It’s November, er, my mustache got in the way. Make that, Movember.

The month of harvest, fall decorations, Thanksgiving, and yes, hairier faces. Sure, beards are hot these days. But in Movember they are actually doing more good than just looking good.

As part of the Movember campaign, Mo Bros let their mustaches grow for a cause by setting aside their razors to raise money for men’s health issues. (No Shave November is a different campaign that encourages men and women to forgo their facial and body hair maintenance for the month, and donate what they would have spent on razors and waxing to the American Cancer Society.)

Great causes, but all of this extra hair needs some tending to. Unless you plan to get your Grizzly Adams look on, you are going to need some good grooming products. And thanks to the facial hair fad, natural men’s grooming products abound.

Movember Natural Beard and Skin Care Essentials for the Hairy Man

Beard Oils: As with facial oils, beard oils are hot on the organic personal care scene. These healthy oil combos keep skin and hair soft and moisturized, and help to maintain a well-groomed look. They also smell terrific. Some to try are Brooklyn Grooming Beard Oil – Red Hook, Honest Amish Classic Beard Oil, and Valor Beard Balm – Firewood.

Beard Balms: If you like a bit more structure to your ‘stache or beard, or have a longer beard you need to wrangle, a balm may be more up your alley. Emollient like an oil and not quite a wax, a decent balm will help with hair maintenance while giving a smoothed effect. Try Beard Balm’s selection of waxes, or Badass Beard Balms in an even wider selection.

Mustache Wax: So you’ve decide to go full on handlebar for this whole no shave deal, huh? Okay, you are going to want to invest in a ‘stache wax. Get some firm hold going with Badger Mustache Wax. It also gives a glossy shine.

Beard Soap: Keep your scruff sparkly clean with the help of Brooklyn Grooming Beard Soap. The perfect way to start your day. Or suds up with a slab of Honest Amish Beard and Body Soap.

As for you ladies…if you do decide to take on the no shave challenge, at least it is pants and long sleeve season. To help keep your spirits up while enduring the fuzziness, have a scroll at these hairy beauties.

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Image of man with beard and mustache via Shutterstock

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I had no idea that growing a beard meant diving (beard first) into a conversation about societal constructs. Who knew facial hair could make such a difference?

So, I’m a white guy, and being a white guy means being relatively free to do and be whatever I want without fear of being treated differently — let alone facing real, toxic discrimination — based on the way I look. It’s not fair, but it’s largely the truth.

One of my only physically differentiating factors is my brown, bushy beard, and surprisingly, it has taught me a lot about gender, society’s expectations, and maybe even a smidgen about racism.

Turn down the beard, turn up the body image issues

Men are not subjected to anywhere near the level of body shaming that women face, but as I’ve come to discover, even a tiny bit can sting.

For a lot of men, there’s shame and disappointment in the inability to grow “proper” facial hair, and shaving mine for the first time in over a year was a difficult glimpse into that world. Shaving my beard meant losing part of who I am, part of my (perceived) masculinity, and part of my identity. It was a lifestyle shift I was not prepared to make.

Without a beard, social interactions became notably different; I felt taken less seriously at work; my girlfriend at the time even told me in blunt honesty that she “just wasn’t attracted” to me without it.

Ouch.

But in playing devil’s advocate against myself, she sort of had a point: the ever-growing popularity of beards have made them into somewhat of a masculine expectation, so voluntarily going against the grain (zing) with a bare face means choosing the look that society may deem “lesser” at the moment. And though it’s important to realize we are solely responsible for how we accept or react to situations like this, feeling comfortable in your own skin can be a difficult proposition under any circumstances.

The “Ron Swanson Effect”

Some of history’s greatest minds and leaders — Honest Abe, Ernest Hemingway, and beyond — donned serious facial foliage, which sensibly correlates given that beards have been shown to give off signals of maturity, independence, aggression, and leadership, which are all traits of typical alpha males. That being said, television and the internet have popularized hypermasculinity and reinforced stark gender roles to the point of pure caricature, and Ron Swanson — Nick Offerman’s character in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” — is the perfect example. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big “Parks and Rec” fan, but it’s disappointing how wildly popular Swanson’s bastardization of masculinity has become.

The most common associations my beard receives: Steak. Guns. Liquor. Lumberjack (I live in Seattle). “Duck Dynasty”. Drugs. Terrorist (seriously?). Beer. Bacon (internet, I’m extra blaming you for this one). Sure, these can be humorous on occasion, but why must we perpetuate such an antiquated view of masculinity when the world is being opened up to such a fluid range of personal identity?

In my experience, being bearded has automatically cast a wide array of associations and assumptions about my personality, abilities, interests, and opinions all with one glance. And although my bearded archetype is nowhere near the toxicity of actual racism, as a white dude, it’s the closest thing I’ve experienced.

Growing a beard often means being subjected to every expectation of what a man “should be,” when in reality, having a beard means one thing, and one thing only: you can grow hair on your face.

Follow Garth on Twitter @garthinkingcap

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Photo by Alejandro H.

The post The Beard Identity: What Growing a Beard Taught Me About Gender Roles (and Maybe Even Race) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Facial hair removal techniques are many. But which one is right for you?

Hair removal often comes at a price – it’s expensive to maintain, it can hurt (a lot) and can wear and tear your skin beyond comfort to the point where scarring is involved. Well, the thing is, there’s no all-natural, pain-free remedy for hair removal once and for all – at least not yet – but there are ways to do it in the least harshest, safest way possible that lets your skin be clear of unwanted hair whilst preserving the youth of your skin. Your job is to filter through the options to find which one is best for you and your skin type.

1. Waxing

These days, waxing is quite safe, since there has been a shift from petroleum-based waxes to soy-based ones. It can also be inexpensive relative to other hair removal techniques and, despite the short pain spurts, it’s a one-and-done deal. You may experience slight redness on the area waxed after a session, but it goes away within a few hours. Be sure to keep the area moisturized with a natural oil. Waxing removes hair from the root but is not permanent and will require regular and frequent upkeep.  It is also important to get waxed by someone who keeps up with sanitation standards and properly disinfects the area before waxing.

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Image: mytudut

The post Which Facial Hair Removal Technique is Best for You? appeared first on EcoSalon.

It’s Movember, the month when men grow out their facial hair to raise awareness for testicular and prostate cancer, or as my friend calls it “Natural Birth Control Month.” 

Whether you’re suffering from facial-hair-overload, or basking in the scruffiness, we’ve rounded up 13 things women love and hate about Movember.

We Love

The rugged manliness of facial hair (scientifically proven, especially after ten days of growth).

We Don’t Love

Your cheek cactus raking our skin as we cuddle up against you.

We Love

The raw biological signals your beard subconsciously sends us: Full facial hair is an indication of maturity, health and fertility.

We Don’t Love

When you wonder out loud about styling your facial hair like Ron Jeremy, Dali, or the hipster banjo player that is often mistaken for a bench-sleeper.

We Love

Your unwavering dedication to Movember and your fellow man.

We Don’t Love

When you run your fingers through the scruff upwards, and momentarily morph into Zach Galifianakis.

We Love

When you stroke your beard in deep thought like ye olde college professor.

We Don’t Love

The Instagram selfies of your beard’s progression.

We Love

A month of not having to clean up your fallen warriors out of the bathroom sink.

We Don’t Love

When you ask if you might as well keep going until December, and get a part time job as Santa Claus.

We Love

That yes, your facial hair is sexy.

We Don’t Love

When you think we are just jealous because we can’t grow facial hair. Trust me, we have plenty of stuff to shave already.

We Love

When the month is over, and your clean shave reminds us of a dashing James Bond or one of the 98% of men working in a fortune 500 company.

Keep in touch with Juliette on twitter @spadesandsiLK

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Image: rowenawaack

The post 13 Things Women Love (And Hate) About Movember appeared first on EcoSalon.

Mustaches have oft been seen to be the mark of a man. From the refined whiskers of Hollywood gentlemen to the more masculine mo’s of 80s teen heart-throbs, the humble mustache defines generations. And they are well and truly back in vogue! Everywhere you turn, men are rocking facial hair like it’s 1985. Even initiatives like Movember are encouraging men to embrace their facial locks while raising money and awareness for a good cause. As versatile as they are diverse, do you know the difference between the Handlebar, the Jigsaw, and the Artiste? If not, we’ve got you covered.  

The Artiste

French painters popularized this Parisian look which is reserved for only the most stylish sophisticates. Whiskers can be worn in the traditional neat and tidy way, or you can add wax to the tips for a truly artistic flair (think Salvador Dali!)

The Rockin’ Stache

Made famous by rock legends (like Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison (above) and The Beatles), the Rockin’ Stache had its time in the sun in the 60s and 70s. Many see this style as one that signals stardom and in fact, it is often referred to as “the musical moustache.”

The Horseshoe 

Hulk Hogan really nailed this iconic trend with his over-the-top style, but the horseshoe mustache has been coveted by many and sometimes jokingly associated with virility and masculinity. Reserved for only the manliest of men (whatever that means), cowboys have also rocked this look.

The Commitment-Phobe

For those not quite sure whether they are ready to embrace the full mo, the barely there mustache is the perfect compromise. Often worn in conjunction with a barely there beard, the ‘almost mo’ rose to prominence in the 90s (and on the catwalk!) as a glamorous ‘on trend’ look.

The Jigsaw 

Johnny Depp helped to make this look famous. The jigsaw mustache consists of two carefully groomed pieces on the upper lip, a small patch under the lower lip and sometimes even a larger patch around the bottom of the chin.

Images: Guido Strotheide , Dion Hinchcliffe, Ford Library Museum, Mike Kalasnik, Chameleon, AKA Binsk

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