The white-knuckled icy luge ride that is this last bit of the year is upon us, Beardsgaardians. We in the service industry look to it with a gelatinous mixture of joy and dread. With marshmallows on it.
It is busy, which is great, but then we wonder where the last month went and crap, we need to do our giftly shopping.
Don’t be like us. Get it done early, then you can watch Elf on repeat for all of December while you drink your hot cocoa and eat all of the sugar and your teeth fall out. So, how about this Saturday? For the gifties, not teeth falling out. The Sugar Path and All Chocolate Kitchen can help with that part. Will Ferrell would lose his freaking mind in those places.
You see, this Saturday is Small Business Saturday, in which millions of folks all over the country shop at local mom and pop shops like ours (and the two sweet purveyors mentioned above). A palette cleanser, if you will, after the screeching, feces-flinging cage match that is Black Friday.
If you have a gent in your life that could either use a little sprucing up, or who already has his grooming game on point and you want to impress the pants off him with the good stuff, we have you covered on Saturday, and for all of December (and beyond!).
While we have a great selection of delicious smelling oils and goops and grooming accoutrements, we thought we would give you a few ideas for the hirsute fellows in your life.
The Low Maintenance to a Fault Guy
Tea Tree Trio with Beardsgaard T-Shirt / $66 – $71.50
Do you have a teenage son or similarly grooming evolved guy in your life? One that maybe uses soap instead of shampoo? Get them started on the good stuff (advise them that this stuff is very concentrated, a little dab will do ya) with a tingly Tea Tree set of shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer.
For the shampoo and conditioner, choose between Tea Tree Special for normal to oily hair, Lavender Mint for thick or dry stuff, and Lemon Sage for thin and thinning hair.
The real winner in this trilogy is the Hair & Body Moisturizer though. It is a face, hand and body moisturizer that hydrates while banishing shine and leaves no oily residue. But it is also a leave-in conditioner for the hair and beard (and hell, whatever that is living on chests), and a great aftershave alternative that kills beastlies while moisturizing.
Then to make up that time they spent using conditioner in the shower, they can throw on our comfortable and badass Beardsgaard organic cotton T-Shirt.
The New Growth Forest Beard
Merlin’s Beard Oil, Beard Balm, Mustache Wax and Gift Certificate / $35 and up
Although our biker, viking, wizard and Santa clientele do not grow their beards because they are a popular thing now, there are plenty of men giving their first one a go, and that is just awesome. The more the merrier.
To get them going on the path toward sexytown and keep them away from homelessville (visually, at least), this combo will keep them ruggedly dashing.
For any beard length, a $20 gift certificate will not only get them a Beard Overhaul service in the shop in which they not only get a professional cleanup in our chairs, but all of the beard know-how our barbers have on how to maintain it at home.
For those fellows going for a full beard, the Merlin’s Beard line will keep you pulled together right. Start with the Beard Oil to keep the beard and skin underneath hydrated, top with the Beard Wax to fill in, smooth and control, and finish with their light Mustache Wax for ample hold without a lot of gook.
The Executive Lumberjack
Reuzel Grease or Pomade and The Bearded Bastard Woodsman Beard Oil / $35
Who says big beards don’t belong in the office? If you know someone who is business on the top and log cabin on the bottom, this is the best of both worlds.
The Woodsman Beard Oil from The Bearded Bastard smells like Wisconsin minus the cheese and SeaWorld-smelling breweries. It smells like man, dammit.
Reuzel is, for our money (and not a lot of it either, it’s only $15 for a 4 oz can) the best pomade in the world. It’s our favorite at least, and makes any side part, pomp or contour sleek and complete.
While the hold is the same on both, use the green Grease to smooth, compact, and keep restyling multiple days in a row, like the greasers of old. Use the lightweight and water-based red Pomade to get height and on finer hair. Or do like we do, mix it up like Christmas, and use red on top and green on the sides.
The Shaving Afficionado
Shave Mug or Bowl, Shave Brush, Shave Soap / $117 – $127
mug, brush, soap
For your traditional wet shaving lovers, we have your goods right here. Whether they use a straight razor, double edge or cartridge, and whether for they shave their whole face or just around their beard, this set will set them up right.
Our shave bowls were made just for Beardsgaard to our exacting specifications, yet all completely unique by a local potter, Cat Ceramics. They whip up a stunning lather, we simply adore them – in fact, they are the very bowls we use for our shaves every day in the shop. The shave brush is an extra treat, Best Badger made by the inimitable Captain Fawcett.
For lather, choose between Hudson Made’s Beard & Shave Soaps in Original White (our deceptively plain-named favorite), Cedar/Clove and Citron/Neroli. It makes for a beautiful shave, but it is also a beard wash, specially made to be gentle on coarse beard hair.
The Giant Beard
Captain Fawcett Private Stock Beard Oil & Merlin’s Beard Comb / $71
You know him. You post every beard meme you run across to his Facebook wall. Just behind another dozen from other friends. Show him some beard love he will truly love in return with the best damn beard stuffs in the world.
Those beards that everyday epic beards look up to, Ricki Hall, the beards of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and countless others, they all use, and in Ricki’s case, endorse Captain Fawcett. It is the gold standard against which we measure all other beard oils. Yes, it’s pricey, but if you have ever wanted to see a hugely bearded man squeal with glee like a little girl, this should do it.
Then for a little something to comb it through, pick up one of Merlin’s Beard’s handmade wooden beard combs. They are sturdy enough for a dwarf, but beautiful enough for an elf.
Stocking Stuffers
As if that weren’t enough, we have all sorts of little bits and bobs to stock the stockings. Tiny 2.5 oz shampoos, 1 oz tins of mustache and beard wax, gift certificates, pastes, pomades, and so many other things not in glass bottles that might get broken in a glorified sock.
We only stock products we believe in to the point of obsession, and will happily guide you to the best ones for the fellows in your life. Not only can you pick them up in the shop, you can also order them in our webstore!
Although our book for chair services is already full through the end of the week (but don’t be afraid to call to see about cancellations!), we do hope to see you on Small Business Saturday, neighbors. Because we like you guys. Let us help make your December a little less stressful.
Cut of the Week / Slickback Undercut
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