De-Clutter Your Bathroom Cabinet For Spring

Streamline your cabinet and banish the bathroom wars by embracing multitasking products that your partner can enjoy too.

I recently got married (yay!) and while the experience was a whirlwind and everything I could have dreamed, moving in with my now husband hasn’t been as smooth sailing. I grew up with 4 sisters and no brothers, so i am quite adept as hiding my clothes and fighting with women, but living with a man is an experience unto itself.

Why? Yes, those random socks lingering in the bathroom right next to the laundry basket are a major annoyance; the nonchalance at having a cooked dinner in front of him is throughly a major eye-rolling experience and there are other petty annoyances that are unique because of your love for this person. Though this sounds like a very traditional 1950s house wife situation (and yes I am having a major vent!), what I am actually having the most difficulty with is the fact that HE WONT STOP USING MY EXPENSIVE SKIN CARE PRODUCTS.

I have worked incredibly hard to refine my skincare routine, selecting the products that leave my acne prone and sensitive skin refreshed and glowy, and it appears my darling new husband is reaping the rewards of my knowledge and making the most of cult classics now at his disposal. What products is he reaching out for the most? Read on and perhaps gift some to your other half’s this spring (and use them yourself - you deserve it after all).

EVE LOM

Time Retreat Radiance Essence

Eve Lom, the cleansing balm maverick is a cult classic for a very good reason these product are hard working, clean the skin and leave it incredibly soft and subtle. And did I mention the smell? The smell is delectable and whisks you to a spa like experience in your very own home. The cleaning beam is now available in capsule form, which I LOVE; I would apologise for the use of capitals just there, however these little bobbles of decadence are easily transportable, an irresistible oil texture and just - well, they are just perfect for an oil-fiend like me. 

 But I digress. He isn’t actually reaching out for either of these. No, he’s gone one step further and started to use my Eve Lom Time Retreat Essence post shave, and now in the  morning and evening. I fear he’s going to pocket it and keep it in his backpack for emergency refreshing sessions, that is how much he is using it.

One evening we sat down, and while I was engrossed in a Netflix binge, a seemingly innocent question came my way:

 Him: “That white bottle you have in the bathroom cabinet...what is is”

 Me: “It’s my exceptionally expensive Eve Lom toner, please do not break it. Why do you ask”

 Him:“Oh…it’s just that it left me skin so smooth...”

 And that’s exactly what it does. The essence leaves skin feeling toned, subtle and the perfect antidote to city air. If your partner had sensitive skin but refuses to accept this, is anti-cream-gel-moisturising as a whole, then this one product - easy to use and innocent enough - will do him wonders. 

LIVING PROOF

No Frizz Nourishing Oil

I have the finest of fine hair which, after colouring, blow drying, straightening and hormonal imbalance, is left dehydrated and brittle. My husband, on the other hand, is blessed with thick, curly and frizz prone hair. But he is a living contradiction. Loves to style his hair but hates weighty pomades and anything leaving a sticky residue.

 So what did he do? He conveniently and “accidentally” used my Living Proof Nourishing Hair Oil. The conversation that followed was pretty much the same as above, but this time it was me who commented on the miraculous disappearance of his frizz. I bought it for a reason; that it works and that is smells lush, and it appears that he very much is part of the same school of thought.

AUSSIE

Three Minute Miracle

I am lucky enough to work in the beauty industry, and as such get to try out numerous products and treatments. On occasion I am gifted grooming products that have no use to me as they are targeted for men and therefore too strong for my sensitive skin (one doesn’t necessarily need to adhere to “mens” and “women’s” gender exclusive products, as illustrated by this feature, but sensitive skin is temperamental at the best of times...) which I will give to him in an attempt to reduce the amount of times he uses my things. 

 This does not work. As illustrated by the exceptionally fast disappearance of my Aussie Shampoos.

The three minute wonder conditioner gives the right amount of conditioning treatment without weighing down the hair, and since we moved in together a mere month ago, have worked our way through 4 bottles (as a comparison, I used to get through one bottle in three months when I lived alone). His hair will drink it up and leave it much more manageable than before. If only I could show you a picture of his hair from when I met him and now...it really is a wonder. 

BIODERMA

Sensibo Mild Cleansing Foaming Gel

I pride myself for the amount of care I now give to my acne prone and sensitive skin. It’s taken years of trial and errors, of excessive flare ups leaving my skin red and raw and a lot of pain to finally find and use products that have left me with only a smattering of scars. 

I will start my evening skin care routing with an oil that takes of most of my make up after a day in the office. i will follow this up with a second cleanse using Bioderma Sensibo Mild Cleansing Foaming Gel, which is effective without stripping the skin bare if it’s natural oils - important for the management of acne.  I have a jumbo size bottle in the shower, and slowly but surely this has now started to disappear at an alarmingly fast rate. Good thing I bought the jumbo size...

INSTITUT ESTHEDERMA

Lift and Repair Eye Contour Lift Patches

Okay, this one isn’t so much his fault and he’ll probably won’t be the happiest person in the world after I share this, but one day I was very bored and I roped him into a home spa couples facial session. I enjoy spending Saturday’s with my self care rituals and there’s only so much football you can watch... he kindly agreed to join in after some finger poking in the ribs. 

 We both work hard and had an incredibly difficult year with a lot of change in a short period of time, and a side effect of this is being left with very deep and dark circles, so he agreed to try out the Institut Estherderma Life and Repair Eye Contour Lift Patches. He was impressed with the results (no surprise there) and now I quite frankly have myself to blame as I need to get up and go hide that stash. 

I guess I can’t complain too much. His skin is glowy and hair is bouncy and lush, and therefore handsome as ever. Maybe I can use this as an excuse for him to take me shopping once lockdown has lifted since he’s used half my things!