All of my life, I’ve been clean-shaven. Neither a mustache nor a beard has been on my face. But I’ve always had (fairly) long hair.
Recently, I’ve taken to doing a little bit of work as a movie extra. And not so long ago, I got a call from an extras casting company, basically saying, “We love your long hair–you’re perfect for a extra background part in an upcoming production.[sup]*[/sup] But can you grow a beard? We need men with long hair and beards.”
Of course, I replied that I could grow one, and I did. And I got the part, and I was an extra in the production. I’m not sure how I feel about the beard though–it’s taking some getting used to, and the fact that the lower half of it is coming in gray doesn’t make me feel any younger. But my wife loves how it looks, and is urging me to keep it. And I grudgingly have to admit, when I wear my favourite hat, I don’t look too bad with a beard.
So I’ve decided to keep it for a while, but never having had one, I’m unsure how to care for it. Can any Doper gentlemen who have a beard help? Specifically, I’d like to know:
– How to keep it clean? So far, I wash it like I wash my face, and when I shower, I try to make sure it gets soap/shampoo. Is this the right thing to do?
– How should I trim it? My wife had a good laugh the other day when we were out, and a took a long pull of my Guinness. I got a beer mustache in my real one! How does one avoid this problem, other than drinking beer very, very carefully?
– Normally, I don’t often visit a barber. But I would if he or she can help manage the growth. Would this be a good idea, just to keep it neat?
Thanks in advance for any advice you gentlemen (or ladies who have anything to contribute) can provide.
*Please don’t ask which one. We’ve all been instructed not to talk about the production until it is released, which should be sometime in mid-2005.