To Beard Or Not To Beard?

Beards were once the trademark of only Father Christmas, old hippies and that weird neighbour your mum told you to avoid. Razor adverts flaunted Beckham’s silky smooth finish and even the most modest of crops would see you ridiculed in public.

Recently, however, beards have been sprouting their furry little tufts everywhere. Is this a craze we should be welcoming?

For most students, around the time they hit university, beards become a possibility. Previously mocked by older relatives for his baby faced sheen, the male student finds himself investing in costly Gillette razors , shaving cream and, if you’re really into your male grooming, moisturiser.

The expenses soon rack up though, with the average man spending around £220 a year on grooming products, according to the Daily Mail. Wouldn’t it be more economical to stop shaving? Not only can you save money and time, there are a whole host of other benefits to growing your very own facial fleece.

Beards prove a great prop when out on the pull. Mysterious, mature looking and trendy, they are perfect for catching the eyes of that certain lady friend.

And if you haven’t a clue how to talk to girls, you don’t have to worry – your beard will provide an instant ice breaker.

‘Why do you have a beard? How long have you been growing it? Do you store a small stock of supplies in there in case of an apocalypse?’

The questions people have about beards are endless. They also trigger memories of an era of beards long gone, back when cavemen hunted for food and defended their girlfriends from menaces such as pterodactyls and other such deadly beasts.

You can have all sorts of fun with styling your beard too. Just look at this guy:

We prefer before…

Growing you own beard means you can count yourself amongst a long line of bearded and famous Pogonophiles (that’s beard lovers). Mr T and Chuck Norris would be nothing without their signature beards, and Michael Fassbender, Danny Dyer and Tom Hardy are among a long list of celebrities to recently jump on the hairy wagon.

You can even use them for carrying useful items, such as pegs.

Hell, you don’t even have to be a dude to rock this trend – this is something everyone can join in. 23 year-old Harnaam Kaur from Slough, has been in the news recently for growing her beard since the age of sixteen and claims to feel if anything, more feminine for it.

Even in Japan, widely considered a worldwide fashion capital, women have been donning ‘bean beards’ for art:

Sure, if you’re growing a real beard, there can be downsides. Perhaps your beard is sort of patchy or just refuses to grow in certain areas. Maybe you keep getting food stuck to it. This however, is the beauty of the beard. Just like its owner, every beard is unique, and will ultimately add mystique and class to your already charming character. Beards, welcome back.