Tag Archives: shaving

Add some new zing to your look and your beard for spring

It’s time for spring — north of the equator, that is — and it brings longer days, warmer weather, and maybe a new beard style! One of the great things about having a beard is the ability to change it up whenever you like. Maybe you’ve kept your face nice and toasty with a big beard all winter but are now ready to trim it down or switch to a different style for a lighter look. Below, we’ve come up with a list of ways in which you can do a little spring cleaning to freshen up your facial hair style as well as other aspects of your grooming program.

Consider new beard ideas for spring

If you’re the kind of man who likes to keep his beard the same all year long, that’s great!  We salute you.  However, springtime represents a time for renewal and fresh starts.  Changing up your beard can transform you with a fresh new look. So if you’re game for a beard change, there’s no time like the present.

While we always strongly advocate for the full beard for those who are capable of growing the full beard, you can still change up your full beard while keeping your full beard.  If your full beard is still wild and woolly from the winter growth season, lightening it up with a trim down to a shorter length can give you a sharp new look for spring.

beard for spring image 2
Trimming your full beard short can give you a lighter feeling and a sharp new look for spring.

If you feel like making an even bigger change to your beard, consider switching to another style such as a goatee and mustache combo. Or go for the similar yet bolder extended goatee.   Maybe now would be a good time to have fun with a temporary switch to the chin curtain.  Check out our beard style guide and select a style that you’d like to try.  Or be creative and design your own unique beard style.

Develop a skincare routine

A great beard needs a solid foundation. And a healthy beard comes from healthy skin. Harsh winter weather may have left your skin feeling dry and flaky, which does not provide the greatest grounds for growing and maintaining facial hair. The good news is that this can be quickly corrected with the proper skincare routine. The first step is determining your skin type. The American Academy of Dermatology lists skin types as follows:

  1. Sensitive skin may sting or burn after product use
  2. Normal skin is clear and not sensitive
  3. Dry skin is flaky, itchy or rough
  4. Oily skin is shiny and greasy
  5. Combination skin is dry in some areas and oily in others

Knowing your skin type will give you a better idea of which products you should use. Always use skin care products that are gentle on your skin that will maintain your face and scalp as clean and healthy places for hair to grow.  If you are in doubt about your skin type and which products would be best for you, it’s a good idea to check with a medical professional.

Maintain your mane

In addition to a facial hair change-up, many men welcome the warmer weather with a new hairstyle. Whether you opt for a shorter cut or a new hairstyle altogether, there are plenty of products out there to assist you in maintaining the hair on your head. Like skin, hair types vary depending on the individual and this determines factors such as how often you should wash your hair and which products you should use. For some men, growing hair on the face comes much easier than growing hair on the top of the head. If you’re in this boat, there’s no need to worry! Something as simple as switching up your hairstyle is a quick fix and will give you the confidence you need to look and feel your best. Following a diet full of foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins is a great way to support healthy hair growth as well.

Invest in the proper tools

You can do everything right when it comes to the beard-growing process, but if you don’t have the proper tools to maintain your beard, you won’t look your best. Investing in a quality beard trimmer is key to keeping your facial hair looking its best at all times. While there are plenty of beard trimmers on the market from which to choose, when selecting a beard trimmer you should shop around and make your purchase based on the features that will best suit you and your facial hair.

The same goes for choosing a proper razor. If your new beard style is one that means you’ll be doing a lot of shaving, like with the goatee or chin curtain, you’ll need a quality razor. If you don’t want to bother with getting razors at the store, you might consider getting razors via subscription. Many companies now offer a basic plan in which you can tailor products and tools to fit your needs. This allows you to try out their products and then decide what’s best based on your shaving needs.

Overall, it’s pretty easy to create your new look for spring. Shedding your cold-weather style for a fresh look will leave you looking and feeling great just in time for the new season.

The most important thing to do after shaving off your beard

Maybe you had to do it for a new job. Maybe you were obligated to do it for some other reason. Maybe you did it in a moment of weakness and self-doubt. Maybe you did it on a whim. Maybe you did it in a fit of temporary insanity. But if you’ve just shaved off your beard, what’s the most important thing to do next? Start growing it back, of course!

Brock grew his first beard for a charity effort in the fight against prostate cancer. Quite a magnificent and splendiferous beard it was. After a year’s time, however, suddenly Brock’s big beard was gone, wiped out by a shave.

Here Brock answers some questions about his beard-shave-off experience.

Was it hard to shave off such a big beard?
I had to fight many other bearded members to stop me from doing it. After doing so, I felt I’d done a great injustice.

How long did it take to decide to grow it back?
A few months.

Why did I decide to grow it back?
Just wanted a free pillow when I got sleep.

While Brock went without the beard for a few months after the shave, don’t wait that long if at all possible. Start growing again as soon as you can!

In the gallery below, we see Brock shortly after the big shave. The next photo was at about three months of growth for the new beard. The rest of the photos are at about five months of new growth. Click on any image below to see a larger version.

See more about Brock here: Brock: today’s beard, 2016/12/30.

When You’ve Gotta Do It: The Expert Guide to Shaving Off Your Beard

Shave off your beard? Really???!!!

Sometimes it’s unavoidable. It could result from a change in your employment situation. It could be required for a medical procedure. It might be to benefit a charity fundraiser. Or it could be that a beard just doesn’t work for you. But one day you may be facing a need to shave off your beard.

Shaving off your beard doesn’t mean that you’re being disloyal to the bearded brotherhood. It could just represent a temporary time-out until your next beard-growing opportunity presents itself. It’s been said that one of the best things about shaving off your beard is that it enables you to experience the pleasure of growing it out again. Whenever a beard is shaved off, the potential for its return is always present.

Prepare to say farewell to your beard

So if you’ve got to shave off your beard, you ought to do it the right way.  Do you know how to shave off a beard?  Our guide will teach you how to shave off your beard easily, like a pro.  Before you get started, however, make sure you have all the necessary gear on hand:

  • beard trimmer, electric hair clippers, or scissors
  • optional: electric razor
  • towels
  • mirror
  • shaving cream or equivalent (Do not use soap!)
  • razor
  • moisturizer

Step 1: Shear off your beard

Before you actually do any shaving, your first task is to remove as much of the beard hair as possible. The easiest way is to use a beard trimmer with the trimming guard removed or use ordinary electric hair clippers.

Just ahead of the beard-shearing operation, you may want to use a towel or cloth to cover your work space to catch the hair cut from your beard. Or, if you’re working over a sink, you may just close the drain and let the sink catch all the beard hair. Then you can use some bathroom tissue to sweep all of it up and out of the sink for disposal.

Now, using the beard trimmer or hair clippers before the mirror, carefully shear off as much of the beard hair as possible. A more labor-intensive alternative is to snip off your beard hair with scissors. If you choose to use scissors, you’ll get better results with a good pair of scissors designed for cutting hair. At this point, an optional step is to use an electric razor to refine the removal of what remains of your beard.

After ridding yourself of as much beard hair as you can, you’re ready to move on to step two: the real shave. Your newly-exposed skin is no longer accustomed to being shaved, especially if you count your bearded time in years. This situation calls for taking extra care to prepare your skin. Proper skin preparation will help prevent or minimize irritation and ingrown hairs.

Step 2: Shave for the first time after shearing off your beard

Here’s some expert advice on carrying out that critical first post-beard shave:

First, use a hot towel which will utilize steam to soften the outer layer of the hair. Next, be aware that using too much or too little shaving cream affects how you properly prep the skin. Using too little of a product might not soften the hair enough, while using too much of a product can become a slippery mess just asking for nicks and cuts.

Now before putting razor to skin, it’s important to navigate your grain pattern. Slide your fingers across the skin to feel which way your hair is growing. When shaving, the first stroke of shave should go with the grain when the hair is at its longest. The next stroke should go against the grain when the hair is shorter. This will relieve any tug and pull on the skin while leaving the area smooth. It’s important to remember not to put too much pressure on your skin while shaving. Gently gliding the razor across your skin will work best for a close shave.

Step 3: Finish up by soothing your newly-shaved skin

Lastly, it’s important to remember that shaving can leave your skin dry. This is even more important to keep in mind when it comes to shaving off your beard. That skin on your face hasn’t experienced the elements in a while, so it’s likely to be even more sensitive. Don’t forget to apply a moisturizer after and you’re good as new!

You’re beard-free again…for now!

With that, you’ve officially returned to the beardless world. Be sure to take a good long look in the mirror and let it sink in what you have done. The bearded brotherhood bids a fond goodbye and wishes you well. We remain eager to welcome you back whenever you have the opportunity to grow your beard again!

Of course, whenver you are ready to grow your prized beard again, be sure to follow our proven guide on how to grow a beard.