When we think of our fathers, often certain images come to mind. Baseballs thrown in early evenings before dark. A big guy with a briefcase in one hand and a cigarette in the other. ’’Dad’s chair’’ - the coveted, comfortable, well-worn piece of furniture that only his arse may occupy.
Well, when I think of my Dad, I think of certain scents. One of them is the Speed Stick deodorant that he has always used (I use it too, but while he opts for the regular version, I like Alpine Fresh). Another, of course, is his shampoo - that disgusting Head and Shoulders anti-dandruff formula that he’s used since God was a baby.
While Head and Shoulders have improved the formula several times over the years, it still boils down to the same basic thing: A strange rectangular-shaped bottle filled with a thick, light-blue goop that smells strongly of...well, it smells, let’s leave it at that. It’s not quite a ’’medicinal’’ smell, but it’s definitely not a pleasant one - more like, oh, I don’t know, any other odor that most would want to quickly dispose of.
This shampoo can be used every day, or only when dandruff problems begin. Either way, it’s a medium-priced product - more expensive than ’’regular’’ shampoos that most men might use, but cheaper than Pantene and other ’’girly’’ crap some women favor for their hair. It’s affordable, though I don’t see why anybody would want to have it in their house ALL THE TIME.
First, it’s a light blue. That makes me a bit uncomfortable, as it reminds me of either toothpaste or something that I might try to scrub my toilet bowl with.
It is also a very thick concoction - you have to put a little effort into squeezing it into the palm of your hand. When you apply it to your (already-wet) hair, you get the feeling that you are either soaking in pancake syrup or styling with a thick gel. It works up into a decent lather, and still smells bad, so hurry up and finish working it down to your scalp already!
Head and Shoulders rinses out easily enough, and quickly goes down the drain - thank God! However, there is a residue left on your hair. This is meant to help protect against dandruff flaking, but I find it most annoying. Plus, your hair still smells funky, so you have to either condition it or style with a fairly strong mousse or gel.
As for the product’s claims? It definitely helps with the dandruff! Just a couple of days with this product produces results, and makes users want to try it again the next time they have a dandruff problem. This reduces the amount of flaking, which means it won’t end up on that black turtleneck a la France that you just bought.
MY VERDICT
This stuff is pretty disgusting in my book, but it works very well. So, if you’ve got a dandruff problem, give it a try. Otherwise, leave well enough alone and avoid this strange-smelling shampoo like the plague.