BEARD 101

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

It is safe to say that the origin of beards can be traced back to the times when men and women both, walked the earth without the slightest understanding of the concept of shaving… Much like Apes if you may. Fast forward thousands of years later and many learned lessons on hair removal, still the beard lives on.

What is the beard you ask? A beard is the collection of facial hair that grows on the chin and cheeks of humans and some animals. In humans, mostly only adolescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, it is not totally uncommon to see some females sporting facial hairs.

WHY IS YOUR BEARD IMPORTANT?

A large section of the general Nigerian public believe a man’s beard is central to a man's masculinity and is seen to demonstrate strength, intelligence and responsibility amongst other manly qualities. To most (Including us!), wearing a beard gives a sense of maturity, intelligence and responsibility, which comes with some sort of 'male pride’.

As most trends, the beard has been in and out of the spotlight. However in the last few years it has made a steady come back and has been met with more acceptance than ever. Now, more care and attention is being given to the beard trend.

HOW CAN YOU GROW YOUR BEARD FAST?

Here is a list you can follow according to WikiHow.

1. Exfoliate your skin once a week.Use a scrub or a skin exfoliant specifically marketed for men. Removing dead skin cells will stimulate new hair growth. Try an exfoliating mask. You apply the product to your face and leave it on for a period of time, usually between ten and thirty minutes, before rinsing it off.
2. Keep your beard and skin clean. With washes created specifically for the beard, you should keep your beard and the skin under it as clean as possible. Clogged pores are one of the biggest hindrances to hair growth. Use warm water
3. Remove any flaky or dry skin.Moisturized skin creates a better environment for facial hair to grow quickly, which will encourage beard development.
4. Check your face for ingrown hairs.Beards will not grow in evenly if there are ingrown hairs on your face.
5. Defy the urge to trim or shape your beard.If you want the hair to come in quickly, leave it alone while it grows. You will have the chance to groom the beard after about four to six weeks when it is full.
6. Use beard oils and balms. If you have barely there facial hair and are hoping to grow a beard, you shouldn’t be waiting for your facial hair to grow in before using beard oil. The right beard oil also makes a great moisturizer, so begin nourishing those potential beard hairs that are growing beneath the skin now so they can grow out strong, moisturized, and healthy.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR YOUR BEARD TO GROW?

If you’re trying to grow a full beard or a lot of facial hair fast, you’ve definitely wondered how long it takes to grow a beard or what is the average beard growth rate? The simple answer is that it takes two to six months to grow a full beard. The complicated answer is – it depends on your genetics, testosterone levels and lifestyle choices.

The average growth rate for hair is about 1/2 inch per month and it can take a couple months to a few years, depending on how long of a beard you want to grow. Nevertheless, there are ways you can stimulate beard growth and make your beard grow longer and faster.

 DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEARD STYLES

There quite the number of beard styles available for the first timer, Looking for a visual guide? See below these photo options.