Some No shave November health tips for men
SINCE
its founding in 2003, Movember (and it’s brother, NoShave November) have become bona ide national holidays and in the process, they’ve raised millions of dollars for men’s health initiatives like the ight against prostate and testicular cancer and the support of mental health and suicide prevention programmes.
Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustache during the month of November.
It’s important to remember that Movember is not all about moustaches and sel ies, but let’s get real— it takes guts to grow a ‘stache, even for just 30 days.
That, according to the Movember website, is precisely the point. Mustaches are distinctive and inevitable conversation starters, so by growing one, it’s a chance for you to advocate, educate, and invite people to donate in support of men’s health.
If you’ve been toying with the idea of growing a mustache, Movember is the perfect time to give it a try.
If you’re still a little gun shy, you can go the No-Shave November route, which is exactly what it sounds like: Growing a beard instead of just a ‘stache. (And if both of these facial hair-focused routes are a hard pass, you can still participate by way of Move-ember, which uses exercise instead of facial hair to raise awareness.)
No matter what you decide, you shouldn’t go into Movember blind. You’re still growing something on your face, which takes planning and maintenance to keep it healthy and looking great.
Who knows, if you like what’s happening how you look during Movember, you might want to take it year-round.
“I’ve had clients who did Movember once and now sport a mustache or beard full-time,” says Sam Hickey, Head Barber for Murdock London. “It can change how you perceive yourself and how con ident you feel.”
Here are Hickey’s top rules for making this your best Movember ever - whether you’re new to facial hair or are already riding that train. 1. Start clean shaven for movember:
“You need to prepare your skin properly,” says Hickey. That means shaving on October 31st so you start the month with a clean slate. Hickey suggest treating yourself to a barber shave.
Not only will it help you get in the right mindset to start growing, it will also make sure the shave is close but grows out easily.
A proper shave reduces the risk of ingrown hairs as your beard grows and will make the initial grow-out phase more comfortable. If you don’t have time to head to the barber, Hickey suggests using a good quality pre-shave oil, a hot towel, and a new razor and taking a few extra minutes to shave slowly. 2. But it’s okay to cheat (kind of ):
Some guys can grow facial hair at lightning speed, but if you’re not one of those lucky bastards, it’s okay to give yourself a head start. On average, it takes about three months to grow a full beard, so thinking you can end Movember with a Ron Swanson mustache or Jason Momoa beard is setting yourself up for failure.
If you are worried about patchiness or sparse hair, it’s okay to put down the razor earlier. The same goes for maintaining your beard. If you use a razor to maintain your cheek and neck lines, that’s not cheating, it’s just good beard maintenance, according to Hickey.
3. Have your products ready before you start:
Lots of guys get into beard growing with the assumption that there is no maintenance. Don’t be one of them. Gather your beard products before you start so you’re not scrambling when your beard starts to get itchy (or worse, smelly). No matter how long your beard is you have to clean it. Hickey suggests four key products: a shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, and oil.