Go bold! Go bald!

Whether it happens early in life or in their later years, many men are forced to confront hair loss. While some spend countless hours and dollars on fancy products or complex procedures to hide their receding hairlines, others choose to embrace the baldness. Denton County resident Eric Carpenter is strongly in the latter camp.

“When I started experiencing hair loss, I knew that I wouldn’t be one who tries to cover it up,” said Carpenter, a U.S. Air Force veteran who lives in Cross Roads. “Being bald requires some maintenance and I wasn’t thrilled with a lot of the products that were out there on the market. I’d always had a desire to own my own business, so that got me thinking.”

That period of contemplation led Carpenter to form Skullskape, a men’s grooming company that offers a complete line of products that meet all the unique shaving needs of the bald man. It’s a complete do-it-yourself endeavor for Carpenter that he runs from home, focusing on all aspects of the product from development and sampling to manufacturing and distribution.

“I’m hands-on with these products,” said Carpenter, who also works as the facilities manager at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Prosper. “From the formulation and test runs to the actual manufacturing, which is actually done locally in the DFW area, usually takes about six months.”

From there, Carpenter sells his products, which cost $9.99, through the Skullskape website. Visitors to the online store will find several grooming options, from the top-selling “Dom Chrom” (pronounced Dome Chrome) aftershave to the Skull Scrub pre-shave scrub and wash.

As a fitness and health enthusiast, Carpenter is proud that his company uses natural ingredients in all his products as opposed to the sometimes noxious perfumes found in most big-brand grooming items. Skullskape’s website contains an “ingredients” tab where shoppers can read about the benefits provided by witch hazel, aloe vera and jojoba wax, just a few of the natural components in the company’s products.

Carpenter hopes Skullskape can buoy the trend of baldness being perceived as cool. With athletes like Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi and Hollywood actors like Christopher Meloni serving as proof, baldness can be good for the image. “Guys need to own it and roll with it,” he said.

For more information, visit Skullskape.com.