Let's Face It, Quarantine Beards Are Sticking Around

During the early days of the pandemic, we were all about baking bread, working from the couch in our tie-dye sweatsuits, and—if you were a dude—growing a fulsome quarantine beard. For so many men, COVID-19 marked the end of feeling the need to shave. Men put aside their razors, clippers, and hair scissors, and grew their beards out to their full fluffy potential. Plus, all the barbers were closed, remember?

Whether this trend arose out of laziness or a desire to shake things up (or both), facial hair growth during lockdown turned into the it hobby for men. From mustaches, sideburns and goatees to wooly, voluminous lumberjack beards, men took a much-need respite from day-to-day grooming and let their facial hair freak flags fly. Clean-shaven is officially out, full beards are officially in. Bring on the handlebar mustaches, wizard beards, mutton chops, neckbeards, hipster beards, chinstrap beards, beardstaches, stubble, and so many more styles, including some we probably haven’t even heard of yet. Beards ahoy!

And now, with the month of Movember almost upon us, the mustache and beard trend shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. Do you know a Mo Bro, or are you a Mo Bro? Right on, man. Movember, or No-Shave November, is a chance for guys to show off their quarantine beards for an entire month in the name of raising cancer awareness and funding research for cancer patients, encouraging men to donate what they would normally spend at the barber, or on hair care and grooming tools, to prostate cancer and testicular cancer research. This year’s Movember campaign has expanded to include a focus on men’s mental health and suicide prevention. So men—keep those full beards growing for not just one, but several good causes! We are all about Movember around here.

But everyone’s itching (yes, pun intended) to know...what’s going to happen with the pandemic beard trend after Movember and beyond? As parts of the country are gradually reopening, the men who have grown to love and plan to keep their quarantine beards may be going back to work in person, getting together with friends and family, and having to field “what’s with the beard?” questions in person. To these men, we say: look no further for your new beard and ‘stache care routine, still low maintenance but with a touch more polish. We promise, give your beard just a little more TLC and you’ll be getting more compliments over Zoom than you can handle. Here’s how you can turn that home DIY project on your face into a ruggedly stylish look your boss, your buddies, and even your mom will approve of.

How to have a great beard

1) Start a skincare routine

We’ve got two words for you: exfoliate and moisturize. (Men, you own a facial moisturizer, right? Phew, okay, just checking.) Don’t forget to moisturize the skin under your beard—along with the rest of your face, c’mon man. Beard looking a little dry? Take the excess moisturizer on your fingertips and gently run your fingers through your beard hair for a little leave-in conditioner. Or simply use a beard oil or beard pomade to help with hydrating and styling. And exfoliation is key—especially if you’re using a beard oil regularly—since dander, dirt, and oil can collect in beards and irritate your skin. Get rid of the bad stuff by washing your beard with a dandruff shampoo that contains salicylic acid a few times per week.

2) Invest in barber tools

You’ll need clippers (or a razor, but the men in our lives tell us clippers are the superior choice) and hair scissors for maintenance, styling, and trimming. Do you have a long, full beard? You might want a beard brush in addition to these tools. When you do trim your beard, err on the side of too long...you can always touch it up later. A good rule of thumb is for your beard to end about a finger’s length above your Adam’s apple. Leave your beard hairs a little longer around your chin and a little shorter on the sides of your face. Spot any errant hairs when you’re done trimming? That’s where the scissors come in handy.

3) Get natural-looking gray coverage

This optional third step is perfect for guys looking for subtle coverage, nothing too dark or too extreme. As luck would have it, yes, you can use Madison Reed® Mr.™ Hair Color for Men on your beard and mustache. It’s ammonia-free, full of good stuff like eucalyptus leaf oil, hops extract, and black pepper seed extract...and it couldn’t be easier to do. Ready to add natural-looking color to your beard and ‘stache? Gray facial hair is typically more resistant and needs extra time to process, so if you are coloring the hair on your head, too, we recommend applying the color to your beard and ‘stache first. Apply the color gel directly to your dry, unwashed beard, then work in the conditioning activator. Wait 10 minutes, rinse and shampoo. See? Blends in so well, without that flat, shoe-polish look, so no one will be like, dude, you’re dyeing your beard. (Note: do not use our hair + beard color on your eyebrows, eyelashes, or body hair.)

Did you grow a majestic quar beard we need to see immediately, if not sooner? Or do you know a guy who’s sporting a very 2020 facial hair look? Attach your pics below, in the comments.