Rules of Beard Acquisition

FullBeard

I found this list of rules on another site. For any man thinking of growing out his beard, they offer great advice. Here they are:

1. Growing a beard takes 2 to 3 MONTHS (not weeks) on average. For teens and particularly slower growers, 3 months may not even be long enough.

2. Shaving your beard will not make it grow faster or thicker.

3. No one can predict when your teenage beard will mature into an adult beard. It could take months or years.

4. Your beard looks better to other people at a distance than it does to yourself in the mirror. Artificial lighting and camera flash often look a lot different than real life.

5. Give yourself 24 hours to think about it before you shave or significantly trim your beard.

6. Having some facial hair, styled properly, is almost always better than clean shaven.

7. A picture of your beard growing progress is worth more than 1,000 words.

8. Expect negative comments from friends and family during the growing process. They usually give up after a few months.

9. Enjoy the positive comments and be sure to thank the person giving the comment.

10. If you shave and regrow your beard often, most people won't even notice or comment on your beard.

11. A fully grown beard is much less prickly than stubble.

12. Chemical products to enhance beard growth are still not sanctioned by the manufacturer for this purpose and should only be used by adults when beard maturation has reached a peak. It is not recommended for teens that want to jump-start their beard growth.

13. Trim conservatively the first time. First timers tend to over-trim and often end up shaving.

14. There is no mistake in trimming that can only be fixed by shaving the entire beard off.

15. Expect some itchiness during the first 3 weeks of growth. It will eventually subside. Moisturizers such as Aveeno oatmeal lotion or Jojoba oil while avoiding harsh soaps can help.

16. Don't assume you must shave to for a job or job interview. Even established no-beard policies are often ignored.

17. It is very common for your beard hair to be a different color from your head hair. This simply adds character to your beard.

18. Beards continue to improve well into your 30s, even 40s and 50s in some people.

19. Even the best beards look scruffy and unattractive in the early stages. The shape, color, texture, or pattern cannot be anticipated too early in the process, nor should you expect it to be flawless. It will, however, be unique.

20. Never EVER trim or shave when tired, not feeling well, sleepy or under the influence of alcohol or drugs!

21. A beard can project confidence in the man which will in turn affect how others respond to you. Embrace what you have and wear it like the man you are.

22. Take care of your facial hair as you would the hair on your head (assuming you have head hair). Use a mild shampoo rather than a harsh soap to clean the hair, and once it gains some length, comb it or brush it to train it to lay down for you.

23 Beards are as unique as fingerprints, so don't think that yours will look exactly like someone you have seen.

24. Beard hairs that lay down add mass to your beard, so hold off on trimming even wild hairs until you see this happening. Typically lay-down occurs at 3/4" to 1" or 2-3cm.

25. Becoming bearded is as much a mental transformation as a physical one. Give yourself and your loved ones 6 to 12 months to get used to the new "you".

26. During the growing phase, if you are concerned about looking "professional", over-dress the part until your beard fills in. People are more likely to notice the nicer clothes than the growing beard.

27. Barbers more often than not will over trim your newly growing beard. Be very explicit and tell him or her not to touch your beard. If you decided to get a barber trim, be very detailed on what you want and ideally choose a barber that has a beard himself or one that is recommended by another bearded man.