The UrbanLumberHipSexual

People love labels. They make us feel safe. They allow us a convenient way to place others into categories so we feel as though we know what we're dealing with. It's not that surprising, really--it's a built-in survival mechanism. If Grok the cavemen didn't have something in place to help make immediate value judgments, he would have been eaten by something that did. We've come a long way since Grok. Maybe it's time to reconsider the wisdom of holding onto value judgments that are unnecessary and counterproductive in today's world.

It seems there's always a new label to put on guys with Beards. Beatnik. Hippy. Mountain man. Hipster. And the most recent label du jour: Lumbersexual. It's a play on the term "metrosexual" and is used to describe the guy who's jettisoned Ryan Seacrest suits for $300 patched jean and custom-tailored flannel shirts. And a Beard. Labels are a funny thing. They almost never fit as well as we like to think they do. The reason I have such an aversion to labels is because I never come close to fitting the ones people impute to me. I'm amazed at how many people who have known me for a couple decades have slapped down the now-defunct "hipster" label on me, simply because I grew a Beard. It was so comical to me that I decided to show them what Hipster Jeff would actually look like. Before the short hair, I was a 'Hippy".

The Beardsmith™ mission is to provide quality, affordable Beard solutions. But that's only part of the story. We're here to be a part of transforming the way Beards are viewed and accepted at large. To us, Beards aren't a fad or something used to paint a predefined picture of someone. Having a Beard is simply a grooming choice. It's a natural part of being a human male. In modern history, having a Beard has often been seen as a counter-culture indicator. In today's world, where CEO's wear jeans and sport visible tattoos, this just isn't the case anymore. Trying to attach labels to a man simply because he has a Beard is one of the last holdouts of the counter-culture value judgement. And The Beardsmith™ is here to help it find the door. And yes, we're going to give it a swift kick in the ass on its way out.

Do you have a Beard? Good. Guess what we're going to call you. A guy with a Beard. Anything beyond that is to support a labeling response that is outdated and provides no value to anything. Are you actually a beatnick, hippy, mountain man, hipster or lumbersexual? Go ahead and be one, we don't care what you call yourself. We just care about you and your Beard. So get out there and grow it. We'll call that good enough. It's the only way to get to the point where others stop trying to categorize us simply because we refuse to have an unnaturally bald face. Fortunately for us, dropping labels probably isn't going to result in us becoming breakfast.

Seinfeld Beard Syndrome

One of the classic episodes of Seinfeld is when Jerry decides to have a threesome. He gets everything set up, he's on the brink of going through with it, and at the last minute he backs out. Why? Because he doesn't want to be "that guy". He says if he goes through with it, then he'll have to grow a pencil mustache, wear a robe around the house all day, keep massage oils on the bedside table, and he just doesn't want to go there.

Many men have a similar feeling about growing a Beard. If I grow a Beard, the sentiment goes, I'll have to spend time and energy maintaining it, I'll have to groom it, put oils in it, I'll have to wear flannel shirts...it all seems like more hassle than a lot of guys want to deal with. It's true, having a Beard does come with some inherent maintenance. Unless, that is, you're OK being like I was several years ago when I grew a Beard and spent zero time maintaining it. The reaction from my mother, who hadn't seen me in some time, made me rethink my effort. "You look like a cross between Charles Manson and the Geico Caveman" wasn't quite what I was shooting for.

The truth is, properly maintaining a Beard doesn't need to take any more time, energy or effort than maintaining a bald face. The daily ritual of shaving usually takes more time than the daily maintenance needed for a Beard. To have a healthy Beard, you don't need to--and shouldn't--spend the time to shampoo it every day. Doing so strips it of vital oils and nutrients that are integral to its health. After showering, it takes me less than a minute to apply my Beardsmith Beard Grease™ and groom it to standards that elicit cat calls of "Dude, wicked Beard!". Because the Beard Grease provides all-day hold, I don't need to worry about it the rest of the day. It stays tamed and in shape as it's being conditioned throughout the day. And for those extreme low-maintenance mornings when you want to roll out of bed, throw on a hat and go about your day--Beard Grease is a one-minute, all-day solution to bed Beard.

Of course, growing a great Beard goes beyond the daily maintenance. You need to trim up the strays and line out the cheeks and neck. This indeed can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you want to make sure it looks right. When I do it myself, most times I think I've done quite a fabulous job at setting the lines and shaping the Beard. Most times I am embarrassingly wrong. Even with a mirror, it's more difficult than one would expect to get the full picture and perspective needed to do a clean, symmetrical job. I have a funny thing I like to do to small kids (under about age 6)--I tell them if they turn their head fast enough they can see their ears. Every time I try to clean up my own beard, I feel like the 4-year-old making attempt after attempt to catch the slightest glimpse of his ears. That's where your Beard's best friend, The Beardsmith, comes in. Wendy is a pure craftsman when it comes to keeping your Beard trimmed and shaped. Her passion for the Beard, her knowledge and her skills ensure that it's done right. And you get to pawn the task off to someone else.

You don't have to be "that guy" in order to have a well-maintained, healthy Beard. With surprisingly little care and effort (along with the right product and Beard professional), you can grow a full face of man hair without having your mother compare you to a prehistoric serial killer. And the flannel shirt is optional.

The Beard Solution - Lining It Out

 

How not to line out your Beard

Every guy that sits in my barber chair for a Beardsmithing is either a veteran beardsman, seasonal beardsman or a newbie to bearding.  Every one of them is looking to me for a beard solution, so I thought it would be fun to make a weekly post about some of the issues bearded guys face and offer some great tips!
 

The most common question is this, "Where should my neck line begin or end?" A lot of guys are kinda clueless about what the heck to do with the neck line. No one wants a crazy looking neck beard. Most men shave the neck line way up to the chin area or way above the Adams apple because they want to avoid looking unkepmt. (Yes, that's the correct term, not unkept, Google it!). That is totally fine if your beard isn't protruding past your chin, but it also produces a wispy looking beard with alot of maintenance. The beard won't look full and rich and those wispy hairs end up breaking off. Then, you are left with a scraggly beard. At the other end of the spectrum, some guys just don't give a shit and let the neck beard grow. Well, we all know what that produces.

 

So, here is the solution. If you have a few months growth and it's growing past the chin, past the jaw line, look at your beard straight on in the mirror. First, stroke it a little because you have earned this magnificence and yes, you should be proud. Second, look at where the length of the beard at the chin falls to your neck line. Is it right above the Adams apple? Then, only shave the neck to that point. Same with the jaw line. Your goal is to let your beard fill into fullness. Let the beard grow underneath your chin and let it meet up with the hair on your face. Keep it lined out on the sides and under the chin area below the Adams apple and angle up the sides to the jaw line. Basically, only shave what you can see beyond the Beard. Once it grows past the Adams apple - you shouldn't have to shave the neck anymore. Throw that razor away!!! Sounds simple right? It's not as simple as it sounds, especially if you are new to the concept, so that's where I come in. If you need help setting your line, just make an appointment for a Beardsmithing with me.
 

If you've just now realized you've been shaving way too high and need to let it go in order to let it fill in, you know it's going to be a bit of a process. So, I would suggest getting some Beardsmith Beard Grease, massage a light amount into the new growth area to combat any itching and to help fortify those new hairs for superior beard growth. We developed the Beard Grease as a solution for guys who need a product to condition, sooth, and make the beard look and feel amazing.

If you have any questions, ask away. Next week, Mustache Solutions!!!
 



The Perfect Cup

Flying M Coffeehouse, Boise, ID

What does coffee have to do with Beards? As far as I'm concerned, everything. Especially if it's real coffee, not the 40 Fathom Coffee my parents make (even when it's 40 fathoms deep, you can still see the bottom of the cup), or the non-coffee-flavored coffee where they pour hot flavored milk into a cup and wave a coffee bean over it. I'm talking real coffee. The kind where you have to swish your cup around in order to not end up with a dark sludge in the bottom of the cup when you're done. That kind of coffee and Beards go together like...well, like real coffee and Beards. No further explanation necessary.

Coffee has played an important part in The Beardsmith™ story. A shared love of coffee was the catalyst for striking up a conversation with Wendy when we met. When I saw her French press, I knew she was my kind of woman. Since then, coffee has been an integral part of our life together. We're both total and complete coffee whores, and it's an indulgence we feed throughout the day, every day. Our perfect end to a day is to brew up some coffee, relax on the blue nest (more to come about that in a later post) and unwind.

For years, I worked a block from Flying M Coffeehouse in Boise and was there a couple times a day on most days. It's the kind of place where you walk in and immediately know you want to grab some coffee, sit down and just hang out for a while. It's a place for people of all flavors to congregate. It's not uncommon to sit down on one of the plush couches and have a complete stranger start talking with you as though you're their best friend. And it's loaded with Bearded guys. It's where we met Victorio, who has unofficially become the official Beardsmith model. And Flying M roasts their own coffee beans. It is, hands down, my favorite coffee in the world. It's only fitting that we included Flying M coffee in our Beardsmith Beard Grease™.

So how does one make the perfect cup of coffee? In my book, there's only one way: with fresh coffee beans and a French press. Here are the steps to making the most luscious coffee that can be had:

• You must start with fresh-roasted, freshly-ground beans. I always thought what made a good bean was the amount of oil you can see on the outside of it. The darker the roast, the more likely the oils are to come to the surface. However, the more dry the bean looks on the outside, the fresher the bean.
• Start some water to boil and grind your coffee. I recommend a good burr grinder instead of a blade grinder (here's a good article on why). For a 32 oz French press, grind enough beans for 8 cups and pour the ground coffee into the press.
• Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat, let it sit for a few seconds and allow it to come off the boil a little (180-190 degrees is ideal). Pour the water into the French press until full. Do not put the plunger on the press at this point.
• Let it sit. The grounds will absorb some of the water and the water level will go down. If the level goes down drastically, thank yourself for having really fresh beans.
• After 2 minutes, stir the mixture, add water to fill it back up, place the plunger on the French press and press it down half way. Wait.
• After another 2 minutes, press the plunger all the way down.
• Pour.
• Enjoy.

I use cream in my coffee. As in CREAM. Not milk, not half-and-half, but full on heavy whipping cream. I add just enough to make it a dark caramel color. Carly Simon runs through my head every time I make coffee, because when the perfect amount of heavy cream is added to the rich, dark love that comes from a French press, it looks like clouds in your coffee.It balances everything perfectly, leaving you with a full-bodied, smooth cup of coffee that makes you close your eyes, part your lips and slowly exhale after the first sip.

So there you have it. The perfect cup of coffee, along with a little background about The Beardsmith and how we came to include Flying M Coffeehouse coffee in our Beard Grease (which, consequently, is available at Flying M).

Yin and Yang of The Beard

Having a Beard has some definite benefits. Not having the hassle and discomfort of shaving every day or every few days, embracing the natural order of things, automatically increasing the attractiveness factor, making winter blizzards your bitch--these are some of the obvious ones. Here are some of the completely unexpected things I've experienced:

• Random women will stop me and ask if they can touch me. Before having a Beard, the number of times this happened--ever, in my entire life--is exactly zero.
• I've been given free stuff, simply because someone liked my Beard.
• Walking down the street, passersby will say things like, "That dude is a BEAST!"
• I've met a lot (and I do mean a LOT) of very quality people via the Bearding community.

On the flip side, we've all heard some really dumb things about Beards, whether it be statements or questions. The dumbest one I've ever heard was several years ago. Yes, I actually heard these words drop from someone's face: "I don't like Beards. People have Beards because they're hiding something." What better way to deflect attention from one's own sins than to point to an attribute you lack and declare a moral statement about it! The obviously unBearded guy who says, "You can't trust anyone with a Beard!" is unwittingly identifying himself as the guy you really have to watch out for.

Tell us some of the unexpected benefits your Beard has brought, as well as the most ridiculous things someone has said to you about Beards.

Father Forgive Me

I have a confession to make. It feels like sacrilege of the highest order, a mortal sin which surpasses the reach of forgiveness. But it's the truth, it's what's real. I never really wanted to be a "Beard Guy". It's not that I wanted to not have a Beard. For most of my life, the paths I've chosen didn't lend themselves to having a Beard. Straight out of high school, I entered the US Army, which by definition requires daily Beardicide. A combination of that ingrained habit and being in work environments that generally embrace non-Beardedness led to me being mostly without facial hair for most of my life. I moved from shaving every day to mostly keeping stubble--a few days' growth at best. Between adhering to the preferences of employers and relationship partners, it never really went beyond that (with the exception of sporting a closely-cropped goatee for a while). And I certainly didn't want to be defined by my facial hair, or lack thereof.

When I met Wendy, I soon found that she had a....I was going to say "thing for Beards", but I have to be honest and call it what it is...a longstanding Beard fetish. She has always loved a man with facial hair. When I realized that growing a full-on Beard would not only not be a problem, but would be preferred, I got a little excited. I'm pretty much a low-maintenance guy. You'll usually find me in a T-shirt, jeans or cargo pants and a pair of Sanuks. I don't fawn over my appearance all that much. One of the reasons I had longer hair for so long was so I could roll out of bed, run a hand through my hair and look presentable. The thought of not worrying about shaving was very enticing.

Once I started growing a Beard, I noticed that there is quite a large Bearding community. I never really wanted to be a part of that. I thought a Beard is just something I have, I don't need to create a lifestyle around it. Making a big deal out of it just made it seem too high-maintenance for my liking. But then a funny thing happened. I found that I didn't just want to let my Beard grow wild. I wanted to keep it in nice shape, to keep my neck and cheeks lined out (having a Beardsmith take care of those things makes it SO much easier, which fits with my low-maintenance model). I found that using a quality product like The Beardsmith Beard Grease makes an appreciable difference in the look, feel and ease of maintenance of my Beard. And I found something else-- the people I've met who are serious about their Beards are by and large very kick-ass people. There is something about the community of guys who have chosen to actively grow a Beard. There's a camaraderie, a sense of community, a common thread between our lives. It may seem silly to some. And it very well may be, but no more silly than any other group of people who are bound by a common interest or pursuit.

So you could say I begrudgingly became a "Beard Guy". I didn't become one because I had to or felt compelled to, I did because it was the natural consequence of growing a Beard, wanting to take good care of it and meeting other guys who take their Beards seriously. Today I embrace what some call The Bearded Lifestyle. At first I saw that notion as an unnecessary complication and overstatement of something that should be kept simple. Now I see it as part of getting back to roots and helping to support a man's freedom to let nature take its course.

I'm Not The Beardsmith™, I Just...

In trying to complete the thought in the title, several options come to mind:

• ...play one on the internet.

• ...help manage some of the nuts and bolts behind the scenes.

• ...have my own personal Beardsmith™.

• ...sleep with the real Beardsmith™.

Any of which would be accurate. Let me introduce myself: I'm Jeff Summers. I'm a software developer, a more-amateur-than-I'd-like-to-be photographer, and I'm the partner (in business and in life) of Wendy Rose. She is the one and only Beardsmith™. She's the one who tossed corporate life in order to dive--pretty much blindly--into a new venture for which she had no experience. She's the one with the sick Beard grooming and razor fading skills. It's her passion for generally helping guys look their best, and more specifically her passion for the Beard part of them, that makes her so amazing at her craft.

Though she is The Beardsmith™, as with our non-business partnership, where you find one of us, you're sure to find the other. We're each very distinct, very independent, individual people with a strong sense of self, yet when we come together it's almost as if we meld into a single energy source with a singular focus. It's really hard to describe, it sounds a little weird, and it's really damn cool. When she decided to pursue a path that has ultimately become The Beardsmith™, it was natural for me to support her in any and every way I possibly could. I knew even before she started that she was going to be hugely successful.

So in one sense, she and she alone is in fact The Beardsmith™. I'm more than happy to let her flourish in her success, because it's well deserved due to her sacrifice, hard work, diligence and passion. But she always says it's been a team effort. She would tell you I'm the inspiration for what she does, but the reality is my Beardedness has been completely inspired by her. The self-effacing part of me wants to wave off the notion that I have anything to do with where she is, but we do make a pretty good team, and we feed off of each other's energy, excitement and ideas. She wanted me to be the face of The Beardsmith™ blog, to give some of my perspective on Bearded life. So here I am.

I'll be posting regular updates about all things Beard. If something non-Beard-related comes to mind, I'll probably find a way to weave the Beard into it. Both Wendy and I are straight-forward, no BS people, so I'm going to keep things real here. I'm hoping this will become the gateway for discussions about Beards, life and whatever else may come up. I really hope you find The Beardsmith™ Blog to be either a) useful; b) entertaining; c) at least intriguing enough to keep coming back.

Stay tuned, grab your Aquafina and let's take this punk rock party up a notch!

jeff

No Shave November Tip of the Day - Casual Friday For The Face

It used to be that a lot of employers would have Casual Friday. It started off being a day when you could wear khakis and a polo shirt on Friday. It evolved to allow jeans and maybe even a T-shirt. At some point, a large number of employers saw that it really is OK to wear casual clothes, business doesn't suffer, and many have adopted casual clothing as the norm rather than something reserved for the end of the week.

Many people see No Shave November as Casual Friday for the face. It's become a wide-spread phenomenon, to the point that it is embraced by many who would otherwise prefer men in their workforce to be un-Bearded. As more and more men take advantage of being able to grow a Beard...even temporarily...the more employers will see that they have no legitimate reason to require or prefer that men go Beardless. No Shave November does at least three things for men who would like to have a Beard but generally don't have one: 1) it allows freedom of expression and to be in charge of one's appearance in accordance with nature;  2) it allows one to do away with the hassle of shaving every day (or every few days); 3) it sets an example to employers that there is no need to hold onto arbitrary grooming standards that have long since passed.

Speaking of grooming, as you go through No Shave November--whether you are just a NSN newbie or grow a Beard throughout the year--it's important to keep your Beard trimmed and in good health. This is especially important if you are in a corporate or professional environment. Using a quality Beard conditioner and tamer like The Beardsmith Beard Grease™ and having a professional Beardsmith™ keep your Beard, neck and cheeks trimmed up will allow you to set an example that men can be Bearded and professional at the same time. If enough of us follow that example, No Shave November will become as unnecessary as Casual Friday has become, and more men everywhere will feel the freedom to keep their Beards throughout the year.

No Shave November Tip of the Day - Scratching Like A Detroit DJ

When starting to grow a Beard, one of the most common reasons guys give up and euthanize it is the Dreaded Itchy Face Syndrome. Relax. Deep breaths. This phase will soon pass. Once the Beard passes the intermediate growth stage, the itching will subside.

To help get you through that phase without going crazy, it's important to keep your Beard healthy and moisturized. That's where The Beardsmith Beard Grease™ comes in. With its ridiculous combination of natural oils and moisturizers, it will condition both your Beard and skin without leaving a heavy, oily feel. So you can just relax and bask in the comfort of your new man face. And if the world is lucky, by the time December rolls around, you won't want to give up your new look.