Tag Archives: beard

beard care and grooming

Add some new zing to your look and your beard for spring

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It’s time for spring — north of the equator, that is — and it brings longer days, warmer weather, and maybe a new beard style! One of the great things about having a beard is the ability to change it up whenever you like. Maybe you’ve kept your face nice and toasty with a big beard all winter but are now ready to trim it down or switch to a different style for a lighter look. Below, we’ve come up with a list of ways in which you can do a little spring cleaning to freshen up your facial hair style as well as other aspects of your grooming program.

Consider new beard ideas for spring

If you’re the kind of man who likes to keep his beard the same all year long, that’s great!  We salute you.  However, springtime represents a time for renewal and fresh starts.  Changing up your beard can transform you with a fresh new look. So if you’re game for a beard change, there’s no time like the present.

While we always strongly advocate for the full beard for those who are capable of growing the full beard, you can still change up your full beard while keeping your full beard.  If your full beard is still wild and woolly from the winter growth season, lightening it up with a trim down to a shorter length can give you a sharp new look for spring.

beard for spring image 2
Trimming your full beard short can give you a lighter feeling and a sharp new look for spring.

If you feel like making an even bigger change to your beard, consider switching to another style such as a goatee and mustache combo. Or go for the similar yet bolder extended goatee.   Maybe now would be a good time to have fun with a temporary switch to the chin curtain.  Check out our beard style guide and select a style that you’d like to try.  Or be creative and design your own unique beard style.

Develop a skincare routine

A great beard needs a solid foundation. And a healthy beard comes from healthy skin. Harsh winter weather may have left your skin feeling dry and flaky, which does not provide the greatest grounds for growing and maintaining facial hair. The good news is that this can be quickly corrected with the proper skincare routine. The first step is determining your skin type. The American Academy of Dermatology lists skin types as follows:

  1. Sensitive skin may sting or burn after product use
  2. Normal skin is clear and not sensitive
  3. Dry skin is flaky, itchy or rough
  4. Oily skin is shiny and greasy
  5. Combination skin is dry in some areas and oily in others

Knowing your skin type will give you a better idea of which products you should use. Always use skin care products that are gentle on your skin that will maintain your face and scalp as clean and healthy places for hair to grow.  If you are in doubt about your skin type and which products would be best for you, it’s a good idea to check with a medical professional.

Maintain your mane

In addition to a facial hair change-up, many men welcome the warmer weather with a new hairstyle. Whether you opt for a shorter cut or a new hairstyle altogether, there are plenty of products out there to assist you in maintaining the hair on your head. Like skin, hair types vary depending on the individual and this determines factors such as how often you should wash your hair and which products you should use. For some men, growing hair on the face comes much easier than growing hair on the top of the head. If you’re in this boat, there’s no need to worry! Something as simple as switching up your hairstyle is a quick fix and will give you the confidence you need to look and feel your best. Following a diet full of foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins is a great way to support healthy hair growth as well.

Invest in the proper tools

You can do everything right when it comes to the beard-growing process, but if you don’t have the proper tools to maintain your beard, you won’t look your best. Investing in a quality beard trimmer is key to keeping your facial hair looking its best at all times. While there are plenty of beard trimmers on the market from which to choose, when selecting a beard trimmer you should shop around and make your purchase based on the features that will best suit you and your facial hair.

The same goes for choosing a proper razor. If your new beard style is one that means you’ll be doing a lot of shaving, like with the goatee or chin curtain, you’ll need a quality razor. If you don’t want to bother with getting razors at the store, you might consider getting razors via subscription. Many companies now offer a basic plan in which you can tailor products and tools to fit your needs. This allows you to try out their products and then decide what’s best based on your shaving needs.

Overall, it’s pretty easy to create your new look for spring. Shedding your cold-weather style for a fresh look will leave you looking and feeling great just in time for the new season.

featured beards

Per’s superior beard

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All about beards is proud to welcome Per to the featured beards section. Per is a prolific beard grower and a master of the mustache. His beard is excellent and his mustache is often amazing. A seasoned, veteran beard grower, Per is quite dedicated to the beard. He grows a great beard and enjoys it, which is a great way to be. Per’s beard has been known to inspire others to grow their beards. Let’s hope that he will now inspire many more new beards everywhere.

Scroll down to read Per’s beard story and be sure to see Per’s beard photo gallery below. The photos on this page and in Per’s photo gallery are courtesy of Per and are used with permission. All photos are subject to the site’s conditions of use.

What do you think about beards?

I have been fascinated by beards since I was little. As long as I can remember, I have looked at nice beards and wanted my own beard.

What do you think about your own beard?

To be very honest, I’m quite satisfied with my beard as it is today. One can always want a little different style, structure, or shape. But all in all I’m happy with the beard I have.

When you were a boy, did you ever think about growing a beard in the future when you would become a man?

I started to look at beards from early school years. I was so anxious that I might not be able to grow my own beard. But that was for no reason. Had a mustache from age seventeen, but had to gather some courage to grow a full beard.

Did anyone in your family have a beard before you?

The ability is in the family. But the closest is my brother’s mustache. It was big and nice from late teens. He was my role model, but he was not going for the full beard.

When did you grow your first beard?

My first full beard was when I was twenty-five, after gathering courage and I’d had stubble for many years.

What led you to grow your first beard?

I wanted to have a beard since I was a kid, just had to find the right time and be sure it would be full and mature.

Per's superior beard, featured image 3
Per’s beard: short goatee with mustache and big full beard

Why do you grow your beard now?

Now the beard has become a part of my personality. If I cut it short I feel that I lose a part of me. Have tried clean shaven some years ago. Felt naked.

Would you say that you are a dedicated, permanent beard grower?

I’m definitely a permanent and very dedicated beard grower!

Are your current beard and mustache the biggest you’ve ever grown?

I have had length like this for the four last years. Earlier I had stubble or up to 3 cm. Should have started growing a long beard much earlier. It’s so much more fun!

Do you plan to keep growing your beard and mustache larger?

I always plan for longer. But from time to time I need a trim and then I start saving time again. There is a lot of maintenance with a long beard. So after a trim I spend less time in the bathroom.

Do people ever criticize your beard or tell you to trim it or shave it off?

From time to time my wife has some suggestions for trimming. But it happens less and less. She gets used to a long-bearded man.

Do you know if your beard has inspired other men to grow their beards?

Yes, at least I have gotten feedback that younger colleagues have been inspired to grow. That’s nice!

Do you encourage others to grow their beards?

I often tell people that they have a nice beard and should grow it out. Hope some will do so.
Per's superior beard, featured image 4

Why did you choose to grow the classic full beard?

I think the beard chose me. I just had to follow.

Do you shape and trim your beard yourself?

When I trimmed it myself it always resulted in too short a beard. So now I only use a professional barber shop.

What is your beard care routine?

I use beard soap in the shower, then oil and blow dryer and use a round brush afterwards. Need to straighten out some waves after shower to get the shape I like.

What do you like best about your beard?

I’m very satisfied with the color. And the thickness is good. All in all I am quite satisfied.

Do you have any complaints about your beard?

Wish I did not have to straighten the waves after a shower. But that is a minor problem and is possible to handle.

What is your opinion of beards.org?

I think beards.org is a very good inspiration for beard growers like me.

What do you think about being featured on beards.org?

I’m very pleased if I can be an inspiration for other men wanting to grow a beard, big or small. And I am pleased to show that beards are even more fun when getting older and silver bearded.

Click on any image below to view a larger version and, optionally, a slide show.

beard success stories

I was a teenage beard grower — Michael

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Many teenage boys dream of growing a beard. Michael did not have to wait long for the opportunity. He was already growing a slight mustache at twelve and a small beard at thirteen. He soon became a full-fledged teenage beard grower. And he’s been a dedicated beard grower ever since. Michael has learned a lot about the experience of growing a beard and being bearded during this time.

Naturally, Michael’s beard has matured substantially, growing stronger and stronger since those early teenage years. He has experimented with a variety of beard styles over the years. Yet he always comes back to the full beard. During all of this time, Michael regularly has supplied all about beards with beard updates, documenting many of the changes in his beard over the years. You can see these in Michael’s extensive beard photo album.

Michael’s first appearance on all about beards came in August 2006 with his beard success story. We followed up with a special update to celebrate Michael’s beard’s fifth anniversary in 2010. Today in January 2019, let’s check in with Michael to see how he and his beard are doing after all these bearded years.

This month your beard reaches its fourteenth anniversary. How do you feel about being bearded for that many years?

Wow… it has been a long time! …so long that I have even forgotten that I was beardless for about half of my years walking the face of the earth. I guess the beard is such an integral part of who I am.

During this time, what’s the longest amount of time you ever went without your beard?

The longest I can remember is about a week several years ago, when I tried out sporting nothing more than a couple of sideburns. Besides that, it can be about a day when switching beard styles, but never longer than that.

Has your view of being bearded changed much over these years?

I think that the only thing that changed over time is not thinking about it. At all. It’s just a part of who I am, and one gets used to that.

Would you consider your beard to be an asset?

Yes, definitely. For me, it is a part of what makes a man…well, a man.

Has your beard ever caused you any problems?

I remember that during high school it was pretty unusual to see a guy with a full beard walking down the hall, as most boys could not grow one, and the few who could mostly conformed to the beardless “standard” common in modern society. So there were some attempts at ridicule. But those were always fruitless endeavors.

Michael's beard in 2015, image 1
Michael's beard in 2015, image 2
Michael's beard in 2016
Michael's beard in 2018
2019: recent views of Michael's beard
Michael's beard on 2019/01/30, image 1
Michael's beard on 2019/01/30, image 2
Michael's beard on 2019/01/31


Above is a selection of photos of Michael’s beard from 2015 up to the end of January 2019. Click on any of the photos to view a larger version.

What are your thoughts on the state of beards in the world today versus when you first grew your beard as a young teen?

I believe that much progress has been made during the last five years or so. Fashion is circular, as the saying goes, and so it seems to be with beards as well.

I believe that it is easier for a guy to go bearded today compared to fifteen years ago — beards are much more accepted by mainstream society, appear in cinema, TV etc., with many celebrities appearing on and off screen bearded. Personally, I also see many more bearded men, especially young men, around nowadays.

Do you still intend to remain bearded from now on?

Yes, definitely, with not a trace of doubt!

Has the full beard remained your favorite beard to grow?

Yes. Most of the changes to my beard during the last few years were the length and width of my beard. But I don’t remember any times changing the style to something else.

What’s your beard grooming and maintenance routine?

There isn’t much of a routine, to be honest. What I usually do is shave the neck once every two weeks (more or less) to have a more well defined neck line, and trim a little here and there to get a more balanced look, maybe once every 4-6 weeks.

Do you have any helpful hints on beard growing and grooming that others might not know?

A good beard trimmer which can also be used as a shaver and has a variety of guards is a bearded man’s best friend. Such a device (my choice is the Remington Alpha series) can be used both for daily or weekly maintenance and for changing beard styles when one desires to do so.

Another thing I discovered over the years is that for a balanced look one can use a “gradation” of guards when trimming the beard. Use a certain guard / length setting for the sides of your beard; a little shorter, the next guard down for the chin; and another setting lower for the neck. Having the lower part of the beard be as long as the parts higher up can sometimes create a “bottom heavy” look that not everybody wishes to have, or at least not at all times. If that’s you, give this a try. For example: My trimmer goes in 3mm steps. So at times I use 18mm for the sides of the beard, 15mm for the chin, and 12mm for the neck.

What would you say to other men to encourage them to grow their beards?

Just do it! …as the Nike commercial goes. You might love the way you look with a beard, or with a certain style of beard. You might not. But you can never know unless you try for yourself.

Two things are of utmost importance: patience and resilience. Growing a good beard takes weeks to months. So there is no use in hurrying… It won’t grow any faster. Be resilient and dedicated. Humans are creatures of habit. So at first the change might be frowned upon by others (although some will be supportive, for sure). But don’t let this discourage you, as the reward is worth the risk.
Worst case scenario? You don’t like it or don’t wish to keep it. Then, a few minutes in the bathroom and you are done. Yet you now know yourself a little bit better. And that experience is priceless.

Be sure to also see:

about beards.org

All About BEARDS for twenty-three years

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Adding more beards to the world

Twenty-three years ago today a little beard website made its online debut: All About BEARDS. That was the small beginning of a worldwide mission to promote beards and the growing of beards. Accompanying this effort was the important mission of providing helpful information about beards. The site developed an easy-to-follow guide on how to grow a beard successfully. The All About BEARDS beard-growing guide has helped thousands of men around the world to grow their beards. Before these men started growing, the site helped convince them to do so. In many cases, the All About BEARDS site inspired them to grow and bolstered their confidence to stay with it all the way through to beard success.

By promoting beards without wavering, All About BEARDS set out to increase public acceptance of beards. With the increased popularity of beards in recent years, it may be hard to fathom that beards used to be far more rarely seen. And it was not long ago that beards enjoyed far less acceptance than they do today.

Recently Scott, pictured above, reported that he was speaking with a young man who is just a year older than the All About BEARDS site. In reference to All About BEARDS, the young man asked Scott why there would be a need for a website devoted to promoting beards. Scott mentioned this exchange to one of his dearest friends. In response, she told Scott to tell me, “Mission accomplished.”

The heartbreak of anti-beard bias

While I was delighted to hear that congratulatory “Mission accomplished”, All About BEARDS‘ mission will never be fully accomplished. Even today while beards seemingly enjoy great popularity and acceptance, the negativity of anti-beard bias remains surprisingly prevalent. It may not be as readily apparent as before. But it still lurks about and makes itself known with too much frequency.

There are people who still comment about how much they detest beards. There are still those who ridicule new-beard growers and insist that they shave. Or, these self-appointed beard police often inform bearded men that their beards must be trimmed down substantially or shaved off altogether. Why should someone else hold so much veto power over your beard? And thanks to these people, there are still far too many men who are too reluctant to grow their beards. It is not easy to eliminate the harm of anti-beard bias. However, All About BEARDS will continue undeterred.

Growing for the future

  • Scott, beard photo 2: all about beards, 23 years
  • Scott, beard photo 3: all about beards, 23 years


Click on either image above to view larger.

One of the main ways to grow beard acceptance is for as many men as possible to grow their beards. The more bearded men there are, the more others will grow accustomed to being around beards and, with that, acceptance follows. There is strength in numbers.

Of course, when beards are more common, beard-growing pioneers may long for the old days when having a beard made them stand out even more. When beards were less common, those who steadfastly remained bearded often felt that having a beard made them more unique, making them stand out from the rest, and giving them a certain mystique. They have a point when stating that when every man has a beard, having a beard may not make them feel nearly as special as before. However, we still have a long way to go. Even today at large public events I may look out into the crowds and see that beards are few and far in between.

When it comes to the future of beards, I still say that more is better. Adding more beards to the world by inspiring more men to grow their beards is one of the best ways to make the world more beard-friendly. And the more beard-friendly the world becomes, more men will feel free to grow their beards as they see fit.

If you are one of the thousands of men who grew their beards with inspiration or assistance from All About BEARDS, I express to you my hearty thanks. If you grew your beard without inspiration or assistance from All About BEARDS, I thank you for growing as well. And if you have not yet grown your beard, I invite you to visit our guide on how to grow a beard and start growing for the future right now!

about beards.org

Growing stronger: Happy New Beard Year 2019

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Happy New Beard Year to everyone!

At the start of a new year we often focus our thoughts on the possibilities ahead. The new year represents an opportunity for a new beginning. Yet every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.

Every day there is an opportunity to start growing a new beard. If you already have a beard, every day presents an opportunity to improve your beard through better care and grooming, growing it longer or trimming it shorter, or trying a new beard style. Growing your first beard the right way or improving your existing beard can boost your confidence. In that way, you and your beard are growing stronger.

How will beards trend in 2019? No one can predict the future. But we can set the direction for our own futures. I have always urged ignoring fashion and trends when deciding whether or not to grow or keep a beard. You should grow your beard because you want to have a beard. That’s all. The more men who grow beards regardless of fashion trends are the real trendsetters.

Now let’s all have a great 2019 and grow stronger. And if you haven’t started growing your beard yet, get over to our proven guide on how to grow a beard and get started!

beard products

Find the perfect last-minute gift for any bearded man

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Introducing the All About Beards storefront on Amazon

All about beards | beards.org has a new storefront on Amazon!  The storefront features a selection of inexpensive gift items that any bearded man will appreciate.  Items selected are big or even best sellers on Amazon or are of special interest to bearded men.  Shopping at the All About Beards store on Amazon helps support the beards.org site at no extra cost to you.  Thank you!

You can find the All About Beards storefront on Amazon here: All About Beards Storefront on Amazon.

All about beards is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

beard products

Farewell to a beard trimmer

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Choose the right beard trimmer and it may serve you well for a very long time.   Even great beard trimmers eventually fail.  When a trusted beard trimmer finally quits working, it’s not a welcome development.  Today they don’t make ’em like they used to, as I would discover.

Selecting the best beard trimmer

When I set out to buy a beard trimmer many years ago, I wanted to buy the best one that I could find.  I compared multiple brands and had no bias for or against any specific brand.  The one I chose was the Norelco T900 Beard and Moustache Trimmer with Acu-Control System.  What year was this?  I’m not sure, but the date on the manual is 2001.  The T900 was a new model at that time.

The trusty Norelco T900 beard trimmer is seen here with the detachable trimming guard and the power cord.


The most important thing when shopping for a beard trimmer is to always consider which features are important to you.  Some of the T900’s  main features include: 

  • rechargeable battery without need for a charging stand
  • cordless or corded operation
  • detachable and adjustable trimming guard / guide comb
  • pop-up mustache trimmer
  • no lubrication or other maintenance needed
  • easy to clean

Not pictured above, the T900 also came with a cleaning brush and a case. Beard trimmers today offer a greater variety of features. Those listed above for the T900 were most of the important features available at that time and most of them are still key features of today’s models.

The T900's pop-up mustache trimmer is shown here in the extended position.
Here the T900’s pop-up mustache trimmer is in the extended position, ready for use.  This small trimmer makes mustache trimming a breeze.

When a great beard trimmer goes bad

Because the T900 was so easy to use and it was maintenance-free in addition to doing a great job, I never felt the need to replace it with the latest and greatest.  A few years ago, the battery stopped holding a charge.  Undeterred, I kept using it with the cord plugged in.

This year, however, it finally quit working even with the cord plugged in.  It would not turn on.  So after about seventeen years of faithful service, the T900’s long run was over.  It was finally time to search for a new beard trimmer.  What I wanted was to find another one just like the T900.  The story of how I selected a replacement will appear in an upcoming post.

All about beards is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

growing a beard

Grow your beard: No-shave November 2018

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Another No-shave November has arrived. No-shave November is always one of the best times to grow a new beard, especially for first-time beard growers. No-shave November gives new beard growers a ready-made justification for growing. Just say that it’s No-shave November!

Even if you miss out on starting to grow your new beard at the beginning of the month, don’t let that discourage you. Start anyway at any time during the month.

And don’t think that the end of November should automatically mean the end of your new beard. Let your November beard growth serve as motivation to keep growing through December and beyond.

No-shave November 2018. Beard: Scott with a shorter beard

Growing a beard for the first time can be daunting. Never fear, however! Growing that first beard should be a fun adventure and a true growth experience in more ways than one. You can learn a lot about yourself and others by growing your beard. One of the most important keys to successful beard growing is to stay committed. Do not let others convince you to give up and shave with their criticism and teasing. Stay strong and grow your beard!

I always welcome new beard growers to the bearded brotherhood at any time. I especially like to welcome them during No-shave November. It is always a great opportunity to add more beards to the world. And that is a good thing!

So, welcome, new beard growers! May your beards grow and flourish and bring you great satisfaction.

To help you along your way, follow our tried-and-true beard-growing guide: How to grow a beard

Please help spread the joy of growing new beards and share this post with anyone who should grow his beard!

Happy No-shave November 2018!

beard videos, music

Nate Maingard, bearded singer performs

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Nate Maingard is a bearded singer-songwriter from South Africa. Nate first appeared on beards.org in 2008 with his first photo submission for the beards of the world gallery. Following that, Nate kept in touch and became a good friend of the site. We corresponded and discussed some of his struggles with staying bearded. Nate would quite successfully grow his impressive full beard. Then, he would get rid of the beard and subsequently come to miss the beard. Nate’s beard would come and go time and again. But in the process he became quite skillful in mastering the art of growing a beard. As a result, Nate became an expert on beard growing, beard styling, and beard grooming in addition to being a talented singer and songwriter. Music, clearly is Nate’s true passion. However, he certainly knows what he’s doing whenever he grows his beard.

With Nate being so far away in South Africa, I never thought it too likely that we would ever meet in person. He’s also lived in London at times. But London, too, is quite distant.

However, Nate has also been a globetrotter, going between South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the USA, among other destinations. During one of his trips to California, we had the opportunity to meet up. This was back in December 2012. We did a photo and video shoot for beards.org. Many of the photos went into Nate’s beard feature. The video footage went into a video series, Nate’s beard story, that was published in 2013. In his beard video series, Nate shares his expertise in dealing with beard-growing doubts, successfully growing the beard, and he gives guidance on beard shaping and more.

While shooting video with Nate, he gave an impromptu, street performance of one of his songs, a ballad titled “Home”. Not originally included in Nate’s beard video series, I’ve recently published Nate’s performance of “Home”. Better late than never, this video provides a perfect ending to Nate’s original beard video series. For a real treat, watch Nate’s performance of “Home” in the embedded video below.

Today, Nate continues making music and growing his beard. The beard may still come and go. But Nate always returns to the beard.

For more on Nate and his music, visit Nate’s website, natemaingard.com.

about beards.org

Twenty-two years, all about beards

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Here we are again at another all about beards anniversary. Today marks twenty-two years since that little site started out on its mission to promote beards, share information about beards, and celebrate beards. During this time, we have helped thousands and thousands of men all around the world to grow their beards. This, “adding beards to the world”, is among our proudest achievements.

Adding more beards to the world is one of the best ways to increase acceptance, and even respect, for beards. The more beards there are, the more the general population becomes accustomed to them. The more the general population becomes accustomed to beards, the more accepting of beards people become. With that, more people are less likely to harbor that pesky old anti-beard bias that surprisingly and stubbornly resists fading away. The anti-beard bias was much stronger in the early days of all about beards. And it was even stronger for years and years prior to that. Anti-beard bias, however, still remains stronger than many may realize. Plenty of people still feel entitled to tell new beard growers and established beard growers alike that they should shave. A milder form of anti-beard bias allows for limited beard growth, but not too much, with the limit defined by the beard critic. Grow your beard a bit beyond stubble length and you may hear, “That beard’s too long. You’ve got to trim that down.” Here at all about beards, we think that beard critics do not have the right to dictate what restrictions must be imposed on a man’s beard.

Anti-beard bias will never disappear completely. However, we are happy to see that it is much weaker now than it was twenty-two years ago. In recent years beards have made great gains in numbers and in acceptance. We could not be happier, except for the movement to continue in favor of beards.

Ready to grow your beard? Be sure to check out our tried and true beard growing guide and start growing today!

We will always keep growing. We are all about beards.