So, you’ve joined the upper echelons of society, taking your spot next to Vin Diesel and the Bald Eagle. Congratulations! People now literally perceive you as being more dominant, and taller, and get this, they think you can bench press 13% more than those who are losing their hair. Cool!
While a bald head generally requires less upkeep than a hairy head (so long as you don’t get sunburn, dandruff, or shaving cuts), don’t think you can just intermittently scrub your dome with a bar of soap and be done with it. There are some specifics of bald head care that you need to get familiar with.
First of all, consider what your skin is like. Is it naturally oily? Dry? And then consider the environment you live in. Is it humid? Dry? Cold? These will all affect how your skin will need to be maintained.
Read this golden article on the best bald head care products below.
Key Takeaways
For this project, I turned to a little resource I like to call “The Internet”. I put my laptop’s processing power to the test by opening close to a billion tabs on “how to take care of a bald head”. It crashed a few times. I crashed a few times.
After recharging with another turbo-strength coffee, I began to see the light and I narrowed down all the information into one concise and useful guide. Read on to get the deets on the seven important components of bald head care.
Why you should do this: Just like your body and your hair, the top of your head can accumulate dead skin cells, dirt, pollutants, dried sweat, and other potentially aggravating and smelly chemicals. If you’re wondering how to maintain a bald head, cleansing is integral. Using a cleanser is just one such way. It provides a clean platform to build the rest of your bald head skin care practices out from.
How to use it: This should be done on the days you don’t shower or use shampoo. If you shower early in the morning and lead a particularly active lifestyle, you might want to consider using a cleanser before you go to bed so you’re not taking all of that bacteria, oil, and dirt to bed with you too. If you have oily skin, cleanse twice a day.
Products to Use: This simple facial cleanser Marlowe no. 121 combines antioxidants and natural ingredients to provide a good daily face/head wash that isn’t too taxing on the skin. I use Paula’s Choice for when my dermatitis gets bad in the winter and I must say that one should use it sparingly. It clears pores, reduces inflammation, and leaves the skin super smooth. However, the main ingredient salicylic acid is strong and should be used sparingly. Bee Bald Daily Cleanser is a highly recommended product in the bald community. It is designed for baldies by baldies.
Why you should do this: An exfoliant is a product that seeks to clear out the skin pores of dirt, oil, and build-up. If you notice your skin becoming too oily, dirty, or smelly, then it’s time to exfoliate. An exfoliant’s ability to smooth the skin surface means that it is an essential pre-shave ritual and a must-have in your bald head skincare regime.
How to use it: Think of it as a spiritual and physical reset and learn to enjoy the ritual of it. Once a week is a good estimate for exfoliation. Too much and you’ll strip your skin of natural oils. Each person’s skin is different, so you’ll have to experiment with each product to get the right balance.
Products to Use: Since the microplastic ban in the US in 2015, exfoliators have become more environmentally and human-friendly. For a holy trifecta, try this cleanser-exfoliator shampoo by Christophe Robin. It’s especially good for cleaning oily scalps. For an extra burst of vitamins and oils, gently massage Head and Shoulders scrub into your scalp before washing away with shampoo. Finally, if you plan to grow your hair back at some point try Nutrafol, a naturally stimulating exfoliant that acts by promoting a healthy microbiome.
Why you should do this: And you thought shampoo was just for hair? Think again. Hair products have moisturizing effects, so are better than the drying effects of just plain soap or shower gel. Consider throwing in a little dab of conditioner too for that reason.
How to use it: A shampoo cleanses without stripping the essential oils. In the same way that growing plants is all about the soil, bald head care is all about the scalp. Use once a day ideally.
Products to Use: This veritable jetwash of shampoos will blast away the dirt and dead skin. A Neutrogena product that contains salicylic acid, which I’ve mentioned before as being powerful. Avoid using this product daily as it might irritate you. It will give a super smooth complexion, as I can attest to. On the opposite end of the spectrum, this calming Klorane shampoo uses oat milk to naturally reduce inflammation for sensitive skin. Ideal counterbalance to the Neutrogena.
Why you should do this: Moisturizer is important to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Dry skin is caused by disease, health conditions, drug reactions, and genetic susceptibility. But, consider your environment too. The worst environment is what I like to call “the alpine winter holiday”. Low humidity, harsh winds, long baths, high altitude, and high alcohol consumption. Intuitively, you might think that drinking water would help alleviate skin dehydration. Experts suggest that it probably isn’t the cause of your dry skin. Moisturizers (and oils) are the most effective way to battle against a dry bald head.
How to use it: Cleansing and washing, while important, tend to strip your skin of its natural condition, so it’s important to moisturize every day and always after washing. And especially post-shave when your skin is at its barest and most vulnerable. Always massage your scalp after applying, this makes sure the moisturizer has been absorbed by the skin and increases blood flow.
Products to Use: I find it difficult to remember to moisturize every day. However, I love and cherish my post-shave moisturizer, partly because of the smell, the ritual, and the way my skin feels like velvet right after. I recommend Bevel for this feeling. For a matted finish, try Kiehl’s Eliminator 24-hour anti-shining or HeadBlade Head Lube. For a real treat to yourself, try the luxurious Tata Harper Hyaluronic Gel. For something a little different, try a hair mask, much like a facial skin mask, like this from Davines. Finally, an all-around staple for all your moisturizing needs, use Skin Food. It’s ubiquitously loved as a bald head skin care product.
Why you should do this: Ultraviolet rays are bad for your skin. Too much exposure can cause wrinkles, freckles, DNA damage, and cancer. SPF sunscreen creates a thin blocking layer over your skin to prevent this UV damage from occurring. A bald head is particularly exposed to the sun’s sometimes pernicious waves. Unless you’re wearing a hat (which is recommended through the hours of 12-4 pm in the summer months), then SPF is the only barrier.
How to use it: SPF sunscreen is a temporary measure and should be applied every couple of hours to ensure that UV damage isn’t done. SPF doesn’t refer to how long you can stay in the sun wearing cream, but it indicates the strength of protection offered. A higher number means a higher level of protection.
Products to Use: I return to a classic bald head care product, Bee Bald. It has 30 SPF and is packed with natural ingredients designed to uplift a bald noggin. If you need stronger protection, I recommend looking towards the Roche Posay SPF 50 sunscreen and the Neutrogena SPF 50, which is also oil-free. Next is a water-resistant SPF 40 by Supergoop (great for the summer when you’re in and out of the water), and finally, IMAGE produces an SPF specifically designed to give a matted finish.
Why you should do this: If you are still able to grow any hair at all on your head, shaving becomes integral to keeping your bald head, well, bald, and ensures a smart, kempt look.
Electric shaving tips: An electric shaver will give ease of use, no nicks, and a more polished top. Opt for a cordless shaver with quality blades. Use clippercide to keep the blades bacteria-free and oil the blades regularly. The shaver is an important part of your life now and it will be worth your time looking after it.
Wet blade shaving tips: The manual razor offers a smoother, closer shave and a sense of ritual. Always use an electric shaver first. This will get the hair down to as little length as possible for the easiest wet-blade shave. Make sure the blade is as sharp as possible too.
How to use it: To keep a skin-tight shave you need to be electric shaving every day or every other day, or if you’re wet shaving perhaps every two to three days. Start by exfoliating. This will clean the pores out and ensure the razor or blade doesn’t get clogged. Then get some heat onto your head with a hot towel or plain old water to open up your pores. Then use shaving cream if you’re wet shaving. Go straight in if you are electric shaving. Then, cold water to close the pores back up after a quick wash.
Products to Use: For electric shavers, try the Raze Shaver by Brio which fits ergonomically into the palm of your hand for daily speed shaves. Similarly, try Pitbull’s (yup, that annoying bald rapper) brand Skull Shaver. Reddit regularly suggests the Panasonic Arc 4 and Phillips Rotary Razor. Now for the manual shaving. Try Gilette’s standard but ever-so-soothing shave cream, or Aveeno’s oat and vitamin E gel to level out bumps and soothe irritation. Use these with a standard safety Razor because it’s the best way. The one linked has a debonair vintage aesthetic to it too.
Why you should do this: Oils are nutrient-rich, anti-microbial, waterproofing and they mimic the skin’s natural system for hydration. Jojoba is the oil closest to the skin’s natural oil. You can also buff your oiled head with a towel to achieve a shiny look, but the oil will naturally bring a little sparkle itself.
How to use it: After a shave, oiling can help prevent and soothe flare-ups. From personal experience of using oil for my hair, don’t use too much. Try with a few drops and see how that spreads across the skin. You don’t want to be dripping with oil. Oils are particularly useful if you have hard water where you live. A few drops of oil after your shower will go a long way to combat this. Make sure to get a separate oil for your beard if you have one.
Products to Use: As mentioned above, Jojoba is the best ingredient to begin your oily journey. Try Viva Naturals Jojoba Oil. It is organic and pure jojoba-goodness. Looking for a little bit of polish on that potato? Try baby oil. Baby oil is hypoallergenic and extremely kind and nourishing to sensitive skin. This classy spray by Rosie Jane is easy to apply, hydrates through a combination of sunflower, olive and rosehip seed oil, and finally, it will leave your skin smelling delightful thanks to the jasmine, sea spray and vanilla scent.
Considerations for Bald Head Care
Skin Type
While there are generally good practices and useful guidelines to follow when it comes to bald head skin care, skin type will refine the actions you take. Firstly, there is a difference between oily, balanced, and dry skin. Oily skin will require products that counterbalance this, such as a matte finish moisturizer. Dry skin might require more regular oiling to achieve balanced skin hydration.
Environment
Some people have a thick layer of protection against the environment on their heads. It’s called hair. And the lack of it leaves you exposed. When deliberating how to take care of a bald head, there are many environmental factors at play: UV strength, temperature, humidity, pollutants in the air or clothing, alcohol consumption, regular swimming/baths that dry out the skin, and wind.
Your environment is always subtly shifting, so it’s important to be prepared for that in the range of products you will need. Going on holiday in the summer? Take oil and SPF. The Alpine Winter holiday? Your whole bald head skincare arsenal. Please.
Routine
It’s important to adopt a routine. The skin goes through desquamation, or essentially, a regular cycle of cell growth and death. A routine helps the skin naturally move through this cycle providing a catalyst to the removal of the dead cells and detritus.
It is a living, breathing organ that’s constantly adapting to its environment and so it needs monitoring. In that vein, secondly, a routine helps you see which products are working and which are not. You can only really know this after consistent use. Thirdly, there are the mental health benefits of a reliable ritual to anchor your thoughts, keep you in motion, and recognize it as an act of kindness. And, relax.
Why you should trust us
I’ve been modeling for the best part of a decade and writing for top fashion publications for over five years. In my years of globetrotting, I’ve been smeared with countless oils and lotions to attempt to make my face look beautiful for the camera. With the help of some good skin products and generous photoshopping, I managed to forge a career. For this review, I scoured the internet for tips from the bald community, expert advice from dermatologists online, and beauty writers through the years to create this super care guide.
Final Verdict
How to take care of a bald head? This is your journey. You need to find what is best for your skin. However, there are some basics that every man must heed when it comes to bald head care products. A good SPF, a good moisturizer (could be an oil), a good cleanser (that could be an exfoliator or shampoo too), and a good razor/shaver. The rest is fine-tuning.
FAQ
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If you are looking to maintain a stubble-free and smooth exterior then you should be looking at between 1-3 days for an electric razor. This can be lengthened if you are using a wet shaver/safety razor because it achieves a closer finish and therefore will take longer for the hairs to be visible on the scalp again.
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Whenever the skin texture becomes lacking in consistency, overly oily, dirty, or smelly. You should always exfoliate before a shave. So, if you are shaving once every 1-3 days, then this will be sufficiently regular. In short: every 1-3 days, in line with your shaving cycle.
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