How to Start Growing the Perfect Beard for Your Face
There are a few factors to consider when learning how to start growing a beard. Maybe you grew one years ago that didn’t quite work out and how you want to try again. Or, maybe you want to grow one, but you’re worried your sensitive skin could end up causing you trouble? When you’re trying to achieve the perfect beard, your face shape, hair colour and general style can all influence the type of beard you should have. Not to mention, looking after you beard and the skin surrounding it is a pretty important part of maintaining your overall look.
All these questions can give you an insight into how to start growing a beard.
What Kind of Skin Do You Have?
Your skin type can have a massive impact on your facial hair. If you’re starting to grow a beard from a clean-shaven face, you’ll probably have a few weeks of itchy skin as the hair grows. This is usually because this new hair picks up dust and other pollutants, as well as initially aggravating the skin underneath. This will pass! Using a beard wash and oil regularly can help reduce the redness and itching that can occur with brand new beards.
If you have sensitive skin anyway, you can still grow a beard! Many people with sensitive skin think a beard will only exacerbate their complaints, but that’s not always true. The best advice is to keep the beard and surrounding area hydrated with products that are specially formulated for sensitive skin.
You can help minimise the chance of sensitive skin by using a moisturiser on a daily basis. This will keep the skin hydrated and prepare your face for a new beard.
How Can Your Hairstyle Help or Hinder Your Beard?
Facial hair and your hairstyle should work together, not apart. There are hairstyles that worked with beards long ago – think mullet and handlebar moustache… yeah, we’re not sure what we did in the 80s to deserve that either.
Contemporary hairstyles can work really well with different beard shapes but choose something that works with not just the shape of your clean-shaven face, but your newly-bearded one. It’s all about finding the right balance. If you have short hair, why not go wild with a longer full beard to offset it? This also works for men with bald or thinning hair – a bit of stubble or a short beard can draw attention away from your head towards your facial features.
Colour is also something to consider when you grow a beard. Unless you’re making a statement, try and keep your beard and hair a similar shade. It may be that you are grey on the top, but your beard still grows darker – embrace it! The speckled hair and beard look can look eminently stylish; George Clooney has made his name from it.