Get Ready for No-Shave November with our Beard Grooming Tips

Have you ever noticed that when fall comes around more and more men are sporting beards? There are a ton of reasons why men decide to grow their facial hair but the main reason men grow their beards in November is for No-Shave November. What's that you ask. No-Shave November is a month-long journey where participants stop shaving and grooming in order to start a conversation and raise awareness about cancer prevention.  The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by letting your hair grow wild and free (something cancer patients don't always get to do during treatment). Instead of spending your money on shaving supplies, you could take that money and donate it to a charity that will help educate the public about cancer prevention and help save lives.  This campaign was started in 2009 by a Chicagoland Hill family when they decide to raise money for charity. The family lost their father to colon cancer in November 2007 and were very passionate about bringing more awareness to cancer. Since 2009, the organization has raised over $2 million dollars and hopes to one day eradicate cancer.

Two Ways to Participate
There are two ways for you and your family to get involved with No-Shave November.

1. Stop shaving and officially register on their website. You will get a personal fundraising page that can be shared on social media, via email or through your family and friends. Women can participate too - they may not grow beards but they can stop shaving their legs. It will certainly start a conversation.
2. If you're not ready to put the razor down, consider donating to a friend who is.

Beard Grooming Tips
For all of the men taking option 1, we've created a list filled with our top 5 beard grooming tips needed to stylishly make it through November. Tip #1: Keep it Clean Like the hair on your head, you need to regularly wash your beard. We suggest using a mild shampoo to gently cleanse away the dirt and grime you collect during the day. Our Aloethera Moisturizing Shampoo is perfect because the aloe softens the hair follicle but does not have an overpowering scent. Follow up with a conditioner to help strengthen your beard. Tip #2: Don't neglect your face Growing a beard is not an excuse to forgo your daily skincare routine. Make sure to still cleanse your entire face and consider still using your regular aftershave. Our Zele Aftershave Gel is perfect for the neck area because it will keep your neckline moisturized and since it's an anti-bacterial and an anti-fungal, it will keep the area clean. If you're not into aftershave, try a moisturizer made specifically men. This year, we released a product called Quench Anti-Aging Moisturizing Gel. It's made for the manly man who is also worried about showing his age. The Lab Certified Aloe Vera combined with the Hyaluronate Acid work together to fight the signs of aging.

Tip #3: Exfoliate during the growing stages Ingrown hairs are a thing. You may not experience them a lot on your face because you regularly shave but when you stop shaving ingrown hairs may start popping up. How do you combat ingrown hairs? By exfoliating of course. Quench EX Face & Body Scrub is the perfect facial scrub to help stop ingrown hairs. Our 5 in 1 Aloe Foundation will leave your skin hydrated while the apricot seeds will gently remove dead skin cells that are great at blocking the hair follicle creating ingrown hair. Tip #4: Keep it in check with a trim The whole point of No Shave November is to bring increase cancer awareness not to grow a castaway beard like Tom Hanks. Keep it in check with a regular trim. Birchbox has a great article on their blog on how to trim your beard. Check them out if your beard needs some extra love. Tip #5: Be patient & prepared Beards do not grow overnight. Like puberty, you may have a few days of really awkward facial hair. Don't let that discourage you. If you follow the above tips and keep at it, by the end of the month you can have an impressive beard. No-Shave November may turn into "Still Not Shaving December" and "I guess I'm a bearded guy January." Need more grooming tips? Sign up for our newsletter to get more tips and tricks. Follow Key West Aloe and join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.