A lot of men have beards, moustaches, goatees and stubble. But conventional beard care products often contain chemicals and fragrance oils, that don’t biodegrade when they rinse down the sink.
Avoid aromatherapy essential oils for medical conditions like epilepsy and asthma (don’t let pregnant/nursing women use these products). Avoid rosemary & citrus oils for high blood pressure. Avoid shea butter for latex allergies.
Paper Plane Beard Shampoo Bar (Rutland) creates a smooth lather and is scented with lavender and orange. To stop soap going squidgy, use a slatted soap dish. Use with Beard Trimming Scissors (in plastic-free packaging).
Men with acne often find that not shaving can help to reduce skin irritation, and can cover up blemishes & scars. See tips to prevent acne, naturally.
Beards can also offer some sun protection for covered areas. Most natural sunscreens contain pet-toxic zinc oxide/titanium oxide. So wash them off thoroughly, before allowing animal friends to lick your skin!
If you dye your beard or moustache, use good natural hair dyes (some sell kits for beards and goatees, that a lot safer than the chemist brands).
Did you know that moustache hair grows faster than any other type? How long does it take to grow a beard? It doesn’t take long to sport ‘designer stubble’. But it takes 2 to 4 months to grow a beard (or 6 years for a ZZ Top beard). In Victorian times, beards were prescribed as ‘medicine’ to prevent harmful particles entering the mouth. Years ago, there used to be a ‘beard tax’. And if you didn’t pay up, you would have to have your beard shaved off, in public!
Animal Friends with Better Beards Than You!
It’s not just humans that can grow beards, our animal friends can grow a mighty set of whiskers too.
- Orangutans have big orange beards. One of our closest relatives (their name means ‘old man of the forest’), their habitats are being destroyed by the use of palm oil. See why there is no such thing as sustainable palm oil.
- Goats have beards, hence the word ‘goatee’ for men. Male goats lick their beard to keep it clean, then use it to attract lady goats!
- Walruses have thick and bushy whiskers over their mouths, which is why the term ‘walrus moustache’ is named after our sea-dwelling friends.
- Bearded collie dogs were bred to be herding dogs, and love humans and working. These extrovert fun-loving dogs make wonderful family companions.
