Men and moisturiser.

Why is it OK for men to admit to partaking in a spot of bird-watching or even pigeon fancying but admitting to using a little moisturiser is like taking things a step too far?

We all know that the days of thumping hairy bare chests are gone, thanks to waxing, but some men still think it’s ‘soft’ to admit to putting a little cream on their faces. I say ‘admit’ because let’s face it we all know men who do it. They can’t stand up and be counted, let alone buy their own, so they nick ours. I’ll tell you what, there’s nothing my husband likes more than a mini facial, laid on the sofa at home, with all my stuff. There, I’ve ousted him.

There seems to be different levels of vanity, making going to the gym, staring at yourself in every mirror your pass and collecting shoes on a scale that would make even Emelda envious, absolutely acceptable. But going out to the shops in the full glare of other men to buy moisturiser is just not going to happen.

A few years ago, my husband would saddle up to me in the bathroom and then ask in a half-interested way what I was putting on my face. This would be the cue for me to offer him some moisturiser and of course rub it into his face because ‘you’re so much better than me, I get it all over the place’.(This comes from the man who has no problems eating with a knife and fork or balancing the remote control on his knees.) Anyway I would oblige and suggest that he might like to do this regularly not once every several months.

He did start to use stuff more regularly, but it was my stuff. I would now find him in the bathroom with various pots and tubes, lids off. Smell. That is what men like or dislike. They don’t care if it takes 10 years off, makes you irresistible or walks the dog, it’s got too smell right. What is right? Well having watched my husband for a while now, I think it means not too girlie. The lads should not be able to smell or tell that you’re wearing moisturiser; otherwise you will definitely be the butt of all jokes until someone else in the gang makes a faux pas. This could be a long time knowing how long my husband’s friends milked the fact that he once did a Pilates class with me.

So easy, buy him his own stuff that smells of boys you say! Well it is and it isn’t. There seems to be a thin line between emasculating a man and empowering him. I’ve discovered L’Occitane men’s range, in particular their range called L’occitan. It has this fabulous scent of lavender and black pepper and it’s not too girle! I’ve bought the shower gel and the after shave balm (moisturiser to you and me), left them out and he’s already taken the bait. For some reason he never reads the labels – I understand this is a common trait amongst men, so he doesn’t know that he’s doing exactly what I want him to!

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