Real stories · No more itchy forehead

Every woolly hat I owned made my forehead itch — so I'd leave it at home and freeze

Soft against the forehead, warm over the ears, and not a single itch all day — I didn't know a winter hat could do that. I'm 67, and my skin has become fussier with every birthday. Woolly hats leave me scratching within ten minutes, with a red line across my forehead by the time I'm home — so more often than not I'd leave the hat on the hook and walk Winnie with cold ears instead.

What I wanted was a warm hat I'd actually want to keep on.

Then I found the Aurevine from a British label called York Boutique — a plush vegan faux-fur hat with a deep rolled brim and a soft interior. I chose the brown; there's khaki, black, pink and white too.

The difference is all on the inside. It's soft against the skin and made for lasting comfort without irritation — which is why it stays on from the front door to the park and back without me once reaching up to scratch. And on the outside it's dense, plush and properly warm, right down over the ears.

Soft inside for lasting comfort without irritation, plush and warm outside — which is why it's the first hat I keep on for the whole walk.

At £19.95 — half the usual £40 — it's the first hat in years that I haven't regretted buying.

It has done every cold dog walk this month and a long Saturday in town, and Pauline — who gave up hats for exactly the same reason — tried it on in my hallway and wouldn't give it back for ten minutes. I did check before ordering that I could send it back if it didn't suit — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free.

If woolly hats also make you itch, do have a look. The Aurevine is rated 4.7 out of 5 by more than 190 women, it comes in five colours, one size fits most — and the brown goes first.