Shampoo advertising for women has much more finesse than what you see for men. What would happen if a man added some Finesse to his grooming routine? I asked the makers of Finesse shampoos…

Dear Hair Finessers:

I’d love to get my hair fresh, soft and silky all at once like your Finesse 2-In-1 Shampoo and Conditioner claims. But I’m not really worried about preventing split ends. I’m more concerned with preventing my hair from getting down to the end! Is your Finesse Shampoo and Conditioner strong enough to finesse what’s left on a man’s head that’s going balder by the day?

You put something in there called Methylchloroisothiazolinone. Say what? Do you realize there are 27 letters in that ingredient? That’s more letters than in the entire alphabet! The one immediately following that — Methylisothiazolinone — is also a mouthful. You would think Methylchloroisothiazolinone would already have enough Methylisothiazolinone in it to cover everything. What does Methylisothiazolinone have that Methylchloroisothiazolinone doesn’t?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously yours,
“Me”

A Consumer Service Representative from Lornamead, manufacturers of Finesse, responded with:

Thank you for contacting us about our product, Finesse 2in1 Shampoo and Conditioner. I spoke with our Formulation Chemist and she explained that Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone is a preservative and is also effective against micro growth. When used at safe levels, as long as no sensitivity is present, it is safe for men who are experiencing hair loss.

We certainly appreciate your patronage and hope you continue to use our products. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (phone number followed).

Final Thoughts: It was refreshing to receive confirmation that Finesse also applies to men. Plus, offering a direct phone number to call with additional questions was a nice — and considerate — customer service touch.

Knowing that Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone are preservatives is a start. Additional information about how they differ and what they do would have demonstrated even more perspicaciousness and elucidation. It is also not clear what “micro growth means: Teeny, tiny bacteria? The straining of follicles to push out little hairs on scalps of balding men? Or, something else entirely.

Whether you are a man or women with thick or thinning hair, it might help to use a little Finesse. Finally, when you can’t figure out if a product is appropriate for you, get to the root of the situation and Write The Company.