For a lot of men, a beard isn’t just some hair, or even a fashion statement: it’s a lifestyle. A truly magnificent beard requires a lot of dedication, and a lot of effort to upkeep.
So, like anything, it becomes a core part of someone’s identity. Plus, it makes it a whole lot easier to shop for them. Here’s some things you can buy to make your bearded man’s life a little brighter, and a little easier.
Beard Oil
Beard oil has been given a lot of fantastic properties by people, some base din fact and others unproven. But there’s one thing everybody agrees on: a great beard needs great beard oil.
Beard oil is basically conditioner but for your facial hair. It not only improves the quality of the hair itself, but keeps your face moisturized under its wooly coating and makes sure it doesn’t start to dry out and flake. Nobody wants beard dandruff, and just the same nobody wants a scratchy beard.
Beard oil is something every bearded man needs, and it’s one of those gifts you can’t have too much of, unlike something more tangible and less replaceable. It’s even better if you buy it in multiple scents, so they have a choice of what “flavor” to use when they gussy themselves up.
Straight Razor
Even the beardiest beardy man needs a good razor, and it doesn’t get better than a high quality straight razor. When it comes to precision, close shaving they can’t be beat and they help keep that neckline trim and smooth as the perfect contrast to the bushier parts of the beard.
Beard Trimmer
The beard trimmer, on the other hand, is something needed for the beard itself. It’s the rare man who wants an infinitely growing beard, and an even rarer one who’d want a beard down to their knees that just looks unkempt and gnarly.
A beard trimmer keeps every hair in its place, to the perfect length set by the man wearing it.
There are a number of quality ones on the market, and if you know your bearded man doesn’t have a high quality one (or theirs recently broke), it’s a great idea for a gift.
And hey, even if they do have one, it has to give out eventually, right? No harm in having a backup.
Beard Brush
A quality beard brush should have two things: a nice looking wooden handle and real boar bristles. Assuming both of these things are true, you know you’ve bought a quality product.
That makes it an incredibly easy gift to vet before you buy, and it may be something the average man doesn’t own yet.
Stiff boar bristles are perfect for exfoliating the face under the beard and keeping the beard itself straight and tidy without too much worry of it just falling apart due to being combed through some of the thickest, coarsest hair it’s possible to grow on the human body.
Beard Shaper
This little gadget is an extremely handy tool for any bearded man, and helps ensure a precise shave so the beard doesn’t come out looking lopsided.
There’s a lot of variety in quality here, both on the spectrum of utility and construction. A wooden shaper looks much nicer overall, but often doesn’t have a built-in comb or ruler. A plastic shaper has the opposite problem, being arguably more useful, but less durable and distressingly ugly.
Decide which you think your man would prefer before pulling the trigger on a specific model.
Beard Wax
The ultimate beard styling tool, beard wax isn’t necessarily for everyone, but what makes it a perfect gift is it’s not something that most people would think to get, and it’s inherently a bit more interesting than most beard products.
Even if the bearded man in your life likes to go a bit simpler with their beard styling, bushier types might still love the opportunity to just play around with different styles, curling their beard in impossible directions, and just having fun with it.
Beard Novelties
This is a catchall category for “weird beard-related kitsch”. This definitely isn’t for everyone, but if your bearded man has a bit of a corny sense of humor, or you just want a cheap gag gift to go along with the real one, a “World’s Best Beard” mug or “beard length comparison” t-shirt might be the perfect thing to get your bearded man.
You might even be able to guilt them into wearing it if they’re not into it! It’s fun for everyone.