To Beard or Not To Beard: That is the Question

Male facial hair is a fact of life. What a male chooses to do with that facial hair is a whole different discussion. Should you go clean shaven? Full-on mountain man? Trim and tidy? Goatee? Van Dyke? Sideburns? Fu Man Chu? Mustache?

So many options! It’s enough to drive a man to drink… which isn’t always a bad thing, if done in moderation. But I digress.

Make no mistake, the beard is back and doesn’t appear to be losing its popularity across the social spectrum. The trend in facial hair, however, appears to be shifting from the wild and free lumberjack look to a more professionally groomed man-about-town style. Of course, you could trim your own beard, but let’s (ahem) face it – sometimes it’s nice to pamper yourself and let a professional do the heavy lifting.

Your barber was trained in beard trimming is barber school, but not all barbers are equally adept at the task, so before trusting your facial hair to just anybody, ask your friends who sport a great looking beard for a referral. Once you’ve selected a barber, don’t be afraid to ask a few simple, but important, questions, like:

• What beard styles are available, and which would look best on me? We all have different facial structures, and everyone’s beard grows in differently, so not all styles look equally good on all faces.
• How do I keep my beard looking good between trims? Facial hair grows at around one-half inch per month, and there are parts of your face and neck you’ll probably need to shave on a regular basis to maintain that crisp, professional look you’re going for.
• How often should I come back in for a trim? Your facial hair may not grow at the same rate as your head hair, so you may have a different schedule for professional beard grooming than you do for your regular haircut.