Preventing or embracing the shiny head is down to personal preference but personally I prefer the matt look.
We are all different, that’s what makes us who we are, some of you might like the shine your shaven head gives you, others not quite.
Over the years I have managed to try a few different products that either prevent the shine or enhance it, most of them to my satisfaction.
Here are some of the reasons you get a shine on your head and what to do if that’s not your look.
Shaving Your Head
One of the main reasons is going for the shaved look rather then cropped or buzz cut.
Shaving your head is the smoothest and closest shave your can get, no more stubble.
This, however, does lead to shine later if you don’t treat your head with some products.
Not long after shaving your head, you will naturally produce oils from your skin that are meant to offer a layer or protection to help combat drying etc. Depending on your skin type, very much like your face, these oils vary in levels – for some, it’s hardly noticeable and for others, it looks like you’ve had your head polished by the local shoe shine vendor!
I’m pretty much in the middle ground on this, some days nothing, some days it’s bad. So to combat this I use a matt effect moisturiser, below are some of the better ones on the market.
These products work well to give that matt look but as the day wears on they do tend to wear out.
The best thing to do is always have a handy paper towel or cleansing face wipe to hand, this can get rid of any built up oil ready for you to apply your moisturiser again.
Freshen Up Your Skin
As the day goes on, the oil build up on your head, natural excretion, sweat, dirt, sticky hands etc., which all lead to your head starting to look shiny again.
At this point, if you had a full head of hair, most of the oil and dirt would have been soaked up by the hair, that’s why people complaine, ‘ohhhh my hair’s gone really greasy’.
In our case there is no hair to soak up this excess oil, so to help prevent the shine, I recommend that you freshen your skin up with either a quick wash or face-cleansing wipe.
There are plenty of face-cleansing wipes on the market, sensitive ones, oil preventing, spot preventing and just the bog standard cheap ones – all of which do a great job.
Sun tan creams or gradual tanning moisturisers
OK, we all know that protecting your head from the sun is essential but depending on the cream, spray or oil you use I have found most of them tend to enhance the shine rather than matt it. The best ones on the market are the dry oil products; although they are never going to compete with the matt moisturisers they do a pretty good job. The problem comes when you keep on reapplying oil layer after oil layer – before long you have Green Peace blockading your sun lounger preventing you from entering the sea! Go easy with the application, you only need a little at a time. Again when you feel that you’ve just gone that too far use a face wipe to bring your shine back in-line.
Conclusion
All this might sound a little OTT when is comes to ‘man care’ but looking good is all about the way you feel, not how someone should make you feel.
If the shiny look is your thing then hey, go for it. If however like me you like that matt look then just be aware of some of the reasons you get a shiny head and the things you can to help prevent this.
Gents, you’re allowed to take care of your appearance, you are allowed to look good, the amount of men I hear talking about, ‘product for their hair’, then why shouldn’t you talk about ‘product’ for your head – after all it’s your head and it’s your choice.
