In this article we're going to tackle the argument of going clean shaven and being bearded. We'll outline what it's like to live with each, the grooming habits involved with keeping up with each style, the benefits of each choice and lastly the downsides to each.
At Well Groomed Wizard we have all experienced life with and without beards, so below we'll answer some frequent questions you may have when trying to decide between the 2 styles.
What's It Like To Be Clean Shaven? | The Benefits
Being clean shaven feels, well, clean. If you've never grown a beard then you wont realise just how convenient it is to go about your daily life with a fresh face.
The benefits to this option are that without any hairs on your face you'll look professional and youthful. This is probably the biggest feature of choosing to be clean shaven; if you want to appear at your most youthful, your smartest, and your cleanest, then choose the razor.
If you have a strong jaw line and cheekbones, then it's a good idea to highlight these features by keeping your face free of obstructing hairs that would otherwise grow there.
Other benefits include: not having to worry about having an uneven tan on your face. Washing is also a simple process, and so is eating.
How To Stay Clean Shaven
To keep your cheeks smooth and free of stubble, you first need to determine the rate of growth of your beard.
Some men have facial hair that grows so quickly that if they shave in the morning, they can see the stubble growing back by the end of the day, hence the phrase 5 o'clock shadow! By the end of the typical working day, the hairs are already showing and creating a shadow across the face.
Other men man go a few days without shaving before the growth is starting to become noticeable, the best way to determine which category you fit into is simply to test this yourself.
Once you know how frequently you should be shaving, you'll need to buy yourself a high quality razor.
We recommend you buy yourself a razor that uses high quality and established brands that will give you you best results. A cheaper razor will lead to cuts and leave razor burn on your face, while a higher quality one will glide over your face and lift that stubble free without any blemishes.
For best results, follow the steps below to ensure you get a decent shave.
Always Use A Fresh Razor
You'd be surprised at how quickly a mans stubble can blunt a razor blade, after being used for one shave, a razor blade will be noticeably more blunt and so will struggle to cut through the hairs or a beard on its second use.
Therefore you will always get best results by using a fresh razor each time you shave.
We recommend shaving with a safety razor, or a straight razor. They irritate your skin less, and are cheaper to buy blades for.
Use Plenty Of Hot Water
Hot water is essential for a man when he comes to shave his beard. The hairs will absorb the water and become soft and weaker, this will in turn make them easier to cut.
The fact that the water is hot will help to open your pores and the water itself will help to lubricate the blade (as well as the shaving foam) and will help you avoid razor burn.
Once you've finished, you can splash your face with cold water to close your pores again.
Use A Post-Shave Treatment
A post shave treatment, like a shaving balm, will help to hydrate and sooth the skin that will inevitably been irritated and damaged to some extent, no matter how careful you were.
The ingredients of the balm will help to repair and hydrate the skin, the perfect finish to a good shave.
What's It Like To Be Bearded? | The Benefits
If you've never grown a beard then you'll find that as you embark on your bearded journey then it gives you a sense of masculinity, as it is arguable the most distinguishable feature that separates men from women.
It will soon become the feature on your face that catches the eye of people you know and strangers alike. Beards make a man look distinguished, and if style correctly then it can add an emphasises of style to your appearance.
Contrary to staying clean shaven if you have a strong jawline, if you have a weaker jaw and cheekbones, then growing a beard can do wonders for you face by covering these areas with a glorious beard.
Having a beard also takes a little extra time in the morning when you're carrying out your grooming routine.
How To Grow A Beard
Growing a beard is pretty self explanatory, you just have to leave your face to do what it does naturally by not shaving it off. However if you want to grow a well groomed and admirable beard then you will need to follow a few extra grooming tips to help it along.
Combing & Brushing
Combing your beard (or brushing it) is perhaps the easiest and most beneficial thing you can do for your beard. By doing so you are:
- Freeing any tangles or knots that may have gathered in the hairs
- Helping to distribute and coat the length of the hairs with the naturally produced sebum oil that is secreted from the root of the hair
- Encouraging growth by stimulating blood flow to the cell the hair grows from
Washing It Frequently
You'd be surprised at how much mess can be caused by eating with a beard. By washing your beard with a good quality beard shampoo will strip away any grime or particles that may have gathered in your beard throughout the day.
It's always a good idea to use a shampoo that has been developed specifically for your beard, since traditional shampoos may be too harsh for your beard and can leave the hairs somewhat damaged.
Applying Oil
As stated above, your beard will naturally produce its own oil that will help to coat the hair and protect it, however, as your beard gets longer there may not be enough oil to coat the entire hair.
A great solution to this is to use some good quality beard oil. This will help to coat the hair and protect it from drying out. In addition the ingredients in the oil will help to keep the hair nourished and healthy.
It's a good idea to use the oil after you have washed it with a beard shampoo, for best results, use a comb to help work the oil through your beard.
Trimming Any Straggly Parts
Lastly, you shouldn't be afraid to trim a few straggling hairs once your beard starts growing to a decent length. You don't need to go crazy, but neatening up a few areas with a sharp pair of beard/moustache scissors will help to keep your beard looking its best.
To see our full range of product to help you along your beard growing journey, then click here.