“It takes great strength to be gentle.” Hearing this resonated with me, and now that I’m a dad I can adopt the principles behind it in my every day fathering. A recent quote from social media said this: ‘A real measure of a man’s strength is how much he cares for his kids.’ I can play the silly, fun and macho dad quite easily. It’s natural to have rough and tumble, joke around and allow the boy to eat old food off the floor. But it can be much harder to be tender, emotional and caring. This requires me to stop, remember myself and use some effort. And when I do this, the rewards seem much greater. If all I had, was a relationship based on wrestling and farting with the boy, it’d be pretty shallow. That stuff is important but those moments of stillness when we cuddle, when I breathe him in, when I wipe his tears and calm him are what glue our relationship together. You need both sides to the relationship but my point is that one initially comes easier than the other and I bet it’s the same for many others.
Alongside the emotions involved in parenting, there is a whole host of practical things that need doing. Things that I sometimes struggle to remember. Using Sudocreme when I change his nappy, moisturising his little dry patch behind his ear, brushing his hair……. So many things to remember. I find it difficult because in all honesty I’m not that great at even taking care of myself. My care regime consists of a shower, usually with shower gel, and brushing my teeth. I forget to use deodorant, I forget to use moisturiser and I have a beard so that I don’t need to shave. If looking after myself is so low down on the list, of course, I’m going sometimes to forget to do various things with the boy. Luckily, to date, I have never forgotten anything major!
I have tried to use some different care products in the past, but the problem is continuity. The mornings are busy and I just forget. Fortunately, though, Dove Men+Care have sent me a care package, aptly contained in a first aid box. My skin is in need of some first aid for sure! Bizarrely, it was only a few days before this care pack arrived that my wife referred to me as a tramp! That was the kick up the arse I needed to start looking after myself. Since then (and since the care pack) I’ve been using moisturiser, face wash, proper shampoo, anti-perspirent and even a little aftershave. The beard is trimmed and I went to the hairdresser. The funny thing is; I feel so much better for it. It’s true what Dove Men+Care are saying: Care Makes a Man Stronger. Taking better care of myself on the outside has made me feel better within myself.
I’ve tried out the Ultra Hydrating Cream & The Face & Body Wash. (My brother tried out the shave cream because I don’t shave, I trim!)
Ultra Hydrating Cream
I’m by no means an expert in skin care but if it’s true that they say you need 8 pints of water a day to be considered healthy, I assume that means your skin needs to be hydrated too. This moisturiser is not oily in the slightest and leaves a refreshing feel; I am pleasantly surprised at how good it felt to start regularly using a good moisturiser. The scent is nice and you don’t need to use much to cover the face. My face instantly felt better.
Face & Body Wash
This is a great combo because for most guys, they don’t like multiple products. It’s hard enough remembering to use 1, for me! The scent for this soap is mild and not over powering which is an added bonus. Some body washes are hard to actually wash off, leaving a residue on the skin and resulting in more of a body scrub than a wash. This is not the case for this one. It washes off easily, leaving a slightly moisturised feel to your skin. Ultimately, it gets rid of my ‘end of the day’ smell (that the wife claims she likes – but I’m sure no-one else does.)
Shave Cream
“Shave creams are plentiful. Walking into Boots and looking for a good cream is hard work due to the huge variety. But this Dove Men shave cream is a really good find. It’s soothing on the skin and helps give a really close shave without the rash or irritation afterwards. The concentration is good so you don’t need a huge amount to cover your face. A really nice cream. Thumbs up Dove!” (Written my Brother Dad Network)
The best thing about these products is that they all compliment each other. I use the body and face wash, followed by the moisturiser and I’m smelling sweet and feeling good. Now all I need to do is remember to use them both. But as I said, I’m turning a corner in my ‘self-presentation’ segment of my life and want to be that strong man, who looks after himself and cares about his appearance. I think I owe it to my wife too, she’s damn hot so I need to make some sort of effort! It’s true what Dove Men are saying; care makes a man stronger.
*This is a sponsored post
