MAN FRIDAY
IS THIS THE END OF THE BEARD?
The coronavirus crisis could finally finish the trend for hipster facial hair, says Stephen Doig
The relentless growth of the beard as a feature of men’s grooming has sprouted unimpeded for the last two decades, aided in no small part by the rise of hipster culture and the fulsome facial topiary that entails. It’s taken an international pandemic to call the beard into question, but finally it looks set for the clippings bin. Coronavirus has made facial fuzz a social pariah.
Part of the reason comes out of a real and serious need for care workers. NHS guidelines published recently stated that beards interfere with the effectiveness of PPE masks, citing all forms of “beards, stubble and facial hair”. Social media was awash with staffers shaving their jawline.
The other reason is that, despite medical professionals debunking online chatter that beards can harbour coronavirus, they do carry more germs than a dog’s coat. And in our new era of hygiene hyper-awareness, that’s not appealing. While men across the country are growing shaggier around the jowls day by day as working at home becomes the norm, trimming back your facial fuzz is going to be the grooming go-to of this new decade. But how to shave it correctly?
“Don’t just hack away at your stubble,” says Acqua di Parma’s master barber, Zamaine Ismail. “It’s important to follow the natural line of your beard, so the direction the hair grows. Shave in that direction and it’ll be smoother.” If you’re trimming back a beard while maintaining some semblance of stubble, don’t fall into the trap of assuming the job’s done.
“Even if you’re maintaining a small amount of stubble length, trim above your lip so that it doesn’t grow near your mouth. For a more chiselled look, keep it longer on the jaw and shorter on the cheeks – it creates a more square and masculine shape.”
If you’ve been used to covering half of your face with a thicket of hair, the briskness of the air might take some getting used to, but the more immediate issue is rash and redness; apply a balm and keep the skin moisturised. Before taking up the strimmer, apply a hot towel to soften the hair and pores; the stubble will come way more easily. A badger hair shaving brush will also help soften the area and lift stubble up to make it cleaner to cut.
The other points on your face will be all the more apparent now that the mop on your chin is shorn, so keep things tidy and neat – keep eyebrows in check and be aware that your smile will be all the more visible. House arrest means you’ll have more time for some teeth whitening strips, and no one’s likely to call round and catch you at it either.
We’re going to emerge from this in a different world, but at least you’ll be more streamlined and clean of visage to face it.