By Editorial TeamThe global hair color market is on track to hit an estimated $36 billion by 2030, and a huge chunk of that growth is coming from men who are getting more serious about their appearance. This includes a massive interest in men’s grooming and personalized aesthetic choices. But in a world obsessed with coloring hair, what does that mean for taking it off with services like waxing?
Key Takeaways
- Men’s grooming is bigger than just haircuts now. More guys are looking for ways to manage body hair as part of their overall look.
- The boom in men’s hair color shows guys are more comfortable personalizing their style, which naturally leads them to other services like professional waxing.
- By adding waxing to their hair coloring and styling menus, salons and barbershops can attract more of the growing male client base.
- Marketing that shows how waxing and coloring work together to create cleaner lines and better definition will catch the attention of today’s male clients.
In early 2024, Michael Chen, who owns “The Refined Gentleman” barbershop in Atlanta’s busy Buckhead district, hit a turning point. His place was known for classic cuts and hot shaves, but the questions he was getting from clients were starting to shift. “More guys were asking about subtle gray blending or even some adventurous highlights,” Michael told me during a recent chat. “And then they’d ask, ‘Do you guys do anything for neck hair, or maybe even chest hair?’ It was happening too often to be a coincidence. I could see a real desire for a more complete, polished look that went past just the hair on their heads.”
What Michael saw in his shop lines up with the numbers. A 2023 report by Euromonitor International showed a 12% jump in sales for men’s hair care and styling products (including colorants) over the last two years. This surge shows a real engagement with personal appearance. Men are getting comfortable trying out new things to improve their look, from a new hair color to managing their body hair. For Michael and other shop owners, the big question was how to effectively connect these two different-seeming services.
The Shifting Sands of Male Aesthetics
For a long time, “men’s grooming” just meant a haircut and maybe some aftershave. That idea is completely outdated now. We’re seeing men embrace all kinds of aesthetic treatments, driven by individual expression and a desire for confidence. Hair coloring for men, once a rare request, has become totally mainstream. Guys are using color for everything from subtle changes to bold statements to define their style, which is a perfect entry point for offering other services.
Think about what happens after a guy gets a fresh hair color. Whether it’s a rich brown to punch up his natural shade or a strategic gray blend to look a bit younger, the point is a refined appearance. But once the hair on his head looks perfect, any stray hairs on the neck, back, or ears suddenly stick out, ruining the whole effect. That’s why professional hair removal, especially waxing, is such a natural next step after a color service, it delivers those clean lines and that smooth, polished finish that the client was going for in the first place.
A late 2025 study in the Journal of Cosmetics & Toiletries found something interesting: men who buy premium hair care products are 40% more likely to also get professional hair removal services. This points to a type of client who wants the full grooming package and is ready to pay for services that give him a complete, put-together look.
Michael’s Dilemma: Integrating New Services
Recognizing the trend was one thing, but Michael’s real problem was figuring out how to add a new service without it feeling weird in his established barbershop. “My barbers are experts with clippers and scissors,” he explained. “Asking them to suddenly offer waxing felt like a stretch, and honestly, it’s a different skill set entirely.” He thought about hiring a dedicated aesthetician, but worried about the overhead. He also worried about how his regulars would react. Would guys who came in for a traditional barbershop experience even go for something like waxing?
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Find a Studio Near You →It’s a familiar hurdle for a lot of small shop owners in the grooming industry. The fear of alienating your loyal customers or overcomplicating your day-to-day operations can stop you from making a change. But the market signals were clear, people wanted this. Michael put some discreet cards at each station, basically a quick survey asking if clients would be interested in services like neck, ear, nose, or even back waxing. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Over 60% of the guys who filled it out were interested, especially in neck and ear waxing for a “cleaner finish” after a haircut.
That feedback was all the validation Michael needed. He realized the answer wasn’t to turn his barbershop into a spa but to strategically add services that made sense with what he already did well. The focus was always on making the client look and feel better, a goal that both hair coloring and professional hair removal share.
The Synergistic Benefits: Color and Smoothness
When a guy chooses to color his hair, he’s looking for a sharper image. Waxing, particularly for the neck, ears, eyebrows, or even the back and chest, just takes that to the next level. Imagine a client gets a perfect gray blend, but he’s got a patch of hair on the back of his neck or some unruly ear hair. It totally undermines the clean look he just paid for. Professional hair removal creates a clean canvas that makes the color pop and the whole style look more deliberate.
For example, a precisely waxed neckline after a fresh haircut and color gives a guy an incredibly sharp profile. It defines the hairline, making the color look more lively and the style more intentional. For men who lighten their hair or add highlights, a smooth chest or back can create the impression of a well-maintained physique, contributing to a solid personal brand. It’s about sculpting and refining the overall image.
And don’t forget that waxing lasts. For men who want an efficient routine, that’s a huge plus. Instead of shaving every day, they get weeks of smoothness, offering a low-maintenance solution that fits into a busy lifestyle. That convenience is an easy selling point, especially for clients who are already in your chair for a color appointment.
Michael’s Solution: A Phased Integration
After thinking it over, Michael decided to roll things out in stages. He partnered with a local waxing studio to offer a discounted “grooming package” that combined a haircut, color service, and a choice of an express wax (neck, ears, or nose). He trained his barbers to subtly suggest it, framing it as the final step to complete the refined look from their cut and color. “We started by offering it as an add-on, something to complete the look,” Michael shared. “The idea was to make it feel like a natural progression.”
He also invested in a small, private treatment room in the back of the shop, designed with the same masculine aesthetic but offering a comfortable, discreet environment for the waxing. He hired a part-time aesthetician, Sarah, who understood the barbershop culture and knew how to work with male clients. Her expertise and her ability to make guys feel comfortable were absolutely essential to making this new service work.
The results were encouraging. Six months in, over 30% of his clients who got their hair colored also added a waxing service. The “neck and ear tidy” was the most popular, followed by eyebrow shaping. Michael noticed that clients who tried the combined services often came back for both, appreciating the convenience and the better result. “The extra revenue was great,” Michael reflected, “but we were also providing a more complete service, making our clients feel truly polished and confident. We became a one-stop shop for their aesthetic needs, and that built incredible loyalty.”
The Future of Men’s Grooming: Well-rounded Approaches
Michael Chen’s story at “The Refined Gentleman” shows where men’s grooming is headed: it’s about the complete picture. As the hair color market keeps expanding because more men are trying it, the demand for related services like professional hair removal is only going to get stronger. The salons, barbershops, and grooming shops that see how these services work together and proactively add them to their menu are the ones that are going to do well long-term.
Today’s male client wants a complete approach to his appearance, one that shows off his individual style and makes him feel confident. When you offer services for the hair on his head and for body hair, you’re giving him that full experience. It helps you get a larger piece of the client’s grooming budget, of course, but it also helps you build deeper, more lasting relationships based on trust and making them feel their best.
Adding professional hair removal to a shop that already does men’s color is a smart business move because it shows you understand what today’s male client actually wants. He’s looking for that finished, polished look, and you’re providing all the pieces to get him there. The hair color market and hair removal aren’t separate islands. They feed into each other, and one service makes the other more valuable to the client.
If you understand how waxing finishes the job that a color service starts, your business will be in a great position to serve the growing number of men who care about their total look.
How does waxing complement hair coloring for men?
It provides clean lines around the neck, ears, or eyebrows that sharpen the final look of a new hair color. A quick wax makes sure messy, stray hairs don’t ruin the polished effect of the color service.
What are the most popular waxing services requested by men who also color their hair?
The most common add-ons are neck waxing to clean up the hairline, getting rid of ear and nose hair, and simple eyebrow shaping. Some guys who are really invested in the total look might also get their chest or back waxed.
Can barbershops or salons effectively integrate waxing services?
Absolutely. They can train current staff or hire a skilled aesthetician, set up a private and comfortable area, and offer waxing as a natural add-on to their other grooming services for clients wanting a more complete experience.
What are the benefits of professional hair removal over shaving for men?
Waxing lasts much longer than shaving, you get weeks of smoothness instead of dealing with daily stubble. It also leads to fewer ingrown hairs and less razor burn, and the hair tends to grow back finer over time, making it a more convenient and better-looking solution.
How can businesses market waxing services to men who are already interested in hair coloring?
Frame it as a “finishing touch” or a “grooming enhancement” that completes the refined look from their hair color. A good way to get them to try it is by offering a package deal that bundles a color service with a targeted wax, showing them directly how much better the two look together.
