Maintaining Your Beard

We talk a lot about shaving around here, almost exclusively. However, learning to shave properly isn’t the end game. There are many different details that you have to consider when you’re looking to be well groomed. That’s right; we’re talking about nose hair, ear hair, fingernails, toenails, etc. Listen, we’re not saying you have to go out and get a manicure or pedicure, but you do have to pay attention to the details. Here’s what a well groomed man should consider: Nose hair: I see way too many guys neglecting the nose hair. And frankly, it’s just not going to work; people notice. There are a few different ways you can take care of it. We’ll get into that in a little bit. Ear hair: Most guys don’t have too much of an issue with ear hair. However, the ones who do have really need to stay on top of it. This can include ear hair inside the ear and on the ear lobes. Fingernails: A lot of guys have different ideas of what the nails should look like. However, long nails are never the correct answer. A handshake is one of the most sacred gestures of the modern man. If you go in for a shake, and you’re sporting tiger claws, that is going to make a negative impression. You want short, smooth fingernails, showing a minimal white coloring of the fingernail tips. Toenails: We tend to neglect the toenails. I don’t think about them often until they are cutting our socks (gross). They shouldn’t be neglected though. Having longer toenails will increase your chances of foot fungus and injury. Plus they are gross and uncomfortable. Eyebrows: We aren’t going to recommend that you get your eyebrows waxed. Maybe you don’t need to do anything with them. Some guys are just blessed with manageable eyebrows. However, most of us will require a little maintenance here and there. We want to keep them short, manageable and no hint of a uni-brow. Sideburns & neckline: We all can’t afford to get haircuts every week or maybe even every two weeks. However, we can make sure we are cleaned up in between cuts. You might need a spotter for this, but making sure your neckline is clean is absolutely crucial, if it’s not, it just looks tacky. Here’s how to accomplish these details: Nose hair: I tend to use a well made pair of scissors. These work best for me. I know some guys who use tweezers; I wouldn’t recommend that. Using tweezers tend to leave blisters. Anyone who has had a blister in their nose knows how incredibly uncomfortable that it can be. The best way for someone who is inexperienced to trim their nose hair is with a nose trimmer. You can get them for a reasonable price, they are easy to use and painless. Please take the time to clean this up weekly! Ear hair: The best way to take care of the hair inside the ear is with a trimmer similar to the nose trimmer. Something that can easily fit inside the ear without causing damage or discomfort. You can also use a smaller trimmer to take care of the hair on the lobes. In short, people notice ear hair whether it’s inside or on your lobes, don’t neglect it. Fingernails: Invest in a good, high-quality pair of fingernail clippers. Start with the edge and work your way around the tip. Some people choose to leave a little bit of white. If you cut too low, it will hurt your skin. I choose to cut pretty low, then I take a file and curve out the rest. The days of taking care of your nails being considered a feminine trait are gone. This is crucial! Do not neglect it. Toenails: Toenails do not grow as quickly as fingernails, you don’t have to clip them as often, but you should. Toenails are very easy to forget about. Delegate time per week to have a look at them and just trim them up. Don’t be afraid to get physical with the toenails. You can dig, pull, grout as needed. Fungus can easily grow there, and it takes an active caregiver to fight it. Eyebrows: Eyebrows are tricky. It’s very easy to mess them up, but who wants to pay for professional waxing services? Take a good set of tweezers and take out any hair growing in the middle. Destroying the uni-brow is first priority. After that, it’s all about shaping. My eyebrows don’t grow too wild, so I can just focus on pulling excess hair when needed. If you have very bushy eyebrows, however, consider isolating the longer hair with a comb and running an trimmer over them. This will take the eyebrows down to a more manageable length. Sideburns & neckline: It’s always a good idea to invest in a trimmer than can cut short. This will require you to invest in a trimmer than operates at a higher frequency. About once a week, in between haircuts, line up your neckline where it starts to get fuzzy. This will keep you clean looking even when you haven’t got your hair cut for a few weeks. Same with your sideburns. The same trimmer will work for both. regardless of how long you keep your sideburns, decide on a length and make sure it is lined up often. Modify your routine I like to dedicate one day a week where I do all of my grooming. For me, Sunday is the perfect day. That way, I’ll go into the next week looking exceptionally clean. I put towels around my bathroom and just go nuts. I take care of all of my manscaping, toes, nails, wild hairs, etc. Most of these details only need treatment about once a week. So when you’re preparing for the week, throw this treatment in as well. Some things may require more attention. I tend to clean my ears about every day or every other day. When I am cleaning them, I just take a second to stay on top of the ear hair. Also, when I get a haircut, I ask the barber to pay special attention to the areas surrounding my neck; I want the clean up to be as minimal as possible. Since I can’t see back there very well, I like to make sure the barber is doing an extraordinary job, which will serve me well later on in the week. Finally, I make sure even though I save the bulk of the grooming for Sunday, I still monitor the progression of my hair growth and nail growth through the week. Sometimes, unexpectedly, wild hairs will pop up, and you need to eliminate them. Just because you’re waiting for Sunday, doesn’t mean you should put it out of mind for the week. Final thoughts: It’s all about being aware. I fear that most guys who go through life with wild hairs sticking out, long fingernails, etc. just aren’t aware, and/or they don’t pay attention to detail. Paying attention to detail is always going to be a good thing, let your appearance portray that. The days of grooming the details being a feminine trait are dead. The modern man takes care of himself, makes sure he looks good, and he is well groomed. To be completely well groomed, you have to pay attention to the details. Not to say that ruggedness doesn’t serve a purpose. However, there is a difference between being rugged and being just plain sloppy. Even when you decide to grow out the burly beard, make sure you are keeping it trimmed nicely, make sure you are staying on top of the other details. Just because you’re growing out a beard, doesn’t mean you should neglect your uni-brow, for example. Lastly, no excuses. Do what needs to be done and look good for your job or your significant other.

Shaving in A Shower

man should his shave, but a real man shouldn’t be late for work, either. He doesn’t cut corners, but he’s efficient and doesn’t care who knows. That’s why a real man knows how to shave in the shower. Nobody is here to tell you that you’ve been doing it wrong. We’re here to tell you that you could be doing it differently. Nobody is trying to degrade the ritual of a great shave. We’re here to get your handsome self to that 8:00 a.m. meeting on time. Ladies have long known that shaving in the shower not only saves time, it also works like a charm. When time is short, the only thing that matters is getting results. The only way to get a better shave on a time crunch is to have your barber in the shower with you. First, a disclaimer… This article is against everything we stand for. We’re kind of joking, kind of not. The whole spirit of this blog about tradition and taking pleasures in simple, gentlemanly pursuits like shaving. Shaving is our hobby because we enjoy spending time with it, pampering ourselves. Shaving in the shower is cool, and sometimes it’s necessary, but it is by no means the best shave. For that reason, we don’t recommend shaving in the shower every time. Or, if you’re going to shave in the shower most of the time, please set aside some time to give yourself a proper shave a few times a week. You deserve it! The usual rules still apply While the art of shaving doesn’t change, the environment does. That means we need to consider a few tools and techniques that are guaranteed to get you the best results without making you late for that early presentation to the international client. Everyone knows the best time to shave is right after a shower. Your pores are opened. Your stubble is soft. Conditions are perfect. There’s no secret here except this one little secret: we’re moving your after-shower shave into the shower. Think about it: You should steam and wet your face before a shave. Unless you’ve got a cache of steamed towels at the ready, how is taking a shower not the best way to accomplish these things? We’re not going to explain this part to you. You’re smart. Do everything you normally do in the shower (even the naughty bits, if you must), and then you’ll be ready to start your shave. You can still use your favorite face scrub to exfoliate (if you don’t have one, get one). Just do it in the shower. In fact, if you don’t do this part in the shower already, there’s something wrong with you. Washing your face in the shower makes sense, and you won’t leave a mess for your roommate to clean up by splashing water all over the sink. Regardless of whether you use soap or cream, you need water to wet it and/or wash it off. Water is the essence of wetness, and wetness abounds in the shower. You can wet your shave soap just as easily in the shower as you do in the sink and no one will be the wiser. Remember – don’t use regular bar soap when shaving – regardless if you shave in or out of the shower. Come on, we’re not savages here. Essential supplementals Shower mirrorA good shower mirror (and possibly a shelf). You know when you get out of the shower and the mirror is all foggy? That’s because of condensation and science. If you want to be able to see what you’re doing, you’ll need a mirror that won’t fog up while you’re showering. If this seems like magic or witchcraft, trust us: it is. You know what Inigo Montoya, the Joker, and Edward Scissorhands all have in common? They all got their scars because they tried shaving without a fog-free mirror. Did you really think it was because they were trying to avenge their father’s murder, were a psychotic villain, or had household cutlery for hands? No, it was the foggy mirror that got them. Listen: this is the only required piece of equipment that you might not already have. If you’re serious about shaving in the shower, this isn’t something you want to skimp on. Consider getting a mirror like the Zandro Z’Fogless LED Lighted Fog Free Mirror. It’s less that $35 and is an absolute necessity. The built-in LED lights will ensure that you can see what you’re doing as you manage your facial regions. There is absolutely no scenario where shaving using a foggy mirror turns out well. Ask Tony “Scarface” Montana. If you can find one, consider buying a mirror that comes equipped with a small shelf, or caddy to hold your razor. If you need the extra space, make sure that the attached caddy is large enough to hold your other shaving supplies. It would be a totally pro move to install a separate shelf in the shower to keep your best products out of the way of water coming out of the shower head. A simple plastic caddy with suction cups can easily be mounted in the corner of a shower for less than $15. A fancy hand-finished brass shelf goes for $350. There’s one for every budget, if you decide you need it. alumGlycerin or alum. One of the hazards of shaving in the shower is that everything is wet and slippery. I’m sure we’re all guilty of doing that funny dance of juggling and dropping the soap, right? Well, the last thing you want to do is juggle and drop a friggin’ razor. You’re also going to want to be able to get a good grip on your face, so you can keep your skin taught while shaving, and that can be much more difficult to do in the shower. Luckily, the fix is pretty easy. You can use either glycerin or alum on your fingertips to make them nice and tacky. If you’ve never used alum, you should really give it a go. Here’s a video to get you started: Get a handle on a proper razor There’s no helping it: you’ll get wet in the shower. Wet things are slippery and if you don’t want to accidentally drop your favorite razor, before duct-taping it to your hand, considering investing in a rubber handle for your safety razor. It’ll give you a reliable grip that will prevent slipping and accidentally nicking your pretty face or other favorite body part. Edwin Jagger offers one for around $40 (you can see our review here), which is reasonable when it comes to face security. If you don’t care for the aesthetic of rubber, but a secure grip is still high on your list of priorities, shop around for a textured handle. Fendrihan makes a classic-looking stainless steel handle with a textured grip for less than $50. While we’re on the topic of stainless steel, if your razor isn’t made of it, remember to properly dry off your razor if it’s prone to rusting. Vigorously shake off excess water and store your razor in a dry place where condensation won’t get the better of it. Remember, the rules to a great shave still apply in the shower. The practical applications will save you time, make less of a mess, and still deliver the goods. Before you run out to remodel your whole bathroom or buy an entirely new shaving arsonal, start with the basics. Find a mirror that suits your needs, and make sure you have easy access to your shaving supplies. You’ll leave the house with enough time to buy bagels for your morning meeting and still look sharp for after-dinner cocktails.

How To Dress Your Hair

When we talk about beard, we always like to make the point that facial hair is part of a context, your overall style (more on this in our blog post on beard grooming tips for beginners). Part of that, of course, is trying to decide which styles go with what kinds of clothes. Sounds simple, right? Well, it’s often more difficult than you think. So, here’s a few quick tips for you. This is by no means a comprehensive guide, since, of course, there are myriad different styles for any given type of facial hair. In other words, think of this more like a set of guidelines focused on the proven, classic styles of men’s fashion–those looks that never go out of style. So, read, enjoy, and as always, let us know what you think! If you have a circle beard… The short circle beard evokes just the right balance of scruff and style. More manicured than stubble but more relaxed than a goatee, it can help a soft jaw line appear more angular and masculine. More importantly, it can seriously up the dapper-factor of your look when paired with the right outfit. Just don’t screw it up, or you risk looking like a middle-aged suburban postal worker (no offense to postal workers). Plenty of well-groomed gents (like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, to name a couple) sport this look with red-carpet worthy suits, but we realize that dressing for a movie premiere isn’t exactly doable for daily life. Instead, go for the super dressed-down version. Try: Structured shirts and jackets A structured button down shirt is the building block of a casually classy look. Pair it with a blazer or jacket to take the style up a notch. Don’t be afraid of patterns like plaids and checks, and remember that there are plenty of great jackets made in fabrics that aren’t khaki. Tweed isn’t just for professors. On your bottom half, jeans can keep your outfit from looking too office-ready. Just go for a dark wash, and, as you should with everything you wear, make sure they fit. If you have a full beard… The full beard is not a look for the faint of heart. Depending on your level of trimming, your appearance can range anywhere from rugged to wild-man. However unkempt or polished you decide to be, allowing 50% of your face to be covered in hair is a bold choice. The raw, unfiltered masculinity of this beard doesn’t need a lot of help to look awesome, but a bit of softness in your outfit can help take a mountain-man image into the modern world. Or just go full lumberjack. Your choice. Try: Sweaters Have you ever seen a photo of a gorilla cradling a fuzzy little kitten? Pairing a full beard with a sweater has a similar visual affect. Next to the coziness of a sweater, the beard seems tamer, calmer, and less likely to throw feces at passers-by. In all seriousness, the sweater and beard combo is a great option for the grizzly guy looking to soften his appearance. Try a crew neck knit sweater in a solid hue to keep your look simple but comfy. If you want to mix in some lumberjack, try a plaid button down with a cardigan. Chunky, cable-knit sweaters are especially effective at keeping your look (and you) warm and approachable without losing your masculine edge. If you have a handlebar mustache… As old becomes hip again, the handle bar mustache is making a comeback. When it’s done right, this style can look classic, but it can turn too old-timey without careful attention to haircut and clothing choice. If you prefer to throw sweats on and do nothing before you head out the door in the morning, the handle bar might not be the look for you. If you’re up for the challenge of dressing to the nines and keeping the hair on your head in good condition, get out your razor and mustache wax and handle-bar away. Try: Fitted, patterned button downs and vests Like the short circle beard, this mustache goes well with structure. Tailored button downs in contemporary patterns can help keep the look mature and edgy. Miniature checks and striped chambray are good patterns for casual classiness, and pairing your shirt with a tailored vest evokes that old-fashioned style without going full Monopoly-man. The right pair of dark-wash jeans will help you stay contemporary, and wingtip oxfords finish the ensemble. If you have a goatee… Grandpa GoatThe goatee is a look for the true risk-taker. Someone who’s not afraid to shape his facial hair into a style associated with sleazy night club owners and the worst of 90s boyband mania. Although it’s gotten a bad rap over the years, the goatee is still a great choice for the man who’s not afraid to own his individuality, and it can be styled to evoke retro charm or rockstar badassery. Just keep your shiny windbreaker and matching pants in the closet where they belong. And throw your oversized suit jackets in there with them. Please. Try: A leather jacket that doesn’t suck It is crucial to choose a leather jacket that doesn’t suck. What does this mean? Nothing loose or baggy, nothing that covers your ass, and nothing that evokes visions of Keanu Reeves from The Matrix. Think James Dean. Keep it clean and simple; choose something that isn’t covered in excess belts and zippers. The right leather jacket is a versatile piece of outerwear, and it has the potential to make you look like a modern day Fonz. Pair it with a scarf to soften the look, or grab a pair of aviators and do your best Dave Grohl impression.

What to Do if You cant Grow a Beard

If you can't grow a beard Like most men, if we can’t grow a beard, we wish we could – whether or not you think you’d look good in one, you still want to know you have the option, you know? Regardless of your ability to grow a beard, even the best of us need a little help to maintain it. This is where beard vitamins come in – just like we take supplements to help us deal with the vitamin deficiencies that come as a result of our already whacked diets, the best beard vitamins can help us grow and keep that full, majestic chin rug we so desire. There are a lot of beard vitamins on the market, and some of them are virtually indistinguishable from snake oil, so you might want to make sure you do your research before trying them out. Luckily, we’ve put together a little guide that should help you make the best possible beard pill decision. Enjoy! Read reviews for beard vitamins on Amazon VitaBeard – Facial Hair Support Formula We’ll go ahead and start off this review with possibly some of the best beard vitamins around – VitaBeard. These babies are a great nutritional supplement to help out even the most robust and healthy facial hair, since it will help your beard keep that shine and volume that keeps you looking so good. All you’ve gotta do is start taking 3 a day with every meal, and within a couple months you can definitely start to see results. You’ll notice a great deal more growth in your beard than you had before trying it. The thing I like about VitaBeard is that it’s totally vegan – while I’m not a vegan myself, I enjoy the fact that it’s definitely a product that does not use GMO or gluten-based products. VitaBeard itself is full of Vitamin D and zinc, which are known to help facilitate and maintain beard growth and volume. What’s more, some people report that their acne goes away after taking it. Double benefit! >> Read reviews on Amazon << Beardilizer Facial Hair and Beard Growth Complex for Men nice alternative to VitaBeard is the Beardilizer. While it sounds like a strange vacuum cleaner-like device concocted in a sci-fi movie, designed specifically to rob you of your facial follicles, these little multivitamins are a wonderful little cocktail designed to facilitate fuller and healthier beard growth, and it should grow faster than you could ever imagine. The way it works is that your facial hair follicles are nourished from the inside out. This way, the entirety of the beard hairs themselves are fed and appropriately treated. What’s more, in addition to the essential nutrients found in most of the best beard vitamins, the botanical extracts and other natural ingredients also work to moisturize and feed the fibers of your facial hair. This gives your beard a nice luster that will make you feel like a million bucks. The only caveat I can think of is that the Beardilizer pills have a bit of a strong smell to them, and they don’t taste very good – still, that’s usually the case for a men’s active one-a-day vitamin, so I’m not going to hold that against them too much. BeardMaxx Another decent beard vitamin solution is the BeardMaxx growth support formula. The primary goal of these vitamins is to increase growth speed, while also nourishing the beard the same way these other best beard vitamins do. The main reason to pick these over the ones already mentioned is that, compared to the others, this one has probably the fastest hair growth speed, allowing people to see results in a matter of weeks as opposed to months. The stuff is strong, so be sure to portion it out appropriately, but you’ll be sure to see that beard growing out faster than ever before once you try BeardMaxx. The one caveat is that you should get BeardMaxx if you’re focused more on speed of growth than maintaining health. There’s nothing wrong with the nutritional supplements found in BeardMaxx, there’s just not quite as many as you would find in products like VitaBeard or Beardilizer. BeardMaxx’s primary game is growth speed, so keep that in mind when purchasing. BRO: Beard Rejuvenating Oil Now, this particular product isn’t exactly a ‘vitamin’, per se, and you don’t take it the same way you would these other pills. That being said, this has a similar purpose as these other beard vitamins. BRO, in essence, is a rejuvenating oil that you rub on your beard to nourish and moisturize it. The primary ingredient is apricot kernel oil, which is chock full of omega-6 fatty acids and vitamins A, C and E, so it’s already packed with nutrition for your thirsty hair follicles. Furthermore, the coconut oil in it will keep the beard moisturized, and the aforementioned omega-6s will do wonders for beard growth and the skin underneath. This one is a nice alternative to the people who don’t want to have to take more pills every day; it’s just manually applied to the beard, where it belongs! NOW Foods Biotin For our final entry in the best beard vitamins, we decided to step away from the gimmicky “Beard (blank)” names and just get you a basic vitamin supplement – Biotin. This supplement is great in a more general sense, as it promotes skin, hair and nail health all across your body instead of just being a beard vitamin. People who take Biotin supplements notice substantial thickening and advanced growth in their hair after a few months of use, and it is usually pretty good for your beard in particular. While it’s not as sexy or fun as the other beard vitamins we’ve shown you, it’s certainly an option for people who want something a little more low-key.

The Best Shave For Your Face Type

One thing I’ve felt always gets ignored when people try to figure out what their facial hair should look like is the shape of their face. Like it or not, we don’t all look like Brad Pitt – and so much the better, since there are handsome faces of all shapes and sizes. Still, it can be tough to figure out the best possible facial hair style to put on your face to accentuate the best parts of you. That being said, we’ve decided to throw together a quick guide to male face shapes, so that you can figure out what you should turn your beard or moustache into to make sure you’re matching the way you really look. There’s nothing worse than a mismatched hairstyle to someone’s face; it makes them look a bit weird, like a space alien or something. Like someone played Mr. Potato Head with someone’s features as a prank, and the guy hasn’t realized yet. Luckily, with this handy guide we should be able to figure this out for you no problem! Get Razors Here Round or Oval Faces First, we’ll start with the rounder-faced people among us. This doesn’t even have to be a weight thing; plenty of skinny guys have rounder faces or oval features, where there are few sharp edges. Luckily, with the right facial hair style, these male face shapes can be accentuated just right. Oval face shapes are pretty desirable, and pretty much any hairstyle will work with them. Still, people who have oval shapes should focus on goatees, scruffy facial hair or a fairly well-trimmed moustache. This helps the ovular shapes sharpen up a bit, and introduces some lines into your facial structure. In the case of rounder faces, the goal is to keep that rounder shape accentuated, or alternatively find ways to lengthen the face. When it comes to your hair, that might mean cutting the sides a bit closer, or pulling the hair up to make the face look longer. In the case of beards, you want to either have a neat mustache (like the oval guys), or grow out a beard and keep it neatly trimmed. The cropped beard will make the face look slimmer and more oval, so you’ll have a better chance of tightening up the face as needed. Square or Triangular Faces Guys with triangular male face shapes are odd ducks – their foreheads are wide, but their chins are narrow (despite their jawline being pretty broad). The pointy chin is the primary point of focus when picking the right beard for these guys, so make sure to grow out the beard as much as possible. It’s all right to keep these scruffy, if need be, as it will distract from the smaller chin and fill out the face a bit more. Square-jawed guys have it pretty easy – they’ve got the most flexibility of all the beard styles. The objective is to keep the square jaw, so any facial hair you do is meant to focus on that particular feature. Goatees and moustaches are obviously perfect, as they obscure as little of the jaw as possible. However, you can also keep your chin scruffy as long as it is cleanly trimmed, or grow out a bigger beard as long as you keep the lines clean. You want to stay sharp to keep that chin in Get Review OF Best Razors Here

Simple Way To Using a Shaving Soap

Learning how to use shaving soap is probably one of the trickiest things to learn about wet shaving, oddly enough. The first couple weeks I tried it, I was just terrible – I didn’t know how much to lather up, when I was actually done, the right way to spread it on my face, or anything. The whole thing ended up just being a huge mess, with shaving cream haphazardly placed on my face in weird lumps, and it ended up hurting quite a bit. Fortunately, over the years I’ve gotten the whole rotten method down (I think), and I believe that I’ve got the right set of advice for any aspiring wet shaver to get the method down on their first try. Whether or not you’re just starting out, or if you just feel you need some pointers, keep reading! Find some great shaving soaps on Amazon Get the Right Soap and Mug Every good wet shaver knows that you can’t paint a masterpiece without the right tools. Getting the right brush, soap and mug are everything when it comes to getting the right lather. When it comes to the shaving brush and scuttle, I’d recommend getting a nice, simple shaving brush with badger hair – that’s the softest kind of brush you can get, really, and it retains water very well. Also, be sure to get a shaving mug you’re comfortable with – I prefer the kind with the little ball grip on the end, since it’s just neat, and it gives you greater stability when you’re actually forming the lather. As for the soap itself, I highly recommend trying some samples if possible to see what works for you. Not ever soap is going to work for everybody, and everyone’s got a different idea of how much fragrance they like, the texture, and so on. I’d say the most important thing is to get something that suits you; also, try to steer yourself toward natural ingredients whenever possible, as they are just much healthier, simpler and more affordable than the artificial stuff that just might mess up your face and dry it out. The best shaving soaps have all natural ingredients and essential oils that serve to properly nourish your face; that way, you get no redness or irritation. Water Your Brush Once you’ve got the right equipment picked, it’s time to start really learning how to use shaving soap. First off, though, you’re going to want to soak your shaving brush. First, plug your sink up and run hot water into the sink until you can put your shaving brush all the way in it. Once you do that, leave it in the sink for a minute or more to let the fibers soak up all that water. That will make it a lot more receptive to the shaving soap you have, and will help the lather build up all the more. When you pull the shaving brush out of the water, don’t shake too much of the water out – you’ll want to make sure there’s enough there to soften up your hairs and open the pores up. This is absolutely vital to achieving a nice, healthy shave, so don’t skimp on this part. Here’s some great shaving soap to get you started: Proraso Shaving Soap, Eucalyptus & Menthol Colonel Conk Glycerin Soap – Variety 4 Pack Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream Bowl, 5.3-Ounce Williams Mug Shaving Soap – 1.75 Oz (Pack of 6 ) Barbershop Shave Soap Bar in a Jar Step 3: Lather The Soap Once your brush is soaked, it’s time to actually use the shaving soap! Put your soap in your shaving mug. Put the brush in and move it around in circles quickly; the rounded interior of the mug will work with the brush to start pummeling the soap into a rich lather. When you first start doing it, you’ll see a lot of larger bubbles, but keep going – as you keep swirling the brush, the soap starts to form more and more smaller bubbles, and eventually you won’t see bubbles at all. The whole process takes about 30 seconds at maximum, and by the end of it you’ve got a rich, luxurious lather that will work great on your stubborn stubble. Apply it Now that the lather’s built up, it’s time to actually get it on you. Get your brush nice and soaped up with the lather, and use that same circular motion to rub the soap all over your face. In many ways, you’re increasing the density of the lather here too, making it another stage of the lather process. The shaving soap is great for making your facial hairs stand up on end, and make them softer and more conducive to cutting. Do this until every place you want to shave is covered. (If you like, you can also add a little more water and make two or three more passes; the more soap, the easier the shave will be, so we recommend being generous.) There you go; that’s how to use shaving soap in four easy steps. It’s not rocket science; we basically told you to just put the soap in, swirl it around until it gets fancy, and put it on your face. Still, there are many things that can go wrong in a shaving soap application process, so we felt good giving you a step-by-step look into how it should be done. After all, wet shaving is practically an art, and you can’t master the discipline if you don’t know the fundamentals. Now go out there, pick a nice shaving soap, and get that face clean! Get Reviews Here

Buying a Gillete Double Edge razor Here is what To Know

There’s a reason Gillette is still “the best a man can get” – they’re a solid company with more than a century of shavery under their belt. Even though they’ve moved on from the wet shaving and safety razor markets, those unique and iconic products still leave a big impression on even neophyte wet shavers. Because of that, there’s still a lot of buzz around Gillette double edge razors even today – there’s a huge market for old razors and DE razor blades on eBay and other shops, and the process of restoring them is a noted hobby for many. To that end, we thought we’d give our two cents on these legendary double edge razors, and tell you why we think they’re still worth the money. Read Reviews on Amazon History/Benefits of Gillette DE Razors Vintage Gillette Tech Thick Handle Safety Razor & Case (4)For starters, people who invest in Gillette double edge razors want to find a concrete tie to history – the Gillette name has been around since 1903, and has been making disposable blades since then. One of the first safety razors was the Aristocrat, which innovated the now-appreciated ‘butterfly’ head – instead of detaching the head from the razor, you could just twist it open and change out the blade quickly and safely. In the 40s, the Gillette Super Speed came along, which turned out to become a major trendsetter and cultural marker for the art of wet shaving. People still collect these old school razors today; they’re probably some of the most popular due to the nostalgia factor of their father or grandfather shaving with them probably decades after they’d first bought them. People who wanted Gillette double edge razors might also appreciate these options: Parker 99R – Long Handle SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT Butterfly Open Double Edge Safety Razor Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor Rosallini Men Double Edge Blade Nonslip Grip Razor Shaver Feather Double Edge Shaving Razor Edwin Jagger DE89Lbl Lined Detail Chrome Plated Double Edge Safety Razor The appeal of Gillette DE razors does not extend just to their sense of history and tradition, though; these things are seriously great at shaving. They seem to be able to stand up to all manner of punishment, and still provide a great sense of balance in the hand and give you a nice close shave. The craftsmanship for these wonderful razors is also something to appreciate – they look like old relics of antiquity, almost, and provide a bit of realness to your existing shave kit. While all manner of new safety razors come out every year trying to look like the old Gillette razors, you would actually know you have the real deal. To be fair, the use of these ancient DE razors aren’t without their flaws either. Because they’ve been around so long, you might have to do a little extra digging to check on their condition, and even take a bit of time to restore them to their former glory. Furthermore, they’re just that much harder to find in the first place – you have to do some digging on your own to track them down, and even then you might not find the specific model you’re looking for. Basically, the search for Gillette double edge razors is much more involved and personal than just picking something off the Internet. Get Reviews On Amazon

Different types of Goatee

You know the guy I’m talking about: the goatee-clad dad with an oversized t-shirt tucked into his shorts, knee-high white socks sprouting out of an overused pair of New Balance sneakers, and his cell phone clipped on the outside of his belt. A bad goatee can make you look like that guy. We don’t want that. Really, there was a time when I thought goatees just always looked bad. But after seen a few stylish chaps really rocking some goatees the right way (namely, the infamous Douglas Smythe of Howtogrowamoustache.com), I’ve changed my mind and decided to write a guide. First, let’s get our facts straight… When most people think of goatees, they think of what’s called a round beard, which is a patch of beard hair encircling the mouth (think of every dad or general contract you’ve ever met). Technically, though, a goatee only refers to hair on your chin. However, if we were only going to use the technical definition for this article, we really wouldn’t have that much to write about. So, here’s the deal. We’re not going to be super technical about this. We’re going to cover a bunch of different facial hair styles that include hair on your chin. In other words, cut me some slack here, fellas! Nobody likes a stickler anyway. Let’s get to it. Some quick history about goatees Abe Lincoln GoateeWhere do goatees even come from? Like every other awesome thing on the planet, we can trace goatees back to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Specifically, one of the most stylish gods, Pan (not Peter), the god of shepherds, hunting, and rustic music, had a goatee. Eventually, Christianity became the dominant religion in Europe, and for some reason, they made Satan look like Pan, so he had a goatee, too, which helped its notoriety spread through the world alongside Christian lore. That could also be why scientists have literally proven goatees make you look evil. However, since most people didn’t fancy looking like Satan, the goatee only became popular to wear in the United States during the Civil War. Then, when old Abe Lincoln decided to wear one for a while, the goatee earned itself a permanent place in classic men’s style. Since then, it’s enjoyed ebbs and flows, rising and falling in popularity during different eras. For example, the Beatniks loved goatees (remember the infamous goatee + little round sunglasses combo?). In our view, goatees aren’t as popular now as they have been at other times, at least not goatees specifically. Beards, however, are extremely popular right now and, in fact, has started to see its own fervent communities of beard enthusiasts, which has contributed to a widespread facial hair acceptance, adoption, and experimentation. Are we entering a goatee golden age? We have no idea. But just in case, here’s a comprehensive style guide. Goatee Style Guide: How to Find the Best Goat for Your Grill The Van Dyke Van Dyke Goatee Douglas SmytheWe chose the Van Dyke because it’s the currently preferred style of one of the leading bloggers in our industry, Douglass Smythe, whose personal image is as much a part of his brand as his products. The Van Dyke is a mustache and goatee combo with clean shaven cheeks and no connecting hair between the mustache and goatee. There are a lot of variations of this style, but you’ll see it most commonly worn with a handlebar mustache and a soul patch. In all styles, the cheeks are shaven clean—with the possible exception of a thin chin strap. If this style feels super European, that’s because it is. The style was named after a 17th century Flemish painter, Anthony Van Dyck. It was also worn by Charles I of England and António María Esquivel. If, however, this style feels more like a badass pirate/outlaw style to you, that’s because it is, too! Buffalo Bill and General Custer are among the many historic badasses to wear this style. Colonel Sanders wore it, too, and there’s nothing more badass than a good bucket of chicken. How to wear it: The most important thing about this style is grooming. This is absolutely not a style you can wear messily and get away with it. It’s no coincidence that most of the guys who wear this goatee are also sharply dressed. If you’re going to try the Van Dyke, be ready to spend some time on maintenance. You should also consider how it fits with your overall style. This is not a goatee that pairs well with grunge. It’s more of a gentleman’s style. Even the outlaws mentioned above had a gentlemanly air about them. In formal settings, the Van Dyke does surprisingly well with bowties, and it gives you a lot more leeway to wear much older-style clothes. This is one of the few styles you’ll ever hear us say goes well with a pocket watch. In casual settings, the other stuff (hair, etc.) matters a lot more. Try a clean, well-groomed haircut, for example. You should also understand how to wear, trim and groom your mustache. Additionally, the Van Dyke probably isn’t for guys with skin troubles; it’s just too fickle a style to worry about pimples. However, if you can pull off the Van Dyke, it’s pretty powerful. It, more than many facial hair styles, gives off the impression of a gentleman. Just don’t screw it up, or you’ll look like you’re in the wrong century. The Grandpa Goat (traditional, long) Grandpa GoatThis is a goatee for the purists out there. No mustache. No cheek hair. No chin strap. This is a true, pure, chin hair-only goatee. More importantly, though, this style sports long chin hair. Of all the styles here, this may be the most difficult to pull off, but it’s also the boldest. High risk, high reward. If you can wear it, it really is one of the few facial hair types you can build your whole style around. It’s just super unique. One of the main benefits of the Grandpa Goat is that it’s easy. All you have to do is shave everything else and let it grow. It can even be a little messy, and it still looks okay, and that’s great for a lot of guys with more relaxed styles. One thing to keep in mind is that this style looks old. It’s not going to make you look like an old many or anything, but it’s definitely going to make you look traditional in almost any context. That’s mostly because there are some very iconic historic figures who’ve sported this bold goatee, namely Uncle Sam (not even a real person, but obviously an icon) and Henry M. Hoyt (pictured above). How to wear it: There are really two ways you can wear this style: super sharp or super messy. It doesn’t particularly matter if the Grandpa Goat is messy or neat; what matters most is that you pick one end of the style spectrum or the other. This style doesn’t look very good in the middle. So, you can wear this with a very sharp, clean, well-dressed style. Or, you can wear it with a kind of rock-star, grungy style. However, more than any other style, the Grandpa Goat depends heavily on your personality. It’s a very, very bold style, so you really need to wear it with (1) confidence and (2) a smile. Seriously. If you don’t smile with this style, you’ll look like a total turd. This alone is what makes this a difficult goatee to wear. The Round Beard Round BeardThis is what most people think of when they think about goatees. If the Grandpa Goat is the most difficult to pull off, the Round Beard (or circle beard) is the easiest to screw up. This goatee is exactly what it sounds like: a circle of hair that goes around the mouth and covers the chin. Really, this particular style was nearly ruined by the last three generations of soccer dads, who mostly paired it with high-top tennis shoes, acid wash jean shorts, and braided leather belts. I honestly have no idea why this goatee style is the go-to for nearly every style-less old guy. Maybe there’s a secret suburban dad style forum I don’t know about; who knows. The point is: wearing this style is going to be an uphill battle, so you should be ready for it. Because it carries a rather drab connotation, you’ll have to be prepared to make up for it in other areas of your style. So why would anyone wear it? There are two reasons, really. The first is that it’s pretty easy. All you need is a mediocre beard trimmer, and you’re good to go. It’s a no-nonsense goatee, and that’s appealing to some folks. Secondly, it pairs exceptionally well with certain face shapes, and when it does work, it tends to look fantastic. How to wear it: At the risk of sounding insensitive, one of the most important things to consider here is going to be your face shape. Basically, heavier guys should stay away from this style. The soccer-dad connotation is just too strong to overcome if you’ve got a rounder face, and you’ll usually end up looking like a car salesman. It is sometimes possible for larger dudes to wear a circle beard if you fill it out a bit (a la Zach Galifanakis). Additionally, guys with longer faces should steer clear. Even if it’s not true, if you have a longer face, this goatee typically makes you look like you’re trying to hide your chin, and it just ends up being weird. That mostly leaves guys with fit, balanced faces, and it typically works best when the goatee is more of a square than a circle. That said, if you can get it to work, the Round Beard works well with virtually any style. The Billy Goat (traditional, medium) This style is closely related to the Grandpa Goat. In fact, it’s the same exact style with a different hair length. However, that doesn’t mean that you can treat it similarly. It really is very different, so listen up! The Billy Goat has a few of the same rules as the Grandpa Goat (e.g. it’s a distinctive style), but it’s going to make you look a lot more modern, and you’re not going to be able to pair it with traditional, old-timey styles. One of the unique effects of this style is that you can essentially move it up or down your chin for different effects. It’s going to look totally different if you start growing it right under your bottom lip than it will if you wear it only on the bottom of your chin, making it a pretty flexible style. How to wear it: Of all the goatees listed here, the Billy Goat is going to give you the most degrees of freedom, mostly because, while distinctive, it’s just not a lot of hair, which makes it considerably less bold than the others. It’s understated, and most of the rest of the face is clean-shaven, which makes it look a lot more professional. So, if you’re a working man, this is a good go-to goatee. Consider shaping it instead of just wearing it round. The Billy Goat tends to look great (if a little evil) if it’s groomed to a point. The Infamous Soul Patch soul patchSorry for the Howie Mandel pic. Just wanted to show you the potential to be creepy with this one. Anyway, let’s wrap this up with something everyone knows: the Soul Patch. The Soul Patch is a well-known goatee that’s fairly difficult to screw up. If the Van Dyke and the Grandpa Goat are high risk, high reward, the Soul Patch is low risk, low reward. Just in case you’ve been living under a rock for your whole life, the Soul Patch is a tiny patch of hair just under your bottom lip, usually shaped into a triangle. It’s just a little something extra. It also has the unique effect of being slightly gentle—even effeminate, which hardly any other facial hair styles can do. On the flip side, it can also come across as devious depending on how you wear it. If you’re looking for some good examples, How to wear it: The Soul Patch pairs well with sharp, casual styles. Think sport coat, sharp jeans and a casual dress shirt. Even if you’re going to wear it with something a little messier, it should still be well-put together. A really great example of a Soul Patch paired with a sharp-but-still-messy style is Tommy Lee. The last thing you want with this goatee is to look like you were just too lazy to shave that last patch of hair, which, unfortunately, is the case with many patches I see. That’s it, folks! As always, if I missed anything, leave me a comment below or shoot me an email. Cheers!

Simple Steps to Growing a Handlebar Mustache

We’ve all seen them around – handlebar mustaches on men of varying ages (usually in their mid-to-late 20s), the sides of their prodigious facial hair sticking up to a curly point on either end. Whether you’re a hipster or just someone super interested in growing awesome facial hair, you might want to know how to grow a handlebar mustache. I don’t see why not; it’s easy to grow and even easier to shape once you’ve got it going. Learning how to grow a handlebar mustache couldn’t be simpler, so we decided to make a little guide for you to help you along in your brave journey. Keep reading and we’ll show you the way! Grow That Mustache! First off, you can’t obviously shape a handlebar mustache without actually growing out the hair first – it’s like painting without a canvas. Luckily, Father Time will do most of the work for you. Most places say a good 90 days might be enough, others claim six week will be necessary to get you to the right place in your facial hair growth to start getting things going. It all depends on a number of factors, most notably your own hair growth – if it takes you longer or shorter to grow that face out, just take your time. One thing to keep in mind is that you can move on to the other steps right away as long as you’ve gotten to about 90 days at least of growth; your mustache will continue to grow, but you want to get it trained with wax early. Trim That Mustache! Once your facial hair has gotten to a good starting point, just be sure to keep it trimmed. WAIT TO DO THIS for a couple weeks, though, since you want to make sure which hairs will work for the mustache and which ones won’t. Some people might want to grow a handlebar along with their beard, or they may want to go solo with their mustache. Either way is totally fine; just be sure to be careful when shaving your beard if you decide to do so, since you don’t want to cut off any of that upper lip hair unless you really want to. During the growing process, you may want to keep track of the hairs directly under your upper lip, near the center; it’s entirely possible that those won’t really grow out enough to make enough of a difference on the ends, and so you’ll want to clear the pathway of your mouth through trimming. Remember, you just want the sides of your mustache to be long, not the rest of it. Whatever method you deem necessary for your shaving needs is fine, whether it be just shears, wet shaving or electric shaving. We leave the choice to you! Edit! After reading this article, our good friend Douglas Smythe from Howtogrowamoustache.com emailed us to tell us, well, that we were totally wrong! Our writers stand by their experience; however, we’re not half the ‘Stache Master Douglas is, so we wanted to lend you his expertise. Check it out: As your moustachioed pal, I thought I may mention your handlebar article is a little off. The key to growing a handlebar is never trim it, especially above the lip. The other reason wax is used is to keep those pesky hairs out of your mouth while it grows! If you do go this route, be sure to check out Douglas’s patented ‘Tache Wax, which will help you do just that! Go here For Safety Razor