MenEssentials: Smell Waaay Better than Your Grandmother on Fire.

MenEssentials Beard Gear

A few weeks ago the Dude was in need of some new beardscaping products.

I conducted the perfunctory Google investigation and turned up too much and too little. Too many options with too little details.

I quickly turned to Amazon and their highest sellers. Mistake.

The first time I oiled up the beard and slapped on some aftershave, Mrs. Dude responded with…

Sniff. Sniff. “What’s burning? You smell like a camp fire.” Sniff. Sniff. “And those spicy candies my grandmother always had. Pretty much my grandmother on fire.”

Not the review I was hoping for.

Thankfully, MenEssentials sensed a bearded bro in need.

A well-timed email, and the Dude had a box of beard gear waiting on the doorstep. Rad.

MenEssesntials gear is solid. Natural ingredients. Sweet smells. Healthy beard.

Waaay better than your grandmother in flames.

A couple favs: Bluebards Beard Wash + Bluebeards Wonder Beard

Happy bearding matey.

How To Transition from Movember to Winter Beard | A Dude’s Guide to Beard Care

We’ve reached a crucial point of transition in the annual calendar. November to December.

Thanksgiving to Christmas. Real world to holiday world.

Most importantly, Movember to Winter Beard.

You’re feeling good with your Movember scruff, right?

A chance to let the beard hair down. And now you’re supposed to shave it?!

The Winter Beard is your savior. The opportunity to hold onto your bearded freedom – at least until April.

If you’ve missed my previous love of facial hair, peep the links below. But to start, let’s do a quick refresher on why beards are the dopest of the dope.

 

I dig a good beard. Especially during the chilly winter months.

I’m not alone is this love. Here’s a groovy website dedicated to “the celebration of The Beard” – BeardRevered.com. In fact, the December Beard is now a thing.

Despite my longstanding beard love, I’ve never taken the time to understand how to properly grow, groom and care for the winter whiskers.

Seems the start of Winter Beard season is the perfect opportunity for some facial follicle edification.

To start, we need to be honest with ourselves – Should you shave?

Use this handy infographic/flowchart to determine if you’re a candidate for a Winter Beard. We can’t all be beardos.

 Onward, beardo.

But how will the rest of the world deal with your righteous beard? The Art Of Manliness has you covered

Alright, the world is going to love your brawny beardedness. But how do you take care of your new companion?

Keep it trimmed. Keep it hydrated. Keep it looking sweet.

Your beard is a piece of art. Treat it with the respect it deserves.

How To Trim Your Beard; with Joey Tasca from Freemans (coincidence – no way! Beards = freedom) Sporting Club Barbershop – thanks Birchbox.

How to Shave Well; with Charlie King from London Barbers – gracias Mr. Porter.

Don’t forget to Mind the Line

GIF Guide How To Tame a Wild & Bushy Beard – hat tip Birchbox.

Beardsmen unite!

Tools of the Trade

A couple bonus items…

Dude’s Beard Links

The Beard, a Dude’s Best Friend: Young, Healthy, Handsome, Sunblock & Delicious Beer

Don't Worry My Dad Has a Beard

Don’t Worry My Dad Has a Beard

I’ve often professed my love for facial hair. The Dude is a card carrying member of Beard Team USA, and I even have a blog category dedicated to fun with facial hair.

It seems the beard really is a dude’s best friend…

Long live the beard.

PS – I scored some sweet beard oil for Father’s Day. Never used beard oil before, but I’m sold. The Dude is a smitten kitten. Smells great. Keeps the beardiness healthy, handsome, and shining. Color me impressed.

Dude + Nature = Happy. John Muir Agrees.

Dude + Nature = Happy. John Muir Agrees.

Dude + Nature = Happy. John Muir Agrees.

The Dude is a sucker for the natural world…and a great beard.

This John Muir cat is one rad dude. Loves nature and beards.

A large part of conservation land in the U.S. can be connected to Muir. But beyond any activism – activism always has pros and cons – I dig John’s view that nature is an integral part of our lives, and that we should break away from civilization to “wash [our] spirit clean.”

Happy spring. It’s a beautiful day. Let’s get out there and wash our spirit.

And Muir had a killer beard. Lookin’ good John, lookin’ good.

For anyone interested, here’s a list of 10 Cool Things About John Muir…see, a cool cat.

“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.

The gross heathenism of civilization has generally destroyed nature, and poetry, and all that is spiritual.”

Daily Pixels: Winter Beard

It’s officially Fall.  We’re past the day of candy begging.  It’s dark at 5PM these days.  A wet suit is a must for getting in the ocean.  And Turkey Day is less than two weeks away.

This can only mean one thing.  Time for the Winter Beard.

We are currently in the first stages of the Winter Beard.  It’s only been about two weeks (Oct. 30th), but I know it’s on the right track.

I stopped by the supermarket with Little Dude yesterday.  I wandered around the store with L.D. in the Bjorn, and we got all sorts of looks.  Perhaps it was L.D.’s cuteness that was overwhelming the passersby, but to the Dude, the looks had more of a strange than cute feel to them.  Given the beard and the Bjorn, perhaps our appearance conjured up memories of The Hangover.

Welcome back Winter Beard.  We’ve missed you.

My goal is for four months of growth.  A third of the year!…awesome!  We’ll see if my face, my employer, and Mrs. Dude can handle it.  Bring on the awesomeness.

Winter Beard