Men grow beards. It’s a fact. We’re not saying that you have to grow one to ‘be a man’, but more it’s part of our natural make up. Regardless of how patchy or sporadic some people’s beard growth can be, the idea of growing one is something we’ve all played with.
With that in mind, we spoke to Abdul Solanji, one of the founders of Abe & Jar – a men’s ‘grooming and accessories bar’, to get his pro tips on what all hirsute-hungry men should know:
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Common mistakes
Most common mistake men make when growing a beard is to have disproportionate haircuts and beard trims. To avoid looking awkward, a man should consider the length of his hair and beard in comparison to body height and size. Another common oversight is the amount of people that have dry and flaky skin under their beard. Luckily, it’s an easy problem to solve, just apply some beard oil or balm daily. Products such as these help condition the hair and skin, as well as add a pleasant shine and scent. Some oils in these products also work as a good protein for the hair.
Know before you grow
If you are planning to grow some facial hair, remember that every face is different. Take some time to understand your personal beardology. To do this, let your facial hair grow out for a week or so, so that you can see what kind of growth you have. Are there any patches? Does it grow high on your face? Is it a full beard? From here you can decide what type of beard best suits your face.
Get rid of beard itch
On of the biggest complaints from people is the dreaded beard itch. This is merely a case of your face, and neck getting used to something new. To help combat it, try using a beard oil or some beard wash. The real trick is to use a good quality beard brush.
Grooming icon
Although most men will refuse to admit it, there are certain celebrities that we admire, purely on their ability to grow some good facial hair. Like style icons, we all have our own tastes, but for me it’s the stylings of jewellery designer Philip Crangi (pictured above), and the model Ricki Hall. Although, recent outings from Tom Hardy (below) also rank pretty highly.
