That reminds me of a McFly song

This is it!

I was straightening my hair this morning and admiring the colour; the most outrageous my hairdresser and I have ever gone with it, when I totted up the various products on it.  I used shampoo and conditioner.  So far, so normal.  Then a leave-in rescue treatment while it was wet.  OK.  Then I blow dried it, then added some sprays (or spritzes as they say in the fashion mags) of Thermal Styling Protectant and then straightened it.  This makes a grand total of four products!!  All of this is on top of the six different colours the talented Helen* put in it last week!!!

And why is this interesting I hear you ask?  Well, let me tell you about my skin care routine:  nothing.  That’s it.  I rinse my face with water in the shower and dry it on a towel.  If it’s very cold and wet I might feel the need for a little moisturiser, in which case it’s cheapish supermarket stuff, but mostly I don’t bother.

You’re still wondering whether you are going to get interested anytime soon aren’t you?  My reflection on this was that I do the hair thing for two reasons:  the first is that it makes a difference, if I do what I did my hair looks nice and shiny and styled and quite eye-catching; the second that it’s because playing with my hair, particularly colouring it, feels like fun and creativity.  It’s for me and my own pleasure. 

The skin care thing doesn’t seem to make any difference: I’m fifty this year and my face shows it.  I’ve got a slight extra chin thing going on, laugh lines that suggest I’ve watched Sarah Millican** non-stop for the last 25 years, and bags under my eyes that tell you I probably drink a bit too much coffee and read a bit too late at night!  But on the whole it’s an OK face for who I am and slathering cleansers and other gook on it doesn’t feel life-enhancing in the way that messing with the hair does.

So I’ll stick with the hair being 6 different shades of pink and orange, and I might stick a bit of mascara on if I can be faffed, but that’s your lot – I’ve got other things to do.

*I’d tell you about Real Hairdressing in WB, but I want to be able to get an appointment.

** Genius British comedian – I can recommend her Chatterbox DVD