So You Want to Grow a Beard? Whatever your reason for growing a beard, be it you’re curious about what it would look like, don’t feel like shaving anymore or you want to redesign your look, it’s an exciting time nonetheless. However, when it comes time to actually growing your beard, the main challenge will be your commitment. Like when forming other positive habits, such as eating healthy or going to the gym, beard growing requires constant support, perseverance and patience to see results. Unfortunately, there isn’t any magic tonic that gives us Santa Claus-esque facial hair overnight—just old fashion time and commitment. If you’re fully prepared to take on the responsibility, you’ll quickly become the envy of men everywhere. Steps to Growing a Beard Set a Realistic Goal of What You Want to Achieve It’s important to acknowledge that everyone’s beard will grow at a different rate and overall thickness. Genetics plays a strong role in this, so looking at other family members and what their facial hair is like will be a good indication of what yours might turn out like. Setting realistic goals around what can actually be achieved will help you decide on the length, style, thickness and purpose of your beard: What do I want my beard to do to my face?: Do you want it to enhance the shape, highlight your chin or even hide something? Do I have a particular beard style and length in mind?: Longer the beard, the more maintenance and time to grow is required What are my family’s genetics like?: Are you going to be able to grow a full beard, is it patchy in places and are there any quirks to it such as facial hair colour differing from hair colour? Once these questions are answered and you’re ready to go, we can begin the beard-growing process. Start with a Clean Shave Like any good piece of art, you must start with a blank canvas. If you’re wanting to grow a beard and you have a bit of facial hair already, it may feel nonsensical to want to shave it off. However, starting with a clean close shave will better serve you down the road for several reasons: Shaving stimulates hair follicles, allowing the facial hair to grow back faster and stronger Shaving reduces the number of ingrown hairs, which you can pull out using a tweezer once you’ve shaved You can prep your skin for hair growth by applying shaving cream and then a moisturiser after you’ve shaved It’ll be the last time you see your clean shaved face for a while Once shaved, either using a razor, electric shaver or going to the barber, the fun part begins—growing the beard. Let your Beard Grow for at Least Two Months At this stage of the beard growing journey, patience is key. Your beard is likely going to feel itchy and uncomfortable, and you’ll probably notice it more if this is your first time growing a beard. Don’t give up, as, by the end of the two-month initial growth period, you’ll be surprised by the length and thickness. Patchy areas have likely been hidden by the length and it’ll be starting to take shape into its final form. If you’re on the brink of succumbing to the dreaded beard itch, especially around that one-month mark, there are a few things you can do: A stubble or beard balm will help soften your facial hair Your skin will also dry out, so be sure to apply beard oil to your skin underneath to keep it hydrated Sticking to a healthy diet will also promote skin and beard health, reducing the itchiness of both For most men, two months is generally how long it takes to get to an optimal length to begin trimming. That being said, if you’re unhappy with the length so far, let the facial hair grow for another month or two. Keep the Neckline and Cheek Lines in Check While the golden rule to growing a beard is to let it grow untouched, there are two expectations to this rule; the trimming of your neckline and cheek lines as it grows. Generally, you won’t need to start worrying about this until after the one-month milestone, however, as you get closer to being able to trim your new beard, the more important this becomes. How to trim your cheek lines? Trimmed cheek lines are the best way to tell the world you're intentionally growing a beard. Simply put, start by drawing an imaginary line from the corner of your mouth to the bottom of your sideburn Using a straight razor or electric razor, trim everything above this line, being sure to not touch your beard If you have a round face, a straight cheek line will offset the roundness. Similarly, a rounded cheek line is better suited to people with more angular faces to soften the sharp contours How to trim your neckline? This is typically dictated by the length of your beard, with shorter beards needing shorter necklines and vice versa for long beards. Get in front of a mirror and look straight into it, keeping your head level Look at how far your beard drops on your neck and make a mental note of the U-shape it forms Trim below the imaginary line on your neck, ensuring any hair that appears underneath your beard area is gone when you look straight in the mirror Work from the middle of your neck out towards your ear to trim the hair The lines don’t have to be perfect yet, just use them as a guide to keep yourself looking fairly neat. Trim the Beard to Shape After months of waiting, it’s finally time to begin trimming your beard. However you trim it depends on the style you want (e.g. longer length but shorter sides, how round you want the beard, etc.), but investing in a good pair of scissors and a quality beard trimmer will make maintenance much easier. Use the trimmer to shape the beard, making use of the accompanying guards to keep it at a consistent length. Follow-up with scissors to refine your look. Once shaped, use beard oil or balm to keep your new masterpiece feeling good, looking clean and soft to the touch. If you want to continue growing it, continue maintaining the neckline and cheek lines while the length fills out over the next few months. Beard Growing FAQs There is a lot to growing a beard—patience, maintenance and commitment. Here are a few beard-growing frequently asked questions you’re likely considering right now: How Long Does it Take to Grow a Beard? At a minimum, for most men who want a short beard, around two months. For longer styles or people who have slower hair growth, up to six months to see results. Who Can Grow a Beard? Typically, everyone can grow a beard to some extent. Genetics is the primary factor, so look to your family when assessing what the final results might be. Age is also another important aspect, as beard growth really starts to take off at the end of puberty, around 18 years of age, until around age 30. How to Grow a Beard Faster? There are no scientifically proven ways to make a beard grow faster, however, keeping your skin under the beard clean will promote healthy growth. Massaging your face and using beard oil to hydrate your face is also recommended to stimulate hair follicles. My Beard Isn’t Growing in a Certain Spot? Unfortunately, this is likely due to genetics or age, rather than any external factors you can control. There are medical conditions such as alopecia areata which may affect growth too, so best to consult a doctor if you are experiencing patchiness. With a brand new beard to redefine your look, there has never been a better time to update your wardrobe with GAZMAN’s collection of men’s clothing now.