Mr. Adam featured in MODMOD Magazine

It’s like an investment in yourself

Mr. Adam! The name couldn’t be more clear or more spot on. The calmly styled beauty salon owned by Charissa Blom in Amsterdam Zuid is a men only salon—one of the few in the Netherlands. Exclusively for men. So, is there really a market for that? Absolutely, says Charissa, who is also one of the specialists herself, and is constantly busy. Most men who’ve experienced Mr. Adam’s skincare routines once, keep coming back regularly for custom facial treatments.

But Mr. Adam also offers injectables, manicures, and hair removal treatments. Blom explains: “There just wasn’t a salon like this before. Everything in one place, completely tailored to men’s skin.”

The salon has now been around for over four years, but the journey to this concept started twenty years ago when Charissa began specializing in men’s skin and darker skin tones. At the time, she ran a skincare salon in Curaçao. After returning to the Netherlands, she got involved with Treatwell, Europe’s largest online beauty platform. “For that job, I traveled a lot to discover the best salons and clinics, but I never found a concept like what Mr. Adam is now.”

So, what really sets it apart from other beauty salons? “It’s a full experience. You can see us as your skin coach. We believe in a holistic approach. Your skin doesn’t just show what’s happening on the surface—it tells the story of your whole lifestyle. We’re also one of the few salons specialized in darker skin.

Men’s skin goes through a lot. On average, a man shaves about twenty thousand times in his life. That puts a lot of stress on the skin. Irritation, ingrown hairs, inflammation, and razor burn are basically standard issues—we see them daily. That’s why skincare for men might be even more important than for women. We can help repair the skin and prevent future problems. Stress and city pollution don’t help either when it comes to healthy skin.”

Common issues, beyond shaving problems, include pigmentation spots, dark circles, tired-looking skin, and premature aging. “It’s important to tackle the root cause. That may sound obvious, but a holistic view on health and skin isn’t always standard. We go beyond the surface and look at your overall lifestyle—how well you sleep, how often you exercise, what you eat—and use that information to fine-tune the treatment. Combining that with the right and most innovative techniques gives the best results.

Luckily, skincare hasn’t been a taboo for men in a long time. The days of having just a bottle of shampoo and some shaving cream in the bathroom are finally behind us. It’s not a luxury—it’s essential maintenance. Just like going to the gym is good for your body, this is an investment in yourself.

Text: Ermmo de Bie

Photography: Dick van der Lecq

Article as published in MODMOD edition 9, 2025.

You can also read our other article with MODMOD here.