The month of November is known for a few things. Thanksgiving, Black Friday, small business Saturday, and No Shave November. While Thanksgiving has origins deep in the history of the US and Black Friday with Small Business Saturday are meant to stimulate sales for the impending holiday season, No Shave November had a more recent start in 2009. The family of Matthew Hill founded the non-profit after he passed from colon cancer. Their goal is “to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.”
We are halfway through No Shave November and if you are part of the population that is taking part in this movement then we know you will be in one of the following stages of beard growth.
Where are you on your beard journey?
An itch between: 'Beard itch' happens when the hair is in the growth phase. Sharp edges of shaved hair scratch against the follicle's surface. This dreaded itch will become less noticeable as the beard grows.
Rough and Patchy: Hair grows in different cycles and at this stage of the beard-growing phases, you may notice that some parts of your face are better at growing hair than others. As the other hairs move into a similar growth cycle, the patches will begin to fill in
It’s not the growing phase: This is likely the most frustrating part of growing a beard. It will feel like your hair has stalled and the dreams of a long full beard are out of reach. When you've reached your 'peak beard' stage, it doesn't mean your facial hair has stopped growing, because it never does, but growth has slowed significantly.
It’s No Shave November Forever: No Shave November creates an opportunity for men to try a fuzzy face. A large majority of the men find that they want to continue on with their beard journey.
No matter where you are on your beard journey, a healthy beard takes time and maintenance
Facial hair will grow an average of ½ an inch each month. It is recommended to allow four weeks of growth before any trimming.
Don’t overwash your beard. Do wash your face daily, but there is no reason to wash your beard daily. Instead, a daily rinse with water and a wash two times a week will be best to help keep the natural oils balanced.
With a newly bearded face, be sure to take care of your facial hair. The proper grooming kit will encourage growth, retain its moisture, and allow it to look lush and healthy. Phil’s Better has a specially curated beard kit. Use the beard shampoo to cleanse your beard and follow with Phil’s Better Oil to add moisture to the face under the hair. Your kit also comes with a follicle-stimulating brush to promote hair growth.
No Shave November is only one month dedicated to raising awareness for men’s cancer. However, the popularity of a beard shows no signs of easing in the near future. There are more bearded men now than 10 years ago and the numbers continue to rise with the annual No Shave November introducing bare-faced men to beards each year.