You're Gettin' the Boot!

Hey Manscapers,

Hope you've had a great week full of great beard lines. I hope you all enjoyed my first VLOG as I intend to post more as the weeks go on.

I have to say I got very excited as I was able to influence the people I live with to put up their Christmas decs a whole 8 days early. In England, a lot of families find it to be sacrilege to put up their decorations until the 1st of December, but since I am clearly American, it is tradition to suck as much out of the Christmas season as possible by starting on midnight the day of Thanksgiving. Thankfully, they have given under my influence and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.

As it's getting Christmasy and the rain is getting thicker and thicker (especially here) I thought I would start by giving some boot advice. In the winter time, it's important to have at least one nice pair of boots as they are able to be warn in any weather. Whether you want to be trudging through snow, hiking a mountain to chop (or shoot as we do in Idaho) down a Christmas tree, or just going from celebration to celebration, there is no reason why you shouldn't look good while doing it. There is something nice about a nice, sturdy pair of boots that can make you feel confident as you clomp your way into the forrest that is the world.

The world of fashion is ever-changing, as I'm sure you all are aware, and it is often centered around taking a basic concept that has been used before and making it better. Two years ago it was army boots, last year it was boots with a more pointed toe, and this year the hiking boot has come back in style.

When I first saw them in the shops, I must admit I had a bit of a flashback to the Dockers that were the trend in the late 90s with a modern twist. It freaked me out a little, but I must admit the rounded toe guards and thick soles have been shaved down just enough to make the shape more modern and ok. When paired with skinny jeans and a long, wool trench coat or leather aviator jacket, it defines a modern look. Just don't go pairing them with baggy jeans, or boot cuts and I won't report you to the 90s fashion police. Seriously.

Feel free to experiment with a boot that you feel comfortable in and don't be afraid if it happens to have more of a 'work boot' or rounded shape. After all, these boots were made for walkin! (Ok, even I'M embarrassed I just said that... Sorry guys.)

Here's a couple shots of the look I mean. I stole these from the ALLSAINTS website. Just look at how cool this whole look is.

I know their stuff is expensive, so I'm not expecting you to spend £165 on boots, I for one found some for £30 that are very similar. Once you have a look in your head, keep an eye out for sales and different brands that bring you a similar product.

As always, keep lookin' good and please let me know of anything you would like to have more information on or a VLOG on.

SUBSCRIBE!!!

Peace.

Lines for Beard Trimming How To - FIRST Video Blog

Yo! Manscapers, 

I am SO pleased to announce my first video blog. Check it! I know it's a bit rough, but my video editing/ recording/ acting skills will get better with time. 

Feel free to comment/subscribe on my YouTube channel as well! 

Keep lookin' good! 

Peace.

Tame the Beast!

Hey Manscapers, 
I hope all of you have had a great week of military appreciation wearing your Camo Jackets. I would just like to take this moment and give a huge shout out to all the amazing men and women who have laid down their lives for us to live in such a great country. (BOTH in America and Britain.) Also, for their families sacrifice. It is not easy to see your loved ones go in to a war zone. I hono(u)r you and all your hard work. No words will ever express my gratitude. 
Alright, moving on to this weeks topic; now that you've had a good, solid 12 days to start those 'staches or beards, I have a little advice to keeping them fresh as you continue throughout the month. We all know that no one wants to snuggle a stinky, greasy beard *I just vommed a little...* so let me explain how to keep your beard "snuggle friendly." 
First off, to get you in the mood to hear all about beardscaping, here's one of my favorite YouTube videos of all time talking about the importance of a beard to none other than Jesus Himself. 



Now that we all know that even Jesus the Christ appreciates a good beard, let me get on to telling you how to take care of it. 
1. Scrub scrub scrub. 
Yes, it's true, even your beard needs a good scrub. Think of it like any other hair on your head, it needs to be taken care of; especially as it catches grease and particles from your hands, food, and the air more than the hair on your scalp. Make sure you're using a good shampoo regime with your beardscaping. When you lather your scalp hair, just take your hands before rinsing and give your beard a good scrub, too. I guarantee the Mrs. will appreciate your effort and will be less likely to run every time your beard tries to attack. After all, you don't want an unknown entity like a bird to set up shop in your beard as a nesting ground without you knowing. Just sayin... 
2. Condition while you're at it. 
Even though this one isn't quite as important as the first step, it's always nice to condition the hair on your beard every once in a while, too. I know it sounds weird but think about it; what does conditioner do? Makes hair softer. Exactly. Using conditioner on your beard can take the edge off the bristle and make you that much more cuddly. You're welcome. Try this once to twice a week. 
(If you struggle with your facial skin producing a lot of oil, try using a sensitive conditioner or only conditioning once a week/ every two weeks or so as to not suffocate your pores under the beard. This will help prevent ingrown hairs and beard breakouts.) 
3. Tame the beast. 
Run a comb through it! I know all of you just got a mental picture of a man in a towel looking puzzled as he tries to run a comb through his incredible beard when the comb breaks, but in all seriousness this really does help. It can help catch any particles you may have missed in the shower and give it overall shape. Think of all the stray hairs you will be taming. It's for the greater good, I promise. 
*Make sure you get a beard comb. (yes they do exist. You can order one HERE for the US or HERE for the Uk) The small teeth are designed to groom the individual, corse hairs without trouble.* 
4. Take it for a trim. 
Don't think for a second that the wonderful, perfect shaped beards you see on the television grow that way. NO WAY. They are all trimmed to perfection on a day-to-day basis. I guarantee you. I have plans to write a post on how to trim the perfect beard line (stay tuned!) but for now I leave you with this tip, make sure you're trimming stray hairs! If you don't want to take any length off it, take some trimming scissors and run comb through it from your lip down to your chin and trim any hairs that stick out at a weird angle. Get the picture? I hope so. Otherwise, go to a local barber. They will be more than happy to help you with your mane of glory. (They'll probably even give you some tips as well.) 
5. Enjoy! 
Whether it's a twisted-ended 'stache or a braided beard of glory, rock that facial hair with confidence! 70% of looking good is all about the confidence with which you wear it around. Make sure you live up to the power of the 'stache (or beard) and show those around you whose BOSS! Like a boss. BOOM! Go ahead and BOOM YOUR TRI'S at any given moment as well. *Jeff, that one was for you.* 


'Ight, bros. Hope that helps with keeping your mane from looking mangy. Comment with any thoughts or ideas for future posts and stay tuned for some changes coming! I know I keep saying it, but I'm finally scheduling out time to make it happen. 
Peace love and manliness. Keep lookin' good. 




Also, here's a pic of my mustache progress (yes, I decided to stick with a 'stache in the end.) It's just a baby, but it's getting there. 
BOOM.

Where'd you go?! You blended right in!

Hey Manscapers,

Hope you have all had a great week and those mustaches/ beards are going strong!

I must admit, I shaved clean for the first time in over a year (minus the 'stache of course) on the First and it was really strange. Who knew I had so much skin under there?! Baby face McGee over here. It came to the point where it was difficult to look at myself in the mirror because I felt like a chubby faced 12yr old. Truth.

THEREFORE, I have decided to embrace the Noshavember part of Movember rather than just the 'stache. I promise I'm not choosing the easy way out, I just don't have enough hair on my lip to even tell I have a mustache goin' on. It looks like trashy peach fuzz on my face. Not a good look in my opinion.

After the month is over, I agree to shave my facial hair into some outrageous mustache of YOUR choosing and will wear it around for 1 WHOLE day. Promise. Leave a comment and tell me how I should shave it off.

Anyway, moving on for today, I have recently succumb to a new fashion trend here in the UK that I've decided to share with all of you; Army Camo.

Now, with many things, (the iPad included. Shhh) I tend to be a bit of a skeptic. I remember when tablets first came out I was like, "why would you want to have a giant iPhone that doesn't make calls?!" That aside, most of the time I warm up to the trends, it just takes me a bit longer than some. Such has been the same with Army Camo.

When it first debuted, I admit I was very skeptical. It looked strange to me to see models and TV hosts dressed with baggy Camo jackets over their form fitting clothing but I must admit I've warmed up to the idea. Not only is it a great shout out to those wonderful men and women who fight to keep my two favourite countries safe, it's nice to feel the warm bagginess of a camo jacket over whatever outfit you're wearing.

Greatest thing about this fashion trend? You don't need to spend loads of money to rock it! Many people haven't yet caught on to the camo revolution, so charity shops are still a great option for finding a great camo jacket. My absolute GEM of a mother just sent me one from the States that she found at a charity shop and I LOVE it. ($10 for a jacket is better than OVER $100 online!) You just gotta keep your eyes pealed for the right deals.

Just ignore the angry look and dark eyes in this picture. I'm going for a mysterious smolder, I think. Is it working? Heh heh. Jokes. 

If you don't want to risk that smell not coming out from the charity shop bargain, (soak it in baking soda water!) you can always hit up Urban Outfitters for their awesome in-season camo jackets. The great thing about buying retail is you know it's going to be a great fit. I was lucky enough to receive a charity jacket that fits me great, but that won't always be the case.  The only downside to buying retail is it's mass produced. Maybe that's the point with camo though, yeah? For everyone to look similar? Hm... Think on that one for a second.

So there you go, Manscapers. If you have an Army Camo jacket hidden away in the closet, break it out. Otherwise hit up your local charity shop (thrift store) or Urban for an awesome addition to any outfit. The great thing about Camo is it's so old it's new. And it's so new there are no rules. You can basically wear it over anything and it will look good. It's all about confidence, guys.


There you have it. Don't forget to click "Join this site" on the left side to subscribe and tell all your friends (male or female) to check out the good thing we have goin here!

Also, as always, comment or email me at manscapemonday@gmail.com with any questions, ideas for posts, or suggestions for what mustache I should shave at the end of the month!

Thanks for reading and until next time Keep Lookin' Good.

P.s. as it's the 5th of November (fireworks night) here in the UK, here's a bonus shot of my camo jacket in action (thanks again mom!) as I enjoyed some fireworks with friends. Here's my and my good friend Dre KILLIN' the sparklers like we's pro. Get it blood. Swear DOWN mate. 

You're never too old to appreciate gifts from your mother. Remember that, gents. 

Peace.