It’s been a ridiculously long winter, but it seems to finally be winding down. Not all of you but a great many (particularly on the east coast) of you likely have a fair amount of facial hair that’s grown majestically during these cold winter months. You might be starting to consider a new freshly shaven look for the brisk spring air and coming summer days. I suggest you keep the beard.
“How will I ever pull off a spring or summer beard?” you’re shouting at your computer of phone screen, “How can I keep my beard looking lush and fresh even when it’s warm without looking unkempt?” Before we embark on this beauteous warm season beard journey together however, there are a few things we need to go over.
First of all, there’s so much more to growing a beard than just…not shaving it. As many of you may already know, the longer your beard gets, the closer the danger of looking like you haven’t held a steady job in over 7 months looms. At this point is when you’re beginning to hang your head low, staring at yourself in the mirror for longer than you should, looking longingly at the unused clippers on your bathroom shelf or thumbing through local barbers on google maps to say goodbye to it all.
Stop Right There
As a majestic beard grower myself, I’ve already gone through the trial and error for you, but most importantly, I’ve done the research. The following is my beard magnum opus, for your eyes only. I have suffered the scraggly summer beard so that you don’t have to.
Go to the Barber
Seriously. You may think that you can trim your beard yourself with the expensive (or not so expensive) beard trimmer you bought on Amazon, but unless you’ve been trained to shape beards, I advise against it. Look at yourself in the mirror and decide the facial hair shape you’re going for. Do you have a more pointed or rounded face? Do you have a strong jaw, or a less pronounced one? Use your beard to define your spring and summer silhoutte, formulate the look in your mind, find an example on google images, and bring it all to your barber.
Use Products
You absolutely need beard shampoos, creams, or oils, sometimes all three. If you don’t already have a care regimen for your face and hair, get one, and then add facial hair to create a holy trio of morning or evening self care. Before you think it, no, beard length does not matter.
Whether you’re rocking a close to the face David Beckham look, or a woodsman James Harden look, you need a hair care system. Some of the best beard products available are super simple and affordable, but if you don’t want to buy a slew of new products to get started never fear, simple conditioner and shampoo is a great way to start as long as you don’t shampoo daily.
As for oils, start with avocado or coconut oil, rub into your beard in the morning or before bed. Use a pomade for shaping close beards. Once you notice the difference this makes in the texture of your facial hair, I recommend going for facial hair specific products.
During the warmer days of the month, it’s going to be important to have a well moisturized beard for good air circulation, nobody wants sweaty lower face. Our very own Artie Vincent has a few choice products you should take a look at to get started.
Get a Pick
Sure if your hair is short, you can probably just use a comb, but sooner or later you’re going to want a pick. There’s a reason african-americans and folks with super curly hair swear by them, it’s because they’re well…for super curly hair. Kind of like the hair that’s growing on your face. Get a tightly bristled brush while you’re at it, sure to make your beard super handsome and wavy, paired perfectly with fresh shades on the beach or boardwalk.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to go to a barber the second you see a hair out of place, particularly if you work anywhere that has any kind of dress code. It’s 2018, and beards are in. Some won’t be brave enough to keep it through the warmer seasons, but you’re stronger than that, and everyone will know.
Photo by Enrico Carcasci on Unsplash
