4 COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BEARD

Being titled the 'Beard Blogger' around here at 'The Beard Struggle' headquarters, I often receive numerous emails and messages through my social media avenues (Follow me on Twitter!) from gents asking a little advice in regards to a mans facial forest. I always take the time aside to reply to each and every one of you, and rather enjoy doing so too! So, I decided to dedicate today's blog to all of your messages, and publicly answer some of The Most Commonly Asked Questions I'm Asked About Beards...

HOW DID YOU SURVIVE THE 'BEARD ITCH' PHASE?

Any bearded fellow can relate to the infuriatingly frustrating dreaded 'Beard itch' stage of growing out a beard. It sees many of men crumble and fold, as they reach out to hack away at any stubble they may have mustered up in the space of a few weeks. It's a tough hurdle to jump for sure, but you have to remember that thankfully it doesn't last forever. In fact it doesnt last all that long if you take a few steps to help your face through adapting to beard. The reason your face is itching on overtime is because your previously smooth cheeks now have millions of tiny rough hairs piercing their way through your skin, causing a sensation your face has never had to contend with until now. But what can be done to prevent this? In all honestly it's almost impossible to completely eliminate the dreaded itch, although you can certainly ease it off a little. But how? by keeping your skin clean and well hydrated. The easiest way to achieve this is to use a premium quality beard oil or balm. This will lock in your skins naturally formed moisture, granting your beard optimal conditions to grow out with limited irritation.

HOW CAN I STOP ANY SKIN IRRITATION AND RASHES FROM FORMING BELOW THE BEARD?

This has to be one of the most frequently asked questions I receive in my inbox. Beard rashes happen for a whole host of reasons, from too high or low humidity levels, the use of wrong products and beard dryness to name but a few. Much like the previous piece of advice, it's important to treat your beard as well as the skin hidden beneath. The easiest way to control this is again to keep your skin clean and well hydrated using 'TBS' oils or balms. Sometimes skin irritation can be caused by using incorrect products, such as shampoos and conditioners that are not designed to be used within a beard. What often happens is the harsh chemicals you'll find within such products strip your beards hair follicles natural moisture, which then leads to dry spots that quickly form into troubled skin spots, such as dry flakey skin or raw sore areas. So, when it comes to beard care be sure to use beard specific products that are crafted exclusively with your beards well being in mind. This way you're protecting both you and your beard moving on forward.

YOUR BEARD IS GINGER, DOESN'T THAT BOTHER YOU?

Believe it or not, people still like to remind me that my beard is in fact ginger. It's almost as if people assume I must be colour blind, or never check out my red mane out in the mirror. Why there is still a stigma surrounding ginger is one that truly baffles me. I can honestly say if I was visited by the 'beard fairy' (They are real! Honest! I see them most weekends after a few too many beers!) and granted one beard wish and one wish only, I would not even dream of changing the shade of my ginger beard mane. I view my gingerness as a gift, and one that should be proudly sported. What makes my ginger beard that little bit more special is the fact I'm not ginger on my head hair. I'm one of those who grows out two different colours! So, if you too are one of the lucky ones, I say step away from the beard dye, leave the negative ginger comments well alone, and rock out your red fuzz proudly, Brother!

DO YOU HAVE BEARD ENVY IF YOU MEET A BEARD BIGGER THAN YOURS?

It is said that there is a secret unwritten code shared between bearded fellows if the two should meet. And being a beardy myself I can confirm this to be true. Whenever I pass by a bearded gent, be it at the bar, supermarket on on the daily commute, we both take a moment to appreciate ones beard in passing and confirm this usually with a nod of the head. Do I get a little envious when a beard appears bigger than mine? Not at all. Many might call Billy Bullsh*t on that last sentence, but I can honestly say I don't. If anything I mentally applaud an individual on their time and commitment that it took to sport an awesome beard. In the position I am in, I have become a little bit obsessed with furry faces and often find many hours of a day Googling beards for future beard blog topic ideas. So to say I've seen more furry faces than you've had hot meals wouldn't be lying. Rather than envy a man, I've learned to appreciate ones craftsmanship. Follow suit and you'll not go far wrong my friend.

Well, there goes another blog post for today my friends. As always please leave us your thoughts, comments or any questions you might hve below. I love reading your comments so keep them coming in thick and fast!