What to Expect When You Grow a Yeard
Sometimes growing a beard just happens. You forgot the razor one day and you start to get used to the fact that you like the bearded look. Or rather, the bearded look now likes you... Before you know it – you’re a full-fledged bearded man. Many bearded brothers will make the active decision to never shave again. Others will take it even one step further. Not only are you never going to shave again, but you’re going to actively grow your beard out for an entire year. You will reach a place many men have only dreamed of– the Yeard.
There’s a common misconception among men who grow out their beards to the longest of lengths. They believe that they will have to sacrifice cleanliness and overall looks to achieve the yeard. This is completely false. You can keep your beard looking clean, styling, and on point each day of your new yeard journey. A beard that’s been grown out for a whole year has a distinguished look to it. You’re not batting in the little leagues anymore. It’s also a great starting point for a future of new styles and beard care regimens. You’re going to get a lot of looks and praise with this new yeard. It’s definitely worth the time and effort. You can break down your year growth cycle into three stages.
In order to qualify for a genuine yeard, you avoided any sort of massive trimming undertakings. Now you’re free to do as you please. Pat your beard on its underbelly, not many men can claim this high and distinguished honor! Here are your next steps for shaping for maintenance of a yeard.
What is a Yeard?
The yeard is is a full year of uninterrupted beard growth. The goal is to grow your beard for 12 months without shaving or excessive trimming. Beards at this length have reached a milestone and are of course much fuller and longer than any regular beard. It takes commitment, smart grooming practices and of course time to reach the yeard. 365 days of pure growth will set your beard just a hair above the rest.Expectations for Your Yeard
Initial Growth Stage
On average hair grows around 1.25 centimeters or 0.5 inches per month. Some beards may grow significantly faster or slower. There are a number of different factors that go into how fast your beard grows. The initial growth stage for your yeard starts from day one to the first three to five months. It’s at this point where you’ll face common beard issues. The new hair on your face might cause you to itch, patchiness occurs and you’re adjusting to the new idea of having a beard. There is a wide range of styles in this growth sweet spot. Some men never get rid of their stubble. Others opt for a “full beard” style after a few months of growth. By the tail end of this growth stage, you’ll be entering into new length territory. This is where some of the real fun begins.Middle Ground
Anywhere from six to nine months if the midrange of yeard growth. At this point your beard length has grown to cover your neckline and there’s a general visual sense of increased length. This is also the time where you’ll begin to question if your beard growth has stalled. We can assure you – it definitely hasn’t stopped. Curly beards will look much thicker at this point as they’ve curled inwards and created a more voluminous look. Around this time you may question if you want to take it all the way to the yeard. A general rule of thumb is to wait one day per each month you’ve been growing your beard. You’ll be able to think things through and avoid any rash decisions.Yeard Lead-up
The last few months leading up to the yeard will be pretty uneventful. This is the home stretch. You’ll see a few inches of growth in the last few months. If you want to have some fun and track your beard at the same time, taking a monthly picture of your beard is a great exercise. In order to get the most out of a year length of growth, you’ll want to follow these grooming tips. The idea is to barely touch or trim the beard so you can reap the benefits of a full year of uninterrupted growth. But at the same time, you want to keep yourself looking fresh in each growth phase.
Grooming Tips
Growing a yeard doesn’t mean you can’t upkeep your beard along the way. Here’s some staple grooming tips you should use.- Cut stray hairs away with either a trimmer or scissors.
- Adjust your beard oil and balm usage as your beard gets longer.
- Trim your mustache or curl it so it doesn’t grow over your upper lip.
- Do not cut any hair growing vertically!
Final Shaping
- Even out and square up all areas of the beard. This where you can chop away below the neckline and even up with the hair that was growing from your chin.
- Shave down sideburns. Sometimes a full year’s worth of growth can put your sideburns on the wild side and not in-line with the rest of your beard. Fade accordingly to match with your hairstyle.
- Continue to cut stray hairs.
- Groom and care for with necessary balms and oils.
- Enjoy and reap the benefits of a big yeard. Looks, questions and general awe are coming your way!
