Shiny Bald Head: How to Add or Remove Shine [easy tips]

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Shiny bald head

Are you going for the shiny bald head look but worried about the amount of reflection? What if you don’t want any shine at all?

If your bald head is shiny, you most likely have excess oil buildup under your scalp. Also, excessive sweating can cause bald shine by releasing oil and dirt from your scalp pores.

This guide will help you elevate your bald head care with options and tips for achieving the best shine or matte bald look. Keep reading to find your style.

Shiny Head Basics

Whether you want to embrace the shine or like a matte style, there are debates which are the best option. The truth is, your personal style dictates what you want to do. There are certain products and methods for adding or removing shine easily.

  • It’s actually a sign of good health if you have a shiny shaven head. This means you don’t have a dry scalp which can actually lead to dull, flaking skin.
  • When your skin is in good condition, it will naturally glow and secrete an oil called sebum. This is typically created by your body to aid the hair follicle and keep it healthy. If you have extra oil, it could be that your body knows your follicles are under stress.
  • You have fewer hair follicles and a lack of stubble, so your head is naturally smoother.
  • You’re using a shaving product that’s moisturizing and adding shine to your head.

Do You Want a Shiny Bald Head?

Not everyone is into the bald head shine. If you’re one of those who want to show off stubble or keep your bald head matte in the sun, then these are some methods to reduce or eliminate shine on your head.

Shaving Affects Head Shine

Smooth, moisturized heads will have a natural glean, but most scalps have a bit of hair texture. If you’re going bald, it’s probably important to you to develop a routine to shave and approach your new style with care. Without hair, it’s natural that your head will reflect light easily.

Shaving bald head with a wet blade
Develop a bald shave routine.

If you want to avoid shine, then you should keep a bit of stubble instead of going completely smooth. You can also shave with the grain and using a wet blade instead of an electric head shaver. Hair clippers allow you to cut the hair on your head closely without removing the hair completely.

Oily Head Affects Shine

Sebum is the term for your skin’s oils, secreted from your pores. The production of scalp oil is supposed to help your skin protect against bacteria infections. Since stopping the production of sebum is impossible, you can use different products to minimize the amount of oil that you produce.

You can start by washing your scalp with an exfoliant. You may want to try a scrub like L’Oream for Men’s Expert Pure and Matte scrub. You can use this in the shower each morning to scrub your scalp gently to get rid of excess oil.

Facial wipes may also come in handy throughout the day. Some of these wipes include witch hazel to alleviate itching or redness.

You should avoid any products that contain alcohol as it can be a skin irritant, and it could cause more sebum production. A light moisturizer that isn’t too greasy may also be helpful in keeping your skin supple without the shine.

Sweat Affects Shine

A shiny head may be difficult to prevent if you’re constantly sweating. If you head the gym, it’s expected that you’ll start to sweat, and for those with a bald head, that means you’ll get some shine.

You can also use wipes in these situations to discreetly remove oil and sweat when you need to. You can also use a soft towel at the gym to remove excess sweat.

Sweating can cause excessive shine on a bald head
Head shine is affected by physical activity.

Styling Products Can Have Shine-Enhancing Properties

Typically, on a bald head, you don’t want any extra attention brought to its smoothness or ability to reflect light.

The way you shave is also important. You should shave with the grain to ensure that you leave some stubble and get rid of shine naturally. You also needn’t apply any oils or creams. The best option is to choose a mild soap and exfoliate once per week with a facial scrub.

Cleansing & Moisturizers Creams Affect Shine

Matte cleansing creams may also be able to help reduce shine. These are typically a bit higher in price than your off-the-shelf cleanser. As you shave and go through your morning routine, you should avoid using moisturizers or creams that will add shine to the end of your routine.

Best Products to Reduce Shine

Oil-based creams, sunscreens, aloe vera and certain lotions will cause a shinier scalp. You can purchase a variety of matte and oil control moisturizers to combat shine as well.

Matte Lotion for Bald Head

  1. HeadBlade Headlube Matte (highly rated)
    HeadBlade Headlube Matte for shiny head
  2. Jack Black All Day Oil Control Lotion
  3. Recipe for Men Anti-Shine Moisturizer
  4. Dermalogica Oil Free Matte (with SPF 30)

NOTE: the added benefit of any shiny head cream, lotion or sunscreen with a higher SPF can help prevent sunburn freckles and skin cancer.

If you aren’t satisfied with these, then there are gels and oil mattifiers available, such as Peter Thomas, Neals Yard, and Mary Kay Oil Mattifier.

One other way to reduce shine is to simply use talcum powder. While this is not as fancy as the oil mattifiers and moisturizers, but you should also make sure to use Clubman Pinaud talc powder if you want to avoid any issues with white powder.

How to Get a Shiny Bald Head

So now that you know how to prevent a shiny scalp, there are also ways to show off a healthy bald head. The process is shave, wash and moisturize.

Shave your Head Smooth

Shaving your head clean (electric)

Many bald men find that using a skull shaver first, then using a quality wax (like beeswax) or oil produces the perfect shiny head. Another great tip is to mist an aerosol hairspray lightly get your shine on.

Getting a shiny bald head is easy with the right products
Opting for the clean shave look with a little shine.

Shaving your head clean (non-electric)

The difference between a close shave and a really close shave is that you should be able to see your head reflect light after a tight shave. This means that there isn’t a single strand of stubble.

You may need a high-quality, sharp razor to get this look and a shaving cream that will moisturize your scalp. There are also shaving oils and after-shave creams to assist with any irritation.

In addition, shaving against the grain offers a smoother shave. It also irritates stubborn follicles more than if you were shaving the facial hair. The same goes for most methods using bald head wax. Most experts say that waxing your head isn’t the best solution, even if you want a moisturized, shiny scalp.

Start with a clean, close shave with the grain. You should still see shine when you’re finished if you removed all the stubble.

Use Aftershave Moisturizer

Moisturizing your skin with oils and creams is important to avoid red, irritated scalp. It also calms your follicles after they have been pulled by the razor.

The skin on your head also dries quicker than if it had hair. To keep your head healthy, smooth and shiny, use a cream or even a bald head polish. There are products made from beeswax and other oils that work really well at maintaining your scalp’s health.

For the best shine, HeadBlade – Headlube Glossy is a must.

HeadBlade Headlube Matte for matte head

Wrapping Up: To Shine or Not to Shine

While it doesn’t take that much effort to get a shiny head, if you want to avoid it then you have to find different products and look into leaving some small textured stubble behind to absorb the light. Otherwise, you may look into matte oils or even keep wipes handy to wipe away excess oil throughout the day.

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AUTHOR

I'm the founder of Bald & Beards, an amateur barber and I've been obsessed with men's grooming, styles, and trends for over 20 years.