There is no doubt that sporting a manly beard is back in the spot light these days, so I took a little time and perused the popular YouTube channels, Facebook pages and fashion articles to bring you some of the best practices when deciding to grow out your beard. Clearly, this article is geared towards the male population, so ladies if your man needs a little help maintaining his muttonchops, feel free to share this with him.
The first thing to realize is that growing an epic beard requires commitment. Just like any adventure, you are going to go through many phases as your beard begins to grow, fill in, and take shape. Most beardsman encourage you to set time line goal and stick to it. For example, if you are looking to grow a middle length beard, then on average it will take you a solid 6 months of non-grooming to get the length you want. Keep in mind, each individual will grow their facial hair at a different rate, but the common growth rate is about a ½ an inch a month. So, doing the math, in 6 months, you can be sporting a 3 inch beard.
So what do you need to know when growing out your beard? First, is how to take care of your new manly accessory. If you are looking to grow a full beard, then investing in proper products and equipment is key. 
There are countless beard oils on the market so I encourage you to find the right combination of oil and scent that will add to your own personal signature. You will also require grooming equipment, such as a boar bristle brush, mustache comb and sharp trimming scissors. Once you have the right tools for the job, it is time to start growing.
The first mistake most people make when growing out a full beard is trying to shape it too early in the growing phases. It is recommended that you grow your beard for at least three months with absolutely no trimming. That includes shaping up the neckline! By committing to a three-month growth plan, you will start to notice that your beard becomes fuller and more robust, allowing for a long term shaping session. Once you have managed to let your beard grow in the wild for roughly three months, it is now time to get it in shape. This initial choice will be the foundation for the long-term look and feel of your beard, so take some time to find the right beard style you want to sport in the long run. Once you have decided upon your look, go ahead and begin the shaping process.
Now that you have the basic shape of your beard, it is important to understand how to handle your new look. Having a beard will inevitably cause you to want to play with it. While this is common, there are ways to correctly stroke your beard while not damaging or pulling out your hairs. The first thing to keep in mind is that you need to be aware of when you are stroking your beard. Long open palm brushes and strokes are normal and perfectly safe, however, if you are finding yourself pulling on sections of your beard, this is a big risk. By constantly pulling on your beard, you can create beard holes, thinning areas and patchy spots. This of course is a death sentence when it comes to beards because the only way to fix those pesky eyesores, is to shave and start all over!
So you have an epic beard growing, you know how to manage your beard, take care of your beard, and groom, now what do you do? Most people encourage you to set a length goal once you have committed to the beardsman way of life, and this can range from a metric, to a certain style and look. Each beard is unique and each person will need to decide on their ultimate length and feel of their beard, so I encourage you to follow some of the prominent beardsmen in the world and get an idea of how you want to sport your manly look!
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