No-Shave November

We're almost halfway into No Shave November and here's some tips to keep it going:

#1 Its all a mental thing: If you're struggling with new growth - and found yourself itching and scratching - welcome to beard boot-camp! No pain no gain. This the crucial test of your ability to withstand little sharp razor-like hair piercing through your pores - and yes some ingrown hair as well.

#2 Okay - a bit of exaggeration above - you can do a few more things to make the transition to your facial hair journey a bit more comfortable. Keep it clean, wash with mild soap, try to resist the itching urge every time you feel like it. Instead use your tips (as opposed to your fingernails) to massage the area - it will lower the sensation without causing scratches.

#3 You're in luck we've got some great beard care products on our site - to help you along. Jojoba Oil, Aloe Vera, and other great gifts from nature's garden go a long way in keeping you feel comfortable. Use a combination of products to control beard dandruff, itching, and keeping your new growth looking nice and groomed.

#4 Don't give up - its the eye of the lion not the eye of the tiger - you have to have a nice mane - have you ever seen a lion shave his mane? I didn't think so. This is a long term investment in your manliness - don't go shaving it as soon as December 1st comes around.

#5 Real Men Have Beards - we've got a great bumper sticker that we will be sending to our customers - and that's what it says. Because to go through that new growth and to keep going and not shaving - that requires patience, strength, courage, humility -- characteristics of long ago found in a few today. Do you have them? If so where's your beard?

Bearded President Gets The Olympic Bid

While it would have been fun for the US to host another Olympic Games - and especially Chicago with its diversity, Lake Michigan beaches, and famed sporting culture -- it was just not meant to be.

The IOC had released an earlier report criticizing aspects of Chicago's bid -- but a first round elimination was shocking to say the least. You can dissect this decision in many ways. What went wrong? and did Rio get the games because there have been no Olympic Games on the South American continent.

I'm sure there are going to be a number of wild and wacky theories as to how the decision was arrived at in Copenhagen on October 2nd, 2009 - so let me just suggest one theory based on our expertise: facial hair.

Basically - President Lula (his full name is: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva), who is the President of Brazil and will be organizing not only the Olympic Games in 2016 in Rio, but they also have the World Cup in 2014 -- he's got a beard.

Yup - that's it, he's got a nice, beard that sent a message that "We are unique, welcoming, diverse and you don't have to read that in some fancy brochure - you can tell that just by looking at my beard"

Click here to see a picture of his beard

So I have a tip for countries preparing for the 2020 bid - grow a beard!

Gov. Paterson shaves beard then mustache

The New York Times has a nice 3 picture collage on their site that shows Gov. Paterson going from beard to mustache to completely clean shaven.

Unfortunately I would have rather preferred it going in reverse with the latest picture showing the Governor with a nice beard. Too bad -- we would have even happily offered some proper beard care products.

Click here to read the article and view the pics.