Birmingham to meet staff there.

The Mini on Cruise Control

The Mini on Cruise Control

I got on to the M4 (or was it the M5, not sure) and set the cruise control to 70mph. It didn’t seem to take long to get there, but after the journey I’d had the night before, I wasn’t surprised.

Birmingham is big, with lots of roads going all over the place. I was glad Garmin was with me although he didn’t quite find the House of Fraser store. We ended up in the Albert Street car park, a few blocks away from the store and my Blackberry again took over, taking me right to the front door. I was half an hour early so headed up to the restaurant to fuel up before the drive to Edinburgh.

The building with the silver buttons

The building with the silver buttons

I had such a laugh with the staff there, I didn’t want to leave. Alison, Sue and Jane are like a comedy trio and once we’d tied down some opening promotions, it was back to Albert Street. As long as I remembered the square in East Enders, I would find the car.

£9.80 was an extortionate price for a couple of hours there but at least I got to see that building with the silver buttons all over it. It was just up the street.

House of Fraser Birmingham

House of Fraser Birmingham

The car was really dirty by this stage and if I didn’t get it washed, I thought I might not be able to see out the windows and mirrors for the next stage of the journey. I popped into to a hand car wash which was only £3, cheaper than  Belfast. At least our logo was now on display as I drove through the city.

Dirty Mini

Dirty Mini

So, it was off to Edinburgh. Initially the weather was in my favour. There were blue skies and few clouds but it was starting to get dark. After another hour stuck in Birmingham traffic, I started moving towards Scotland’s second city (is that offensive?).

The six hour drive descended into a bit of a nightmare with heavy rain starting around Manchester and continuing right up to Edinburgh. Passing 40 footers at 70 mph in pitch black with spray like water cannons and huge potholes in the road, is quite a scary moment, especially when it happens around 150 times on the motorway. But the trusty wee Mini kept it’s composure and accelerated past them with ease. The Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works is a real flyer!

The Salisbury Hotel, Edinburgh

The Salisbury Hotel, Edinburgh

By the end of the drive, all I could think of was a cold beer. It had been quite a challenging run, but I couldn’t find an off license in Edinburgh. Finally, I found a Tesco Express store and had a look for some Guinness. The aisle was closed and the assistant told me they couldn’t sell alcohol after 10PM. Gutted, I headed to the small Hotel where I was staying. Whilst it is a beautiful hotel, it is family run and probably isn’t very busy during the winter. I was left a key and advised there would be no staff to greet me.

I got into my room and was absolutely delighted! The room was gorgeous and the owner had left out a bottle of wine for me. Result! Within an hour I was asleep, exhausted from the drive.

Jenners Edinburgh

Jenners Edinburgh

I was waking the next morning to the final day of my road trip and had meetings with House of Fraser stores in Edinburgh and Glasgow. I must say they are stunning pieces of architecture and I’m a bit nerdy like that. Both meetings went well and I couldn’t believe the scale of the Glasgow store. It’s like a palace! After the meeting, I checked up on my emails and headed into Zara to get some shirts for my wife’s 40th birthday which would be a couple of days later.

Frasers Glasgow

Frasers Glasgow

Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig

Leaving Glasgow for my return to the ferry felt great. I’d achieved my goal of having all my meetings in time and had enjoyed the ride. The weather was spectacular and the coast road was stunning, with amazing views of the island Ailsa Craig.

Arriving in Stranraer however was disappointing. I was starving and couldn’t find a decent restaurant. The pubs looked like somewhere to avoid and the Hotels were closed so I headed down to the supermarket cafe which did a reasonable panini, but horrific soup.

Getting back on the ferry was a relief as the journey was starting to catch up on me. The 3 hours turned into 3 ½ hours due to traffic on the lough. I headed back home and got in around 10:30PM. A cold Guinness and my day was at an end. I had enjoyed it.

The Mini was a great companion, achieving an average of 38mpg. It was also comfortable and doubled up as a great bin for my coffee cartons. I had gone through 3 tankfuls of petrol costing £160 in total. A quick wash the next morning and she was back to normal, and so was I. School run, Director meeting, Catch up on 150 emails…

The car doubled up as a bin

The car doubled up as a bin

I was back to reality.

Jason.

The Shankey Mini Cooper S Works

The Shankey Mini Cooper S Works

Christmas

Well we’ve been really busy launching Jason Shankey Expert over the past few months and are looking forward to a few days off over Christmas. Expert is now available at Urban Retreat Spa at Harrods, London and at House of Fraser, Belfast.

We’ve loads more outlets lined up for next year to make it more convenient for you to get hold of it. In the meantime, you can always get it at www.jasonshankey.co.uk.

Which only leaves me time to wish you a great Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Talk soon. Jason.

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About

Jason Shankey created the first luxury, all services modern men's only grooming concept back in 1997. His interest and a deep understanding of hair, styling, skincare, and education mean Jason is the foremost expert in the male grooming field.

Through his extensive experience as a Barber, Jason recognised that most men suffer pain due to shaving. Issues such as shaving rash, razor burn and ingrown hairs affect men all over the world and so he created Expert.

Expert is a his revolutionary system for shaving which, when used properly, eliminates those issues and the pain of shaving. The results are truly spectacular and Expert is now available for purchase at jasonshankey.com.