One of the best things about my husband is that, although he isn’t vain, he isn’t a massive dickhead about things like moisturiser, suncream, haircuts and going to the dentist and to the doctor.
And when I say “dickhead” what I mean is that he doesn’t point blank refuse to use any product other than own-brand soap and washing up liquid for shampoo and walk about an itchy mass of dandruff, dermatitis and shaving rash.
Very occasionally he will say things to me like “Can we have more of that Dove shower gel. It’s less drying.” Or confess to me that he has been using my face wash.
The other week he said that he has been using my St Ives peach kernel exfoliator on his head. He has been finding his scalp sub-optimal and troublesome and recalls some advice somewhere that exfoliating one’s scalp was a thing – also that that some kinds of baldness (not male-pattern) is caused by blocked pores and other scalp grossness. To give it a good scrub once a week is to encourage follicular health. Not that my husband is going bald, but he is very hip to preventative measures. “And it feels nice,” he added, slipping off into a brief reverie.
So I researched scalp exfoliators and found that Altea Caviar Exfoliating Scalp Facial, (it’s not a facial if it’s on your head!!!), is very popular and effective. The price seems to slalom wildly depending on where you look for this, but it seems to be about £33 on Amazon at the moment.
God, it’s SO restful when they’re not dickheads …. my husband is balding (and actually looks far more handsome with less hair than with more) and it pretty good about moisturiser (Kiehl’s Energising mansturiser smells good) but is still a slightly residual dickhead about sun cream in the remaining front tuft … quite good at hat-wearing but there’s always the odd day when it’s too windy. I shall bear head scrub in mind, but any suggestions for non-greasy slap-head sun cream, please, y’all?
(Also on the subject of scalps there is a huge difference between dry dandruff and greasy dandruff; get the right specific shampoo and bingo! Klorane is a winner in our household but the dandruff ones seem to be only available in France.)
And – who knew I had so much to say this morning? – I’ve been using the Aveda body scrub on my face – though it says not to – and it makes St Ives feel like coarse-grained sandpaper by comparison and the Aveda one lasts for ages and ages.
Right. Off to spill my verbal diarrhoea elsewhere.
I do very much love the detail that the Aveda scrub says NOT to use it on your face
Presumably because no-one will buy their face scrub otherwise? Ludicrous.
Sophie, I know this is super late however. . . . I also possess a balding other half who is allergic to sun ( makes him breakout in a rash) so from about March he has to wear sunblock.
This stuff is the proverbial pyjamas of a cat! No shine, no grease – spray on your hands and apply, dries instantly
http://www.boots.ie/en/Garnier-Ambre-Solaire-Clear-Protection-Spray-SPF50-200ml_1154602/
This is so interesting. You’ve defined a need my husband didn’t know he had. But he will. He is ok at wearing sun cream now, mainly after I said he needed to set an example to the children. My kids have always been great with it and actually like having it put on but I’ve had male grandparents saying to my son, “ooh you’re being very good, doesn’t it feel yucky?”. What they’re trying to achieve with this, I’m not sure, but it perhaps explains how resistance is passed down through the male line.
encouraging good behaviour from a spouse by saying it will set an example to the children is actually inspired. Maybe run for PM?
this exfoliating shampoo by aveda is also very good. i like that it says that it reduces hairloss by helping you keep the hair you have longer. it also smells like heaven or a very expensive hotel room.
http://www.aveda.co.uk/product/8419/21056/Collections/InvatiTM/invati-exfoliating-shampoo/index.tmpl
Ooooh, might have to invest in some for hubby who’s heading in the direction of his father (egg bald in the back and mad cloud halo in the front – it’s horrifying). Lovely to meet you at Wimbledon yesterday, hope you didn’t mind me coming up and introducing myself.
Kristy! Thank you so much for coming to say hello! I’m sorry I wasn’t more able to be effusive and welcoming, that’s the problem with living your life in words rather than pictures, I know you but can’t recognise you?! Isn’t it mad. I hope you had a great day. We left after the second set of Murray, I couldn’t watch him wreck that poor boy, it was too sad x
We stayed until the end, though I was back in the tent snorking posh fizz by then. Niall from One Direction lobbed into the Ralph Lauren tent next door and everyone went a bit crazy – I sat back and watched it all behind dark glasses. 🙂
Oh THAT’s who that fellow was
If you can find a shampoo which contains Salicylic acid as that helps with the exfoliation. Wella Elements contains it and has a green scent but Boots has a good selection too.
My friend used to work for Alterna and gave us mountains of this stuff for FREE. She’s since moved on, so now my husband is experiencing shelling out for beauty products for the first time in his life. He’s not happy about it, but he’s so obsessed with this stuff, he’s gritting his teeth and stocking up.
The Alterna “Scalp Facial” contains the dreaded microbeads, save the fishes and try out Philip Kingsley’s “Exfoliating Scalp Mask” – 75ml for £17
Oh dear – microbeads!! Thank you for this timely warning Anita. xx