More and more men in Nottingham are ditching the baby face look and it seems the latest trend for the hairier of us is the use of beard oils to condition that facial fuzz.
With smells varying from chocolate to whisky, or sandalwood to musk, men with beards are now being encouraged to pamper themselves and keep their facial hair in good nick for both them and their other halves.
Keyworth barber shop, No1 Barber Shop, sell an exclusive range of Apothecary 87 beard oils to their customers.
Premium men’s grooming brand, Apothecary 87, produce a variety of oils that claim to soften facial hair, encourage thicker hair growth and condition skin under a beard.
One customer who swears by oils is Charles Screaton, 33, from Rushcliffe.
Now a seasoned beard grower, Charles was introduced to the beard oils on a routine trimming trip to the local barber shop and says he will never be going back.
Charles said: “It softens your beard so much, which my wife really appreciates because it used to irritate her skin a bit.
“I love the smells- the vanilla and mango is definitely my favourite.”
Beard oils date back all the way to the 1930’s but have recently sky rocketed in popularity amongst bearded men.
Made with ingredients like jojoba and sesame seed oil, the beard products are actually similar to the natural oils produced by facial glands making them easier for the skin to absorb so they can work their magic.
The beard products have even been said to have been used by Native American Indians to keep their beards moisturised in rough climates.
Owner of No1 Barber Shop, Sam Kemp, says she has noticed the growing demand for beard treatments at their shop.
She said: “It’s a necessity to use beard oil because the condition of the beard without using it is wiry- it’s like aftershave for men who don’t shave.
“When I first took over the shop not many people had been introduced to beard grooming but now there is a massive demand for it.”
Male grooming is growing in popularity according to barbers in Nottingham and Sean Christopher Harvey, owner of Sean Christopher Barbers, says the industry is a big money-maker.
It looks like the men of Nottingham are joining in on the trend and beard oil lover Charles said: “I wouldn’t be without it now.”
Keep an eye out on Notts TV’s On Demand site to see our very own Jessica Twist find out more about beard grooming.
