Beards. You can either grow one or you can’t. Well, that’s what we used to think. The Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris, however, suggest that most men can grow their facial hair and keep it looking and feeling well-groomed to boot. It simply takes a little know how. Here’s what they have to say.
Mirror Time
Sure, everyone has different facial hair. The best way to understand yours is to let it grow in. Your next step after that is to spend a little time in front of the mirror to identify what shape you’d like your beard to have. “It’s important to know which beard styles will flatter your face shape,” say the Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris. “That means making a plan and figuring out if the look you want works with the head you’ve got, because how you trim your beard is based on your face shape.”
Start shaving
Like any canvas, having a clean slate or a blank start, if you will, is always the best place to begin. So, shave your skin so that the hair on your face and beneath your chin has an even growth start. This “allows for healthy and consistent growth and forms the foundation upon which your future beard will be built,” explain the Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris.Make sure to use a shaving cream to help reduce irritation and to moisturize your skin, like L’Oréal Paris BarberClub Shaving Cream followed by a soothing aftershave like, L’Oréal Paris BarberClub Repairing Aftershave.
Play the waiting game
Now, you have to wait it out and let your facial hair grow in. The Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris say that “on average, it takes about four to six weeks to see the complete bearded picture, so resist busting out the beard trimmer until you can see the real potential of your facial hair’s fullness.”
Start trimming
Once you have enough hair to constitute a beard, you can begin trimming it for length and shape. “Having a beard trimmer in your grooming kit to tame and define your neck and cheek lines is key to obtaining a nice, even look,” recommend the Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris. “These areas give your beard its shape, and when shaving those perimeters, there’s one simple hack you can follow: Take two fingers and place them above your Adam’s apple. Begin trimming an imaginary ‘U’ shape from behind both ears and from either side of your jaw and meet in the middle at this point on your neck. Everything below your fingers can be shaven, while anything above should stay put.”
Hydrate
Like the hair on your head and the skin on your face, your beard ( and what lies beneath) needs to be moisturized to thrive. “The best way to a soft, flake-free beard is by incorporating beard oils like L’Oréal Paris BarberClub Face & Beard Oil into your grooming kit,” say the Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris. “This conditioning beard oil helps to lock in moisture and maintain a proper balance with your skin so that it doesn’t get too dry.” For more information on beard growth, check out what the Men Experts at L’Oréal Paris have to offer.
