Beards are instant confidence boosters for men. They make you look more mature and can make any man stand out. However, the will to grow a beard isn’t enough to magically make the facial hair grow out. You need a bit more than that.
Today, BN Beauty is doing something for the men. Below are a couple of tips to guide you on growing a beard and maintaining it to best suit you.
P.S I would have cropped the first image but I didn’t want to deprive the ladies. Hi Peter!
Start from Scratch
It is always better to start from nothing when growing a beard. It gives you the flexibility to plan what your beard is going to look like and helps you groom it even from the beginning. When the hair starts to grow, it is important to keep your skin moisturised. Dry skin breaks easily which would cause bumps and irritations as the hair strands push their way through.
When your stubble (the tiny new growth of hair) starts to grow, wash it at least three times a week with shampoo. Hair wont grow unless it is growing in a healthy environment.
Position
Before your beard starts to properly form you should have a defined line of how you want it to grow and shave accordingly. To locate this, use a ruler or chalk to draw a line from your Adams apple to the corner of your jawline. The area segmented is where you want your beard to grow. To streamline where you want it to begin, use a quality shaver in grade 1 for a stubble or grade 4 or 5 for a full beard and define the outline.
Length and shape
As you are growing out your beard determine what length you are willing to let your hair reach and how you want your beard to look. After you have outlined where you want your beard to start and stop, do the same for the length and shape. There are different shapes of beards out there for different face shapes. You just have to look for one you are comfortable with.
Square Shaped Faces
A great beard shape that works well for men with square faces is an all-over beard. This beard slims the face and takes away the harsh lines formed by the jawline. Here Ramsey Nouah is showing great example of how this would turn out when joined to your hairline.
Rectangle/Oblong Shaped Faces
The 5 o’clock shadow beard is a great way to add shape to the rectangular or oblong face. This beard usually sits below the chin and looks like a cast shadow on the face. This illusion defines and softens the shape of the face causing it to look structured. In the image above Mai Atafo has let his beard grow up a little towards his cheeks. It still has the 5 o’clock shadow effect but with more hair at the top.
Round Shaped
Faces
A circle beard does wonders for round shaped men. The beard unlike its name looks more like a rectangle surrounding the mouth and extends all the way to the chin. With this type of beard you would need to make sure you have a clean and close shave to properly outline the beard. Banky W here is showing a perfect example of how this look would turn out. Just remember to keep it neat and bump-free to have a good outlined look.
Triangular Shaped Faces
Men with triangle shaped faces tend to have pointy chins. To compliment or hide it (whichever way you think of it) grow a semi- full beard. The length should be just enough that your chin is covered but not too long that it looks overgrown. Here Dbanj has added a straight line cut to the beginning of his chin hair. This creates the illusion of the chin being shorter.
Pear/Diamond Shaped Faces
Just like the triangular shaped face, pear/diamond shaped faces usually have pointed chins. A different approach to this is to add sideburns to your beard. The sideburns soften your features and soften he shape of your face. Here Uti Nwachukwu has opted for a 5 o’clock shadow, a heightened chin hair accent and light sideburns.
How To Style
Today, having a beard goes way beyond just growing and maintaining it. Now guys are styling theirs in different ways and even dying it to suit their personality. Check out Lynxxx, Chris Attoh, Davido, Praiz and Adams Ibrahim who have all styled their beards to suit them and maybe you could get some inspiration from their styles.
How to Maintain
As your beard grows it is important to care for it. Earlier I stressed how you should shampoo the stubble as it grows, as you shampoo be sure to condition and moisturise as well. This would help keep your beard soft and looking moisturised.
Another important thing you have to remember when growing a beard is to have the right tools. Invest in buying a good shaving kit, equipped with all the necessary things. Apart from having a good shaving kit, always have a comb and a good pair of scissors specially for your beard.
Keep a good eye on your beard, watch its growth and trim regularly so you have an even stub, and that’s it. Follow these steps and you should be well on your way to having a healthy face of hair.
Photo Credit: Nollywoodspotlight . ChannelsTV . 360Nobs . Gbooza . ChizysSpyware . Modemenmag . Punchng.com . MadammeNoir . Unilagolodo . Abegmusic . Gistus . Ynaija
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