Do you have a quarantine beard?

With some barbershops shuttered for the last several months, it’s no surprise that lots of guys are roaming around looking like Rip Van Winkle. Even celebrities and politicians are not immune. If you were to Google “lockdown beard” right now, you would probably see a picture of Canadian Prime Minister, and northern heartthrob, Justin Trudeau sporting a grown-out mop of hair and chin whiskers. But you may not be surprised to hear that even Mrs. Trudeau has not always been a fan of her husband’s mobile tea strainer, as the beard is colloquially known in some parts of Canada.

You’ve probably heard at least a few of the other disgusting beard monikers, which I will not repeat in this blog. But I have discovered the reason for so many nicknames: the majority of bearded people do not wash or groom their beards on a regular basis. And consider (but only for about three seconds, because your mind could go to some very dark places) the kind of germs that might be living in there. 1…2…3…time’s up!

So, here’s what the grooming experts at Sweet Earth have to say about beard care. First, your beard’s health is all about taking care of the skin. So always use a high-quality beard wash, specially formulated for cleansing both the skin and hair. Always cleanse in circular motions in an upward direction. Be gentle with your skin. Beards also need to be moisturized and conditioned regularly with a beard oil, which will both moisturize and minimize stray hairs.  For growing your beard, it’s always best to style rather than cut—at least until you can get to the barber and have it done properly.

Photo credit Jonathan Borba