The influence of David Beckham is ever encroaching on the bastions of manliness, and now it’s North Queensland tradies who are heading to the beauty salon for facials and full body waxes.  The Cairns Post reports on how this is reshaping Cairns’s economy and society (You beauty: Cairns tradies face up to secret men’s business):

Tradies, miners and bankers are going to beauty salons in increasing numbers to fight ageing, advance their careers or please their partners.

Male waxing, facials, massage treatments and even cosmetic procedures such as Botox are skyrocketing, driving a new business phenomenon in Cairns.

Lisa Price from the Jade Cosmetic Clinic said 30 per cent of her business’s clients were men.

It probably shouldn’t be a surprise that the tradies are joining the bankers (and other professionals) in hitting the beauty salons, as they are subject to the same competitive pressures in the dating game, and the skill shortages we have seen in the trades have significantly pushed up tradies’ earnings.