A quarter of the world’s population has a beard. It’s the ultimate symbol of masculinity and maturity, and many women find it irresistibly sexy.
Beards can be full-on manly stubble or an epic, eye-catching piece of facial hair that makes you stand out from the crowd; they’re perfect for work or play and come in every shape and size imaginable.
But while beards are universally adored, growing one can be a real pain in the neck. So how do you get the perfect manly beard without the hassle? Read on to find out .
There are six steps to growing an epic beard.
Follow these simple guidelines and you’ll soon have that perfect garibaldi beard .
1) You need to grow facial hair.
Arm, leg, chest and chin hair are not beards because they’re not long enough to reach the bottom lip of your mouth or reach past your nose.
Nor is hair on the top of the head a beard because it does not grow in all directions¬–only downwards.
Your mustaches will not be counted in this guide for the same reason, but you can use them to accentuate your growing beard¬–just make sure they are at least one inch long.
2) You need to let your facial hair grow long enough to form into a shape.
It is at this point that most men give up and shave it off, but with good care and patience, you’ll be able to transform your stubble into an epic beard in no time.
Because facial hair grows in cycles, this sometimes takes six weeks or more for most men.
3) It’s time to shape it into the perfect beard shape.
The only real way to achieve this is with fairly precise razors which can handle short stubble, but must be able to taper at the end.
If you have an electric razor, this will be easier to manage than if you use a traditional razor.
4) Need to give it some form .
So that every woman will want to run their fingers through your glorious mane! This is where your electric razors come into play again.
You’ll need to shave the ends of your facial hair, ending at the bottom lip, to make it stand out. Be careful not to cut yourself as you’re making your beard longer.
5) Maintain it.
You can style your beard into different styles if you prefer, but for this guide, we’re going with the classic three-way that involves waxing, shaving and moisturising.
It’s best if you start this process two days before important events so that any stubble can be cut to a close shape before any wax is applied.
This is easier to accomplish with your electric clippers than it is with your traditional razor, as you can completely ignore the fact that you will be cutting off a layer of hair.
Luckily, if you do cut yourself, it will be on the part of your face that no one else can see so it won’t be a major problem.
6) About once every month or so, you must remove all facial hair .
After it has grown to about half an inch long. The best way to do this is by using dettol soap and water, but you can also use shaving foam/gel if you want something different.
It is important that you do this regularly because stubble can be a pain in the neck and become unkempt.
Now we can move on to the most important part: keeping it! Here’s how:
1) There are two types of beard wax:
Hard and soft. Soft wax is softer, so it works better for those with sensitive skin.
For those people who want to maintain their facial hair as long as possible, sticking with hard wax will be best because it will last longer.
It also doesn’t cause too much discomfort or rash, unlike other brands which tend to contain harsh ingredients or oils that cause allergic reactions.
2) Keep your razor clean and dry.
As well as free from nicks and other damage that can cause irritation.
Another suggestion is to replace your blade quite frequently as it gets dull, which will make the shave last longer.
3) There are a lot of different shaves available on the market.
For those who want a close shave, this is something that you should avoid.
But if you want a little bit of stubble because it looks amazing then go right ahead! Just make sure it won’t irritate any sensitive spots on your face.
4) Always moisturise your facial hair after you’ve shaved it.
This will help prevent flaking and will add some moisture into the skin that surrounds your facial hair.
You can use a moisturiser that is specifically formulated for the skin around your face because you will need to put it up to your face which has been exposed by shaving.
