No Shave November — Tips for Starting Your Winter Beard

Here in the northern hemisphere the weather is turning colder. The leaves are falling to the ground. Fires are being lit. Winter is coming.

It’s at this time of year that a lot of men turn their attention to growing some facial hair. After all, with No Shave November and Movember, it is the season.

Now can be the perfect time of year to grow your winter beard. In fact, if you have never really grown a beard, during November you have a great opportunity to have a month of solid growth and see what it’s like.

If you want the beard of your dreams though, you will have to do more than just ditch the razor. Beards need to be taken care of. This is especially true in the colder months. Beards can easily get dry with the cold weather, leaving them wiry and lifeless. This often leads to loved ones saying “shave it off”.

As your beard grows I highly recommend forming your very own beard grooming routine. My beard is something that I am extremely proud of and my beard grooming routine has become my favorite part of the day. I groom my beard every morning. It sets me up for the day and makes my beard look and feel great.

Some basics that you should do as part of your beard grooming routine:

Clean it Well

A big mistake that a lot of new bearded gents make is using generic shower gels on their beard. These products often strip your beard of it’s natural oils causing dryness. Personally I only use 100% natural products in my beard. I suggest using a 100% natural beard wash in your beard that contains oils like coconut, almond, argan, jojoba, etc. Trust me, this will make a huge difference!

Oil it Well

Beard oil is going to be your friend. Again, I always go 100% natural. Beard oil tames and conditions your beard, makes it smell nice (unless you choose an odourless oil), prevents & relieves itching, moisturises your skin and makes your beard feel amazing. Use it daily, it will really help you on your way to having that beard of your dreams. I like to be seasonal with my beard oil. For the colder months it is always cinnamon!

Comb it Well

As your new beard starts to get some length you will want to keep it combed. Not only will it help to keep the hair healthy, it will make your beard look much better. I tend to comb my beard at the same time as applying beard oil. First I work the beard oil into my skin and beard and then use a wooden beard comb to evenly distribute the oil.

Share the Beard

We would love to see your beard as it progresses. Post a photo using the hashtag #oldstreetbarber on Twitter or Instagram.

If you have never tried growing your beard out for a month before, November is definitely your opportunity. I encourage you to do so. Who knows, you might love it so much that you decide to extend it to a yeard (a one year beard)!

Ultimately, have fun and grow that beard you always dreamed of!