When it comes to professional men’s grooming, there are a fairly limited set of options compared to women’s services, but Robin Hutchison wanted to create something different. With Alpine Men’s Grooming in Boulder, she has brought together a collection of independent specialists offering a comprehensive range of personal care services for men, all within one space at 2749 Iris Avenue.
Alpine Men’s Grooming is designed around the idea that men should have access to the same level of specialized grooming and self-care as anyone else, without feeling uncomfortable. Hutchinson says they offer “everything from head-to-toe that a man could need”.
She got her esthetics license five years ago and initially launched The Lounge Men’s Waxing Studio in February 2022; this March, she moved into a larger space, rebranding and expanding the concept.
Hutchison handles skincare and body hair services. Chris Denk, owner of Gallery Hair Studio, specializes in men’s haircuts, color services, and curly hair. Brenda Alvarez, who operates The Foot Edit By Bren, rounds out the collective with hand and foot care. Together, the practitioners offer services including haircuts, hot shaves, beard trims, gray blending, full-body waxing, clipper grooming, customized facials, permanent hair reduction alternatives, manicures, and specialized pedicures.
They are proud to provide a space for services that aren’t as popularized and glamorized as other types of self-care.
“Men are a very overlooked demographic in the beauty industry, and there’s a lot of embarrassment and shame around it, and we really work hard to remove that,” Hutchinson told What Now. “Our motto is ‘We’ll take care of you’, and we really do mean that.”
Privacy is another defining part of the concept. The studio occupies just under 1,000 square feet, with each practitioner working out of an individual room. Rather than creating a busy, open salon environment, Alpine Men’s Grooming allows clients to have a comfortable place where to receive personal services without feeling exposed.
“We lean into whatever we can do to make people comfortable,” she said.
That commitment extends to the studio’s accommodations. They offer neurodivergent-friendly services in collaboration with the Autism Society of Boulder County, including sensory kits, adjustable lighting and music, additional appointment time, and the option for clients to enjoy their services without conversation. The business also identifies as an LGBTQ+ ally and supports Rocky Mountain Equality.
The atmosphere is intentionally calm, with artwork throughout the space, including paintings by Hutchison’s sister and landscape photography taken by her husband, a professional commercial photographer of 30 years.
As Alpine Men’s Grooming nears a year in business, the team’s priority is becoming more involved in the local community and expanding access to men’s grooming education. Through another part of her business, The Art of Male Waxing, Hutchinson plans to teach at Thornton Beauty College in January, helping other beauty professionals become more comfortable providing services.
