BEARD TAMING

The modern man is unapologetically bearded and hairy, but that “natural” look takes a bit of work.

We’ve come a long way from the shaved and plucked gay man of the ’90s. The trick to being the perfectly groomed, furry, modern man is to look stylish and sexy… effortlessly. But hair takes taming. Every artist needs the right tools to create a masterpiece. Okay, so that’s a bit over the top but, basically, you need the very best products and gadgets to keep you and your facial hair looking dapper.

Facial hair is a commitment; without proper care you can very quickly look like your old gran’s dunny brush.

I used to be an advocate of home styling when it came to beard and facial hair but, after popping my cherry with the right barber, I will never go back to using clippers at home and hoping for the best.

He and I have a great rapport and that gives me the confidence to try different lengths and styles to suit the season, work commitments or the men I’m dating. I get my beard trimmed at the barber about every 10 days and keep it at its best with daily homecare.

So, what do I love using on my beard?

BEARD BRUSH

I love the Milkman Military Beard Brush. Matching performance with style, it’s great for medium and longer beards requiring taming. We often forget that, like the hair on our head, beard hair that’s longer needs to be brushed and styled to be kept looking smart.

Will’s Tip: Buy three. Keep one in your bathroom, one in your gym bag and one in your work bag. Keeping it clean and dry is a must.

BEARD OIL

Brickell Beard Oil For Men is an absolute must for overall beard care. It’s perfect on its own for short to medium length beards or applied under beard balms. Beard oils have no hold, but will keep your facial hair smooth, shiny and super healthy.

Will’s Tip: Apply when your hair is damp, and to use a very small amount.

BEARD BALM/WAX

Juuce – Intense Original Wax controls your beard, especially flyaway hair that can make longer beards look messy and unkempt. Look for beard control products that you can also use as hair product. This makes life much simpler. Will’s Tip: For longer facial hair, apply your beard oil then blow dry it straight using a hair drier and your beard brush. Then apply a small amount of balm and shape it using your fingers and beard brush.

RAZOR

Between barber visits, keep beard lines sharp with a classic razor. If, like me, you’re done with plastic razors, invest in some German shaving precision – the MUHLRE R41 – and shave like a king. Once you have tried these razors you will never go back.

Will’s Tip: Use shaving oils and gels when using the razor to easily define hairlines. Foams may make it harder to see the precise line.

BEARD SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER?

I’m going to be controversial here: I’m not against beardspecific shampoo and conditioners, but are they necessary? I don’t think so.

I suggest just using your facial cleanser to clean your beard and then the conditioner you use on your hair in your beard. Most important is the consistency of doing both of these steps daily. This will keep your beard free from dandruff and also make it super soft. Will’s Tip: Use any of the delicious hair masks on the market on your beard. A once-a-week intense treatment of nourishing oils will keep longer beard hair looking and feeling healthy.

Without proper care, your beard can very quickly look like your old gran’s dunny brush.