“Kissing a man with a beard is a lot like going to a picnic. You don’t mind going through a little bush to get there!” Minnie Pearl
For those who wish to join the fraternity of bearded men, you might find yourself hoping that your wife or significant other would share the sentiments of Minnie Pearl. If you’ve always wanted to grow a beard, or perhaps are only now considering letting your facial hair grow, then read on.
Why might you want to grow a beard? Many men sprout their facial hair in a stand against our societal march towards androgyny. In a culture confused about gender, they wear their beards proudly as an outward sign of inner resolve. They want to be seen as men.
Some men simply feel more confident with facial hair. Be ing bearded is like wearing a ’68 Camero on your face. You just feel tough.
In the media and throughout culture bearded men are often shown as heroes and heartthrobs, linked to charisma, strength, and attractiveness. A study by Barnaby J. Dixon & Robert C. Brooks appearing in the Evolution & Human Behavior Journal (May 2013) revealed that women found men with beards to be healthier and more attractive. Women favor men with confidence and maturity, and beards highlight these traits. A 2020 study by the University of New South Wales found similar results. In both studies, women found men with thick stubble and medium beards the most attractive.
Along with enhancing a man’s attractiveness, beards also of- fer other benefits, including UV protection for your skin, reduced risk of bacterial infections, and relief for allergy and asthma sufferers. Your beard can act as a natural organic filter, capturing pollen and other irritants.
If you are sold on becoming bearded, then here are a few growing tips. First, it might be good to address the wife / girl- friend problem. If your signifi cant other complains and says she doesn’t like facial hair, try this. Find an excuse to avoid shaving for a while (long weekend, vacation, etc.). Let your beard grow for a bit. If you must go back to shaving, then do so. But, at every opportunity let your beard grow out again. Once she gets used to seeing you with some degree of beard growth, and can compare it to the image of your bare-naked face, she will almost always prefer you bearded.
Conventional wisdom states that when you decide to grow your beard, you should just let it grow and not touch it for several weeks or months. Doing this will ensure that you like a homeless guy for an extended period of time. I would argue that instead of the hands-off let it grow approach, you trim slightly to keep your beard even as it grows out. To do this, take your beard trimmer and use the shortest attachment to simply even up your whiskers. Continue using larger attachments as your beard grows out. This will minimize the homeless guy look.
Once your beard is reasonably filled in, and you've decided on the style of beard you want, it is time to start trimming. Primarily, you want to establish your cheek line and your neckline. Your cheek line can be drawn from your sideburn to the corner of your mouth. Shave above the line. The neckline is a bit tricki- er. Basically, you want to find the spot where your neck meets the bottom of your jaw (underneath your jawline one to two fingers above your Adam’s apple). Shave or trim below this. Beware of trimming too high. For a full beard you need to trim below your jaw, and it’s usually best to stay with the natural curve of your jawline instead of making an exact straight line. Also consider the shape of your face when trimming. For example, if your beard makes your face look wide, trim your cheeks closer and fade into your longer chin whiskers for a more flattering look.
After trimming, you’ll want to wash your beard. Do not use regular shampoo. Use beard wash or mild soap. Rinse your beard with water daily, but only wash once or twice a week with soap, to keep from stripping out your natural oils.
Final tip – use beard oil and beard butter. After you get out of the shower, use beard oil (rub in with your fingertips). This will keep your beard gloriously conditioned and smelling good. It is also a good idea to use beard butter or beard balm as well. I like to use beard oil in the morning, and beard butter at night before bed. You can also condition your beard occasionally to keep it thick and healthy. Castor oil is a wonderful conditioner (regular castor oil or esp. Jamaican black castor oil). Rub it in and leave overnight. You’ll have a beard like a Viking in the morning
Follow these tips and your wife or girlfriend will love your manly, great smelling beard.
