How to look after your new beard this Movember

It’s that time of the year (Movember!) when men around the world grow out their beards in solidarity with cancer and men’s health issues. But not all men have grown out their beard before, and have no idea what to expect. We’ve heard all sorts of questions from these beard-beginners: does it itch? Is it uncomfortable? How do I clean it? Do I have to brush it like normal hair?

Well, we’re here to answer your beard-related questions, and also shed a little light on why Movember is so important. Keep reading to find out.

Why Movember?

Movember is a combination of the words “moustache” and “November” and was started by two friends in Australia, as a challenge to bring the moustache back into fashion. It started with 30 participants, but the two friends (Travis and Luke) were inspired by how much conversation was generated. They decided to turn the challenge into a force for good.

In 2004, the year after Movember was born, the pair made their first donation to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, who became the first official Movember men’s health partner. The number of “Mo Bros” and “Mo Sisters” numbered in the thousands, and the movement spread to New Zealand.

Movember finally reached South Africa in 2010: one of our most iconic years. The Cancer Association of South Africa became an official Movember partner, and the rest is history. Now, the movement is worldwide, they donate and fight for men’s health issues, and spread cancer awareness.

So when you choose to grow out your beard, that you playing your role in a great cause. That’s you fighting for men’s health issues, and we love to see it.

Beginner’s beard tips to care for Movember

Keep it clean, keep it fresh

This beard tip definitely sounds obvious, but the key here is to use specific products to cleanse your beard. You don’t want to use your face wash or body soap for this, as they may be too harsh (soap) or not strong enough (face wash). Instead, you want to use a shampoo that’s gentle enough for your skin, while being effective enough to cleanse your beard.

A great product to try out is the TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Co-Wash. As a co-wash, it’s super gentle option with no harsh ingredients like sulphates. It’s also formulated with South African marula oil, so it will help smooth your beard in the process.

Don’t forget to condition

This is a really easy step to forget, and may even sound counter-intuitive. After all, why would you apply conditioner to you face? Well, a conditioner will soften your beard which makes it more comfortable in the long run. Soft hair always feels better on skin, so this beard tip is one to remember.

Compliment your cleanser with a conditioner that smoothes and softens your beard. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Conditioner is a great choice for this.

Moisture is key

Conditioner isn’t the only thing that helps keep your beard soft. Keeping your beard moisturised is possibly the most important beard tip we can offer (aside from regular cleansing!) And, not only will your beard feel good, but it will look great when it’s well-moisturised and healthy.

For this, you definitely want to use a lightweight product. We recommend either using a beard oil, or a lightweight, all-rounder hair oil like the TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Oil. This oil is non-greasy and will help nourish, smooth and moisturise your beard hair.

Brush it out

Okay, so now that your beard is soft, hydrated and feels comfy on your face, it also needs to look good. So this beard tip is simple: cab or brush out your beard regularly. Good grooming really can’t be underestimated. For this, you can use a fine-toothed comb or a bristled beard brush. This will help your beard look neat and it will help evenly distribute any product you’ve applied.

Neaten up

Some beards grow faster than others, and every beard grows differently. Some men have beards that grow evenly across their cheeks and jaw, others have patchy beards, and others tend to grow goatees naturally. And there are even more ways beards can grow differently, believe it or not. So whether your beard grows evenly or in a pattern, and especially if it grows super quickly, you may want to keep it neat with a bit of a trim every now and then. (Just a trim, not a full shave.) This step isn’t really necessary for Movember or any other time, but it does look good and it can help men with fast-growing beards.