To grow a full beard, a day old stubble, a hint of evening shadow or just razor off all signs of facial hair? Well, the answer is, there is no right answer! I've been told that women absolutely love a man with a beard, even though they always deny it. That is a topic that would need a lot of time to debate though.
Historically, a beard marked a stereotype. You could be anything from a biker to a junkie, a religious fanatic to plain and simple lazy bloke. But now all this has changed, even so in the corporate world, where I spend most of my time. I remember my first day at University and subsequently my first job. I was asked to be clean shaven and never sport stubble, let alone convincing people that I would grow my beard.
Cultural shifts have inevitably changed opinions to a large extent in cubicles across the globe. And as if that weren’t enough, celebs have taken to beards too - just refer to any red carpet footage or pics in recent months.
That does not mean you let the hedge go untrimmed. Growing a beard is a commitment. A lot like buying a Rolex or even a Bering watch. You need to take care of it. Keep it clean. Preserve it well. And people will appreciate it and complement it at times. There are a lot of products available in the market now that will help you contain the itchiness, soften your beard and tame the strands that go astray as your beard grows out longer. Think shampoos, conditioners and wax.
Now to answer the question on how to style it. Like in the case of buying sunglasses, you should grow a beard that suits the shape of your face. Keep it as natural looking as possible and not overtly styled.
I grow my beard depending on what I feel like. At times, even a handle bar moustache when I am vacationing. For now, I pull out my electric trimmer, set it to a length of either 3 or 4 and trim it away to leave on a rather simple looking beard and shave off the edges to make it look sharper. I let the hair below the chin area extend to the neck to give it a proper rugged look. And on maintenance, a trickle of shampoo and conditioner from when I use them on my head does the trick. Remember, a real man is not too fussy!