For those of you who know me or for those of you who don’t, I always in one form or another maintain facial hair. Living in a colder climate, facial hair is not only for style sake but out of necessity as well. Given the widespread popularity of facial hair at the moment, I thought it would be appropriate to impart some insights and wisdom before you embark on your journey to bearded greatness. The number one aspect of a proper beard is to keep the sides trimmed in and around the cheeks. This prevents the dreaded puffy cheek syndrome, which instantly adds 10lbs to any man and can easily be avoided. By keeping the sides trimmed you will maintain the original shape of your face and accentuate the jaw line creating a more attractive silhouette. I suggest asking your hair stylist to trim your beard every time you see them and if you have the opportunity to stop in more frequently just for a beard trim all the better. The second key feature of a well-groomed beard is to keep it off the lip, always. It’s an easy procedure that can be achieved at home with a small pair of grooming scissors. Do not hide those lips and trust me it make everything from eating to making out a hell of a lot easier. After that, proper maintenance depends on the style of beard you are going for. If you are in a traditional work environment then cleaner and trim all the way around might be the best route. If you are afforded the luxury of growing out your beard to more extreme lengths then it will undoubtedly be a work in progress. In either case consult your stylist and decide on the direction you going in before you embark on your journey. The shape and length of your beard in no different from that of your hair; it requires time, well thought out direction, maintenance and the right product to create something beautiful. For more tips on grooming feel free to leave some comments or contact me and for some inspiration please enjoy these photo’s of just a few of the many great beards out there including one of myself for good measure. Stay warm, stay bearded and Much Love as always –DG embracing what it means to be a man since 86
