Photo by Michael Gilman Have you ever owned a dog with long, unruly hair?
When it’s cleaned and properly groomed, it’s almost like that sense of order is imparted upon the dog. Suddenly it’s better behaved, more elegant, more like those hunting dogs you read about as a kid.
You know, that wise Old Yeller who was loyal and obedient to his master, honorable and true, stoic and wise.
But man, when you have a dog that hasn’t been groomed recently… It’s like a little demon emerges.
That dog doesn’t listen, is chasing every random bird that appears in its periphery, tears into the trash can, barks at every little thing that audibly breathes. And, it’s canine hair is flopping around, egging your dog on and getting all over you furniture.
Maybe we're exaggerating a little bit. But can you see the difference that appearances make in our impression of things?
Now… what does that say about your facial hair? Some questions to ponder on the subject of your facial hair:
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you aren’t alone. Every day the Grooming Experts here at Grooming Lounge are chatting with men who need help with taming their facial hair.
THE MAN WITH THE PLAN (AND A BEARD)
Most men make the mistake of simply trimming and cleaning their beard with water and leaving it at that.
You wouldn’t do that to the hair on the top of your head. It would make the hair on top of your head wiry, oily, hard to control, overly dry, flaky, etc.
Just like the hair on top of your head, your beard needs to be regularly washed, conditioned and even have a leave-in softening treatment.
Remember that facial hair is more stiff and wiry than the hair on your head by default. If you want that irresistible soft beard that those bastards in Hollywood make girls drool over, then you have to use the right products.
Learn here about beard oils and how they help your beard.
Did we mention that properly caring for your beard will also help with your underlying skin and start to eliminate shaving problems when you clean your beard up?
Most beard cleansers and oils are designed to also care for the skin that’s under your beard. When your skin and facial hair are healthier, you are less prone to getting razor rash or ingrown hairs.
We recommend you give our perfected, best selling Grooming Lounge Whisker Sauce a try, for creating that perfectly soft, healthy beard, as well as healthy skin.
By the way, if you want a specific formula for shaving and shaping your beard, go take a look at our guide. We cover everything from sensitive skin, to heavy hair growth, and much more.
TRIMMING YOUR BEARD
For most men, learning to trim their beard is a harrowing journey of trial and error. When they don’t trim it evenly, it looks like some kind of weird shrub with things poking out randomly here and there. When they trim it too close they have to wait for it to grow back. When they trim one spot really close, they have to trim the rest to match it.
And sometimes… if they’re lucky... they get it just right and have no idea how -- they’re just grateful they did.
You don’t have to be one of those men.
We have created a video that shows you how to trim your beard.
We didn’t just create a video on trimming your beard… we also created a video on something called “beard lines”.
Beard lines are what distinguish the properly groomed man from the amateur. They are the guiding lines that help your beard look well kempt, all while complementing your facial structure.
Use these videos as a live guide to create that perfectly shaped and tamed beard.
Lastly, if you’re wondering what beard is right for you, take a look at our guide on choosing a beard shape for your face. With a little observation and practice, you can create the beard that’s right for you.
GROWING YOUR BEARD
If you’re having a hard time growing a beard, we have some advice that can help prevent you from looking like Michael Cera trying to grow a mustache. No man wants to look like that.
So what can you do?
First, you’re going to need patience. If this is your first time growing a beard, it can take several weeks to get an even shadow of stubble.
Second, you need to use the right products. When you use the right beard cleanser and exfoliator, it’s a lot easier for your hair to break the surface of your skin and continue strong growth. Believe us, that buffalo sauce from lunch that you caught in your beard-to-be isn’t going to help it grow.
Thirdly, make sure you’re getting enough vitamins in your system for hair growth. Especially vitamins related to testosterone. We recommend L-Arginine and L-Citrulline, Tribulus, and L-Glutamine. Make sure you’re getting enough Panthenol -- which is in most vitamin B complexes. And taking 1 mg of Copper every day can help fight the loss of color in your hair (always talk to your doctor first to make sure it’s safe).
Lastly, as it grows in, make sure that you’re trimming your beard and caring for it properly. Use the advice from earlier in this blog to make sure your beard grows in strong and evenly.
THE NOSE KNOWS
Before we wrap up this blog, let’s talk about the dreaded nose hair issue.
Look, almost every man has to come to terms with his nose hair. For whatever reason, women don’t have nose hair that likes to grow and then hang like a gross shadow above their lip. But as men, we do.
The only defense to this nosy nuisance is proper nose hair trimming.
I know that sounds terrifying, but I promise you that it’s quite simple and the worst it will do is tickle. There are two options.
You can either trim your nose hair with a loose pair of nose-safe scissors or you can grab a nose trimmer, such as the top-selling and best-rated nose trimmer on our Grooming Lounge site.
What we do NOT recommend, is using tweezers to pluck wayward nose hairs. It not only stings, but it can also cause your nose to bleed. The hair that grows back has a high possibility of becoming ingrown and inflaming the inside of your nose. Just don’t do it, man!
Once you get into the swing of proper facial hair care, it’s very easy to keep up. It’s probably faster than reading this long-ass blog!
The rewards of having well-kept facial hair are many-fold:
Overall, this is about making you feel confident and comfortable in your skin. The art of manliness is rooted in giving you back the power behind your self image. Use what works for you and reap the generous benefits.
Hailing from all over the country these bourbons defy the odds with their reasonable price tag and can turn a nightcap into a night you’ll (hopefully) never forget. Here are the seven best bottles of bourbon under $100.
