It’s all about the face

Male grooming at Cove Hair with Chyrese Carpenter

Love them or hate them, beards and whiskers are big business, and together with hair care, men’s grooming is now a fast-growing trend. Title Sussex set up a shoot with Chryrese Carpenter, stylist at Cove Hair in Brighton, to pick up some tips for keeping those whiskers in top shape.

TONY
Style: Everyday/casual
On the day of the shoot: Firstly, Tony’s beard was cut down with beard clippers in order to tidy and remove unwanted long and stray hair. We then shaped and sharpened around his jaw, mouth and cheeks in order to create definition throughout his beard, this is best achieved by following the natural flow of the beard.
Tips and Tools: Using a small pair of beard clippers with a range of guards that is adequate to the desirable length of the beard. A beard balm and comb to soften and smooth facial hair.

376A8844TONY’S GROOMING
“I would normally start the day with a shower and wash my face with Bull Dog original face wash or face scrub. I also use their moisturiser afterwards. On my hair I wash with Goldwell Dualsenses Man Thickening shampoo. I dry my hair with KMS hair play (salt spray) and then style with the dry wax spray or a thickening powder.”

How much do you spend per month on your grooming?
“Per month I would normally spend about £30 on haircuts and £10-£20 on products.”

What do you do now that you wouldn’t have dreamed of doing five years ago?
“I tend to use more than one product on my hair and face to get the results I want. I was given some great advice from my hairdresser Jenny Brown. She works here at Cove and was the one who advised me on what to use to get the results I wanted. Five years ago I would have used far too much product. It’s about working out what’s best for your hair and skin type.”

styling12Is grooming for hipsters, or the hip?
“I would say it’s for everyone. Everyone should take pride in their appearance. Why would you not want to feel good about yourself?”

Tony’s top tips
“Best advice I could give would probably be to just stick with the same products if they are working well for you. I have quite thin hair so constant use of the Goldwell shampoo is giving me the best results.”

 

HARRY
Style: Well groomed
On the day of the shoot: We wet-shaved Harry with a classic cut throat razor using a high quality shaving gel and a sharp blade in order to give him a close shave and a smooth finish. I finished the shave with a post shave balm for sensitive skin to avoid irritation.
Tips and Tools: Use plenty of warm water or a hot flannel to soften bristles. Good quality shave gel, A fresh blade every time a shave is commenced, follow the grain of the hair, rinse razor often in hot water, and post shave balm in order moisturise and cool the skin following a shave.

376A8858HARRY’S GROOMING
“First thing I usually shave and that can be anything from a touch up around my neck line to a change of facial hairstyle. Up until recently I had a fairly large beard that still involved daily upkeep. I find it weird that some guys don’t buy conditioner or face wash, not only just because I find my hair easier to style after conditioning but because it makes for healthier hair. My dad had already started balding at my age so perhaps that’s got me worried! Before I went clean shaven recently I’d use beard oil after towel drying my beard, then I’ll put some mousse in my hair and blow-dry into shape. I’ve always found my hair hard to style due to it being very fine and straight so I use a combination of a little heavy matte clay and finish up with some weaker hairspray. I’ve tried to moisturise my face after showering every day since I was about 15. I have my mum to thank for that!”

How much do you spend per month on your grooming?
“Roughly £20-£30.”

Iwetshave12s grooming for hipsters, or the hip?
“Grooming is important for hygiene and it makes me more confident. I learnt a lot of this stuff from my parents though so I’ve never seen it as much of a hipster trait.“

Harry’s top tip
“For my fine hair I like applying a tiny amount of dry shampoo after drying. It makes my hair more receptive to styling and in combination with some volumizing powder or hairspray will look good throughout the day.”

NICK
Style: Modern British gentleman
On the day of the shoot: We wet-shaved Nick leaving his moustache, using a generous amount of beard and moustache wax to style it into the handlebar.
Tips and Tools: I used a small, fine comb and strong wax as facial hair is usually very coarse and needs something tough to give it a firm hold! The products I used in the shoot were from The Brighton Beard Company.

376A8747NICK’S GROOMING
“I try to visit a barber for a wet shave at least twice a week as I enjoy the relaxation time. On other days, I shave myself with a shaving bowl and brush rather than foam. The brush helps to lift and soften the beard and the soap is kinder to the skin. On a normal day, I will lightly wax my moustache into a well kempt walrus, moisturise my face and comb my hair. On more formal occasions, I will heavily wax my moustache into a sculpted handlebar with the ends curled upwards, moisturise my face and style my hair with product. At night, I wash my moustache with Pears Soap. My family have always used Pears, so its smell has good associations for me. Also, it’s not harsh so keeps my moustache feeling soft. Then moisturise again.”

How much do you spend per month on your grooming?
“£120.”

tash12What do you do now that you wouldn’t have dreamed of doing five years ago?
“Moisturise.”

Is grooming for hipsters, or the hip?
“Grooming is for anyone who cares about their appearance and wants to look their best.”

Nick’s top tip
“Always carry moustache wax in case you need to retouch your ’tache in emergencies. I keep mine in my trouser pocket so it’s at body temperature.”

TIPS FROM CHYRESE
Men’s hair and fashion has always been an interest of mine. I feel as though male grooming has grown Chyreseand become extremely popular in recent years and I love all aspects of hair dressing, but the traditional wet shave has always really interested me as it is unlike anything I’ve done before.

I believe there’s a gap in the market for pampering services for men; a traditional wet shave is perfect as it’s both relaxing and luxurious. I wanted to bring something unique to Cove in order to expand what we can offer our clients. Being a woman, I was definitely very excited when I jumped into this role as I knew that not many women train and offer traditional wet shaves.

My Predictions
In 2016 I see men moving on from the big bushy beards and on to shorter beards or stubble, and more of the clean shaven look.

About Sam Harrington-Lowe
As the managing editor Sam is responsible for all the Title publications and works diligently to develop the brand and support relationships with all partners and clients. She runs things with her dedicated PA Ms Alice Pickle Pug