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Manliness is in Season – A Thorough Guide on Beards

Since the dawn of man, beards have had a purpose – warmth, and protection. Times changed, and beard wasn’t as necessary for protection as it was before, but its popularity stayed the same.

Our guide will take your stubble and transform it into an awesome beard worthy of a king. Read on, and learn everything about growing your beard, styling it, maintaining it, and more!

Why Should You Grow a Beard?

There are plenty of men out there who still don’t know anything about the joys of having a fully-grown beard, but we don’t blame them. Most of the men don’t know that a beard is more than a fashion statement, but we are here to right that wrong.

Beard Can Mask Imperfections

Lots of guys have never had any problems with their face, and they should consider themselves lucky. But, plenty of men have had troubles with acne during puberty, which left them with a scarred face. Another problem that some men face is uneven skin pigmentation. While it isn’t anything you should be ashamed of, it is understandable if you would like to hide imperfection.

Beard does wonders with hiding things you would rather not let other people see. Besides hiding imperfections, a beard can draw attention to your teeth by providing a color contrast. Many men are not satisfied with the size of their jaw, but, you guessed it, a beard will make your jaw look bigger.

Beard Protects Your Skin

The most obvious reason to grow a beard is if you live in a cold area. But, protection from the cold isn’t the only benefit a beard can provide.

It is easy to figure out that shaving every day damages your skin. A razor will irritate your skin, and if your skin is more sensitive than usual, it might get inflamed.

Beard Makes You Look More Mature

Genetics play a huge part in the way we look, and some men stay young-looking forever. While some people envy them for it, they would love to stop people confusing them for someone younger.

Facial hair is a definite sign of sexual maturity, and it is no wonder that many men with a baby face are growing out beards. So, if you are looking to take control over how people react to your young look, a beard is an excellent way to do it!

Women Love Beards

There is no other way of going about it – women love bearded men! If you don’t believe us, then you can read Psychology Today and learn that women are, in fact, attracted to bearded men.

Research suggests that a medium-length beard makes for an attractive sexual partner, while a long beard showcases good fathering ability. To a woman, a beard is a sign of masculinity, virility, manliness, fathering ability, and more.

If you’ve been having trouble with women, then it might be the time to do something with your image. Growing a beard could be just what you need.

What Style of Beard Should I Choose?

Most of the men simply grow out their beard with no regard for the aesthetics, which is a huge mistake. The goal of growing a beard is to look and feel good, but that can’t be achieved if you don’t pay attention to the shape of your face.

The shape of your face should be a big consideration while you are thinking of a beard style that might suit you. Your jaw and beard are supposed to give an evenly-graduated oval shape to your face, so continue reading, and learn how to style your beard so that it compliments the shape of your face.

  • Square face: You should avoid thick beard. Try to grow your beard downwards, because you want your face to have an elongated silhouette.
  • Triangular face: You have a jaw that is thicker than your brows, which isn’t flattering when you have a lush beard. Focus on keeping a neat beard that doesn’t grow long.
  • Round face: Your goal is to make your face longer. Grow your beard downwards, and trim the sides. Your focus should be on the length of the beard.
  • Oblong face: You need more beard length on the sides, but less under the chin. Your goal is to prevent your face from looking long by making it fuller..

Now that you have decided how to style your beard, it is time to answer another important question.

How to Grow a Beard?

Before you start growing your beard, there is one important step you should take: shaving your beard. Even if you have started to grow a beard already, shave it off and start from the beginning. Steam your pores to make shaving easier, and use a sharp new blade.

This way you are building a foundation upon which a lush beard can grow.

Don’t be Impatient

Growing a beard takes time, so you should expect to wait a bit before your beard starts to kick in. Facial hair grows around half an inch per month, which should allow you to get ready for what is about to come.

Nothing worth doing is quick and easy, and the same can be said about facial hair. We know that the start is rough, we’ve all been there, but remain persistent! You should keep in mind that your beard might itch while it is growing, so be sure to check out our guide on beard oils that can help you.

Another thing that could put you off growing a beard is the fact that hairs don’t grow at the same speed. You should expect some parts of your face to be hairier than the others, but fight the urge to shave! Simply ride out this uncomfortable part of your journey.

Encourage Growth

Testosterone plays a huge role in the thickness of the beard, as well as the speed at which it grows. You can’t change your genes, but you can do a couple of things that will encourage hair growth. First, always exfoliate! You need to stimulate the skin underneath your beard, so make sure that you exfoliate daily.

Secondly, consider your diet. Take a good look at the food you eat. Does it provide enough nutrients? Is there enough omega-3 acid in your diet? Do you eat food containing iron, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin B? If your answer is negative, then think about introducing more nutrients and vitamins to your diet.

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Most importantly – drink lots of water. Water is not only good for nourishing your beard, but it is also very necessary in keeping your body functioning properly.

Set Realistic Goals & Reach Them

By now you probably know which type of a beard fits the shape of your face well, and you know that growing facial hair might take a while. Only patient men with enough resolve can “survive” the first month of growing facial hair. Most of the men expect quick results and give up as soon as they figure out that growing a beard takes dedication.

If you are stoic enough to venture down the path of growing a beard, then be sure to set some goals. Make sure that the goals are achievable. Try to grow a stubble first, and then reward yourself after achieving the first goal, then try to go for a long time without shaving.

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You should have a final goal that you want to reach, but add a couple of smaller ones that will remind you why you are growing your beard. Motivate yourself, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you fail. Pick yourself up, and try again!

Maintain & Style Your Beard

There are plenty of men out there who simply let their beard grow without taking care of it. You don’t want to be one of them. The difference between a man who cares for his beard and the one who doesn’t is obvious, and it is easy to guess which one is more appealing.

Trim Your Beard

If you are still growing out your beard, then there is no need to trim it. Simply use a pair of scissors to take control of the stray hairs.

First, choose a good trimmer! We have taken the time to research plenty of versatile trimmers, so be sure to check out our article.

Use your trimmer vertically going downwards. This way you will avoid having the hair rise up, which can lead to you removing chunks out of your beard. Make sure to start with a bigger guard than you actually want, especially if it is your first time. It is important to achieve symmetry, so be sure to trim the hair in increments on both sides of your face. Every now and then use a brush to put the facial hair back in its place, lowering the possibility of making an error.

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If you are afraid of making a mistake, then leave it to a professional.

Clean Your Beard

Cleaning the beard makes it easier to be trimmed, but it also keeps your accessories clean. Facial hair is similar to the hair on our heads, so it needs to be treated as well.

Hair roots produce a natural oil that protects the hair and makes it shine. If you wash your beard too frequently, then you will end up with a dry beard. Men with short beards can wash their beard daily, but it is not advisable for the men with long beards to do the same. If you have managed to grow a long, lush beard, then simply wash it every couple of days.

Listen up men, we know that some of you think that using a conditioner will elevate your estrogen levels, but calm down – it won’t! All jokes aside, a conditioner is of vital importance if you want your beard to look beautiful an healthy. You can use a simple hair conditioner, but you can also try a dedicated beard conditioner.

Keep Your Beard Dry & Brushed

Never leave your beard wet for a long time, but don’t rub it furiously with a towel as well. The key is to be gentle with your beard. Pat it with a towel until it is dry or a little bit wet, but not dripping wet.

Grab your brush or a comb, and use it on your beard against the grain. Now repeat the same process, but this time go with the grain. This technique ensures that there aren’t any tangles left.

Moisturize & Oil Your Beard

Dry skin makes your beard itch, and it also creates perfect conditions for dandruff. You know how ugly dandruff is, so the best thing to do is to prevent it from appearing.

You can use a regular moisturizer while your hair is short but think about purchasing beard oil if your beard is long. Simply apply it to your face and neck, and then gently rub it in. Make sure to pay close attention to the areas of your face with thicker hairs.

Bonus Quick Tips

  • Multivitamins, fish oil, and biotin will help you grow a beard.
  • Eat more red meat, exercise, and lift weight to boost your testosterone.
  • Hair products with eucalyptus promote hair growth.
  • Fight ingrown hairs by exfoliating regularly.
  • Sleep regularly to promote hair growth.
  • Keep yourself relaxed – stress kills hair.
  • Shaving regularly doesn’t promote hair growth – it is a myth.
  • Try to lower your alcohol and cigarette consumption.

Conclusion

Congratulations on making it through to the end! You can consider yourself knowledgeable on the topic of beards, and you can easily start growing out your beard.

Remember to keep the hygiene at a maximum level, and prepare yourself for a period of time during which you might not like what you see. Your goal is worth pursuing, so try not to let a couple of minor setbacks to keep you from growing a beard you will love.

Think of growing your beard as a manliness test, don’t give up, and prove yourself that you can dedicate yourself to a goal. In the end, you will be glad that you did, and you will look handsome as well.