Horace is dishing the best tips on you how to maintain your beard, from controlling its growth to trimming it and keeping it soft. And also how to keep it smelling good.
For a long time, beards were the prerogative of the philosopher. Nowadays, beards are highly prized by men around the world. A wonderful means of concealment, it also works to hide any skin flaws and to give you a new look. However, the line between elegance and shaggy is sometimes thin: taking care of your beard is obviously essential to avoid being confused for a slob.
What kind of beard should you choose?
One could easily say that there are as many kinds of beards as there are men. It can just as easily be short and sparse as it could long and silky. So, faced with so many options, how do you find your way around this kind of hair related conundrum?
Stubble
A classic choice, a bit like a white shirt or a navy suit. Stubble, aka the ‘three-day beard’ in French, is an effective first step into the fabulous world of beards - in addition to being acceptable in practically any office space. Its downside? It’s the easy way out.
It’s also an obvious choice for those who have sparse facial hair. By opting for stubble, the holes in your beard are less visible. Handy, isn't it?
How to take care of it ?
Obviously, since it’s just stubble, you can shave as soon as you think it's too long, and then let it grow back. Pretty easy, since it doesn’t require any particular maintenance.
The short & thick beard
By ‘short beard,’ we mean any beard that’s longer than stubble, but shorter than mid-torso, known as a ZZ Top beard. If your beard is 1 cm to 15 cm in length, you fall into this category. If they are impeccably trimmed, using scissors and a clipper, they actually turn out to be remarkably aesthetic, however they require more maintenance than stubble does.
How to take care of it
Start the maintenance of your beard by trimming it, but don’t stop there. You would be better off by washing it with a beard shampoo, or, at the very least with a classic men's shampoo.
In order for it to be silkier (this is important, especially for people you might kiss), the use of beard oil is obviously recommended. It deeply hydrates your hair and tames it. You don't want to look shaggy.
The long beard
For a long time, it was the prerogative of the Druids (ancient Celt wizards hidden in the forests of Brittany). Today, apart from the musician Robert Wyatt, the long beard is obviously less common. The city lifestyle makes it difficult to rock this look: it might get stuck in car doors, soak in your coffee, and children like to pull on it. Pretty difficult to remain faithful to it without coming close to a nervous breakdown. One thing is certain: it’s an incredible aesthetic postulate and is very useful at Christmas time - especially if it’s white.
How to take care of it
First of all, by paying particular attention to shake out any crumbs that be hiding in there. It's also important to hydrate it with a beard oil if you don't want to be mistaken for a doormat. Lastly, it seems important to specify that it should never exceed your belly button - in which case, please trim it.
Master the growth
You can’t have a beard without hair growth. The process of growing out a beard is sometimes long and painful,In this, we understand why it was so highly prized by Greek philosophers: it takes foolproof wisdom to take the time to let a perfect beard grow.
If you choose to let your beard grow, it’s better to be prepared from the start for what awaits you: maybe a few derogatory comments from your most conservative entourage, but also a difficult job to make it look impeccable. From the first hours of your project, equip yourself with the necessary products to create daily maintenance habits. At the end of the day, a long beard requires much more maintenance.
First of all, feel free to wait a few weeks (about six) to pay a first visit to a barber. He or she will work their magic so that it grows back very nicely.
Then, remember to equip yourself quickly with the products necessary to take care of your beard. A beard shampoo, oil, trimmer, razor and scissors will be your future beard’s best friends - don't let procrastination get in the way. Don’t forget that beards also tend to get itchy, so be sure to consider nourishing it with oil quickly.
Size Matters
Whether they’re short or long, beards need to be trimmed to be impeccable. However, the measurement is particularly important in this area: if it looks too sculpted, it might look strange. It’s totally acceptable for your beard to overgrow the area of your neck around your adam's apple. The beard collar, on the other hand, is not an option.
In terms of tools, it all depends on what you're looking to do with that beard: sometimes a trimmer with a comb will be a great help for you to shorten your beard without having to shave it completely. At other times, you will opt for scissors, which will allow you to correct the hairs that are too long and trim them to perfection. For this, the use of a comb will allow you to gain precision. What's good for your hair is also good for your beard.
Here too, it can sometimes be good to trust a professional: a barber can help you look impeccable. Above all, he will practice a first work on which to take an example in the future.
Essential care to maintain your beard
Your beard is like a small animal: it’s important to nourish it and take care of it. A few steps are essential to maintaining a good beard.
Cleanse your skin...
When it comes to the skin around your beard, it’s important to keep it clean with your usual cleanser ,and to exfoliate, once a week in the same way you would when you were beardless. This step is especially important during the first two weeks of your beard growth - you don't want to mess things up with ingrown hairs.
… and your beard
You may have heard of the study that compared the dirtiness of a beard to that of a toilet bowl. We reckon the study had to be conducted on men who never washed their beards. Using a beard shampoo or even a beard balm will solve any issues of hygeine in addition to nourishing your beard and leaving it impeccable. You can also use a regula facial cleanser or even a normal hair shampoo. After all, hair is hair. And vice versa.
The importance of hydration
In order to moisturise and maintain your beard on a daily basis, a beard oil is your best friend. Keeping it deeply nourished and hydrated, your beard will then be as silky as a cashmere sweater you’d love to snuggle up on. Another advantage of our beard oils is that they make your beard smell good and and add an extra level of elegance to your facial hair. With us, you have the choice between the freshness of our Lemon & Mint scent, the old-fashioned chicness of Tobacco & Vanilla, and the comfort of Cedar and Patchouli.
Now you know which beard to choose, but also how to take care of it. That's no reason to start spouting life lessons to all your friends: a nice beard doesn't automatically make you a sage to the good word of the gospel.
