Year on year, many so called “experts” claim that ‘this is the year’ we will see the end of the beard. But the fact of the matter is, beards are here to stay and those experts need to go find a real job. First things first. You’ve grown a beard, chosen your style – are you done yet? Not quite. If you want to keep your beard looking stylish, tidy & healthy, there are a few things you need to be aware of.
SHAVING
Once you’ve grown your beard to the desired length, it’s important that you trim over the body of your beard to remove any stray hairs and prevent split ends. You’ll also need to make sure that you tackle the edges around your neck and top of your cheeks.
Trimming your beard helps emphasise different features. No matter the length, make sure you shave. It’s important that you remember to take the face of your shape into account when shaving around the edges – taking to much or too little can make all the difference. We suggest that, no matter the length of your beard, take it down in length below the jawline, and shorten it further again when you reach your Adam’s apple.
During the early stages, we suggest that you pop into your barber, and touch base with him every so often. This way, you’ll find it much easier to keep a well-groomed look, as it’ll just be a case of following the lines and fades that your barber puts in.
THE TOOLS
Trimmer:
With an abundance of beard trimmers to choose from, we suggest the Remmington MB320C beard trimmer. This solid, entry level shaver is perfect for catching those stray hairs, tackling the sides and clipping your beard. With up to nine different length settings ranging from 1.5mm – 18mm, you’ll be sure to trim the beard to size that suits you. Coming in at £29.99 this beard trimmer won’t break that bank.
Beard Wash:
The purpose of this is to soften your skin and will allow your beard wash to reach the root of your hair follicles and easily remove any dead skin cells that will have accumulated.
Beard Oil & Balm:
The number one investment for any beardsman is your beard oil. Choosing a lightweight oil not only helps your facial hair look the part, but is crucial to maintaining your beards health. If your not a fan of oil, then a beard balm does the job just as well! Having pat-dried your beard, its time moisturise both skin and beard.
Beard Oil:
Step 1 – Place a small amount of beard oil in the palm of your hand. (Be a little more generous if you have a thick beard, but remember not to drown it).
Step 2 – Rub the oil through your fingertips and gently massage into your beard and moustache, beginning from your roots and working your way out.
Step 3 – Brush your beard with beard comb, to brush the oil evenly through your beard and into the skin
Beard Balm:
Step 1 - If you’ve gone for the beard balm, take a pea-sized amount and rub it into the palm of your hand until softened.
Step 2 – Glaze the surface of your beard and as you would with the beard oil, gently massage into your beard and moustache, beginning from your roots and working your way out.
Step 3 - Brush your beard with beard comb, to brush the oil evenly through your beard and into the skin
Moustache Wax:
Most of you will notice that as your beard grows out, your moustache begins to get in your way. What you need to do get around this is apply moustache wax. To keep a natural look, simply work a moderate amount of wax into your stache, applying from the centre and working your way out.
If you want to go for the handlebar look, then apply more product and the the end in a point. We have found that, if you soften up the wax it makes it harder to create the handlebar look, so try and avoid a hairdryer if possible.
Once you’ve worked your way through these steps, you should be in a pretty strong position to finish the final stages. Find a mirror, admire your kick-ass looks and finish by taking a selfie and submitting it to our Instagram page to share with the world.