There’s nothing better than sleeping in for a few minutes longer by skipping your shaving routine in favour of doing something good. No shave November is an initiative that encourages people not to shave their faces for 30 days and allow their hair to go wild. The money that you were supposed to spend on any hair maintenance products, you end up saving and donating to charity.
The whole movement aims to promote awareness about cancer while encouraging people to donate to education, prevention, treatment, and research. Also, by growing your hair, you’re bringing attention to the fact that many people lose it while they’re getting treated for cancer.
So, all in all, it’s a good cause to be a part of, which is why many people around the globe join it every year. However, you do not have to let go of all grooming altogether since that would make you look perpetually dishevelled, which is not a good thing.
How To Take Care of Your Beard During No Shave November
Before starting no shave November and during it, you should do the following.
Do A Clean Shave or Shape Your Existing Facial Hair
Consider a clean shave if you have thick facial hair or have the tendency to grow it really thick. You won’t be able to see your face by the end of November if you don’t do that (it’s a bit of an exaggeration, but still). If you’re thinking of trying out a new beard style that requires weeks or months of growth, some barbers recommend starting with a clean shave.
However, if you don’t plan to let go of your existing beard, it’s a good idea to shape the one you already have. During the month of November, you can give it a trim here and there to keep it growing in the way you want.
Don’t Overwash It
If this is your first time growing a beard, you might not know how to clean it. Do you use a shampoo to clean it, the same one you use on your head? Well, yes, but not with the same frequency.
Many people recommend washing it 1-2 times a week with shampoo, not anymore, especially if it’s dry. And when you do wash, make sure to follow up with a conditioner so that the beard is “hydrated.”
Use A Beard Oil
Wherever “oil” is used, the purpose is to essentially moisturize. It usually contains argan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and essential oils. You may also find vitamins or ingredients like aloe vera in it. And it helps the beard look more “kempt” and not scraggly all the time. Not only does this product nourish the beard but also the skin underneath.
1-2 drops of it should do the trick (more if you have a very dry, long beard). Just don’t overdo it and make your beard too greasy-looking. If you feel like you don’t need it every day, you can use it every other day. You should make sure to use the palm of your hands and fingers to spread it all across the target area and up the shaft of the hair. It is also recommended that you use it when you’ve come out of the shower and your beard is still damp.
Use Beard Wax
If your beard’s sticking out in all directions, that will probably draw a lot of attention. In that case, you can consider using beard wax. As the name suggests, the waxy substance is meant to keep the beard or moustache hair in place.
You take a small amount of it, warm it up in your hands until it’s soft and then apply it to your facial hair. Keep in mind that beard wax is for styling purposes mainly; it’s not thought of as a product that’s supposed to nourish/moisturize the hair.
Use Beard Balm
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of applying the beard oil first and then a beard wax (and spend money on both of them separately), you can consider getting a beard balm. It moisturizes the hair and keeps it in place.
Get A Comb
You can use your fingers to style the beard when you wax it up, but it’s a better idea to get a small, fine-toothed comb. If along the way, you decide to blow-dry your beard, a comb can come in quite handy in all the styling.
How You Can Style Your Beard During No Shave November
Before the no shave November began, you would’ve either shaved all your facial hair or groomed the existing one. Now, whatever’s the case for you, you can try out different beard styles so that you don’t look like you have gotten straight out of th bed for work. A little trimming here and there is okay, especially if you work in a corporate.
Stubble
Beginning as a five o’clock shadow, you’ll have a stubble within 2 weeks of the challenge if your beard hair is not sparse or barely grows. Now, of course, it will become more than a stubble by the end of the month, but you can choose to keep it at your required length.
Oscar Isaac and George Clooney are some great examples of men who pull this beard style off effortlessly. Some people also grow patchy stubbles, with areas that are bare/bald. Either you can style it (Keanu Reeves does it! ), or you can get a beard transplant to restore its growth.
Circle Beard
Keeping the previous shape of your beard, you can grow this one out a little more. You can grow a thick beard with a handlebar moustache or pair up the circle beard with stubble. This is going to be a little more difficult to maintain because of the shape, but you can get grow out a thick, long circle beard during the month of no shave November.
Van Dyke
Again, you won’t end up with just a Van Dyke by the end of no shave November, especially if you’re only trimming and you can grow a thick beard. For those who don’t know, Van Dyke essentially has a goatee and a moustache (not connected). Robert Downey Jr has it, among many other celebs. But that’s a shorter version. You can grow it out (full goatee) and pair it with a full beard.
Balbo is a similar-looking beard style. The beard extends sideways down the chin (no sideburns) and is combined with a soul patch and a moustache. It can also give you a quite rugged look during no shave November.
Full Beard
You can go all-in with a full beard. It won’t require as much shaving or shaping the beard as it grows out. When it comes to a full beard, there are different styles that you can try out like:
- Ducktail
- Imperial Beard
- Garibaldi
- Verdi
- Bandholz
Of course, it might be itchy for you and for some other people. But if you want to, you can end up pulling it off quite well.
Just as it grows, keep in mind that you shouldn’t try to touch your face or beard too much as your fingers are not the cleanest things in the world, and you can end up experiencing some skin problems.
Concluding Remarks
No shave November is a month-long campaign that is meant to bring awareness to cancer and raise funds for the fight against it. You donate the money that you saved on hair maintenance that month (razors, clippers, shaving cream, aftershave, etc.). Not shaving your hair is meant to acknowledge the fact that many people lose their hair because of cancer treatment. So, it’s a good thing to be a part of.
However, for someone who hasn’t done it before, the growth of facial hair can be a bit new. You only need a few things to prepare for it and keep the hair in the way you want. Also, you can try out some new beard styles during the campaign.
