Beards in the African-American community have always been popular. Of course we can all think back to iconic figures from the ’60s -- Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, Shaft -- who brought them into popular mainstream culture. However, I think the real reason for the enduring popularity of beards stems from the desire to hide (and avoid) the effects of shaving irritation. The end result of having to deal with these shaving challenges has been an amazing evolution of facial-hair styling. Today, we see many major figures sporting variations of these original styles. The goatee, the chin strap, the full beard and the scruffy beard have all experienced tweaks in order to make them relevant in 2012. These updated styles can definitely enhance your look, but be careful: They can have the opposite effect if worn incorrectly.

THE SCRUFFY BEARD
 

Beard scruff has become much more popular in recent years, perhaps even surpassing the goatee style. There are two reasons for this: easy maintenance and social acceptance of the look in professional settings. The biggest challenge is making sure that the beard scruff remains approximately 1/4 inch in length, which isn’t difficult if you have a pair of adjustable clippers. Keeping the hair close is key because it will prevent the appearance of an unkempt beard -- and the possibility of revealing areas that don’t grow in evenly.

THE FULL BEARD
 

This style can be worn by anyone who is capable of growing a full beard evenly. Although a full beard can sometimes be an intimidating look, it has its advantages. It can make the face appear slimmer, and it can also alter the face into a more desirable shape, like a square or oval. But keep in mind that the slimmer the face (i.e., triangular, oblong, diamond shapes), the less full the beard should be (one-and-a-half inches thick or less), simply because a full beard can quickly overpower a smaller, narrower face.

THE GOATEE

The Van Dyke
The two most common goatee styles among all men are the musketeer and the Van Dyke. In the African-American community, however, it is the Van Dyke and the full Van Dyke. Men who like to be the center of attention tend to gravitate toward these styles because the beards are concentrated on the mouth area, leading the eye’s focus to the goatee’d speaker.

The Full Van Dyke

This style adds length to all face shapes, so it should be avoided by men who have longer faces (i.e., oblong) and pointed chins (i.e., triangular and diamond face shapes). You don’t want to make your long face even longer or bring attention to an already pointed chin.

THE CHIN STRAP

This is another style that requires confidence to wear, for one simple reason: It outlines the jawline. Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with an outlined jaw unless there is a fuller face involved. A round face will always end up looking even rounder with this beard style. The same problem also occurs with rectangular, triangular and diamond face shapes. Oval and square faces work best with this style.

Photo by Alex Robinson on Unsplash

“I’ve got too many more important things going on.”

“I’m a free-spirited nature man.”

“It’s 2 p.m., but I just rolled out of the sack with a super-sexy lady friend.”

There are many ways to interpret the bedhead look. Consequently, it’s one of the hottest styles out there, attracting everyone from business-casual dudes to artsy types. The versatility doesn’t stop there: Comb your hair back or to the side with a part, and suddenly you’re Don Draper. That, of course, may be the biggest reason guys love bedhead: It’s low-maintenance.

With that said, it’s not completely effortless. Below, we get master advice from San Francisco–based hairstylist Ashley Smith, a 10-year veteran currently working at Population Salon, on how to choose the right bedhead style for you, and how to get the look.

Adam Levine

The look:

Very textured on the top, cleaner on the sides.

What hair texture it works with

: Any.

Who it’s for:

The guy who needs to look a bit more conservative during work hours. Since it’s cut tight on the sides, it looks more polished.

How to ask for it:

Use words like “clean” and “well-kept” for the sides and back, and ask for more length and texture on the top.

What product to use:

Use a water-soluble paste that has a matte finish -- it should look invisible on your head. For shorter-length, piecey styles like this one, you don’t want shine since it can easily be mistaken for grease. Another plus: It should last all day long, and you’ll still be able to run your hands through your hair eight hours in.

Prep time:

Five to 10 minutes. Start with dry hair. Take a nickel-sized drop of the product and rub it all the way into your hands so there are no clumps or clusters. Rub your hands through your hair from your roots and then finish by pulling the product through the ends with the tips of your fingers. Then piece it out as you like.

Go back to the stylist:

Every four to six weeks. In most major cities, stylists offer complimentary cleanups in between haircuts, and that’s really important for shorter haircuts like this. If you come in every six weeks for your haircut (that’s your “cycle”), make a quick trip to the salon at the three-week mark for what’s called a “neck trim,” a five-minute dry haircut to polish up the little fuzzies on the neck and sideburns.

Robert Pattinson

The look:

A much longer, messier version.

What hair texture it works with:

Straight, slightly wavy.

Who it’s for:

Someone who’s younger, whose lifestyle is conducive to a messier look, who doesn’t mind spending time on his own hair in the morning but can’t be bothered with booking frequent hairdresser appointments.

How to ask for it:

Tell your stylist, “I want to let this grow. I’m not looking to get it maintained all the time. I want this really choppy and messy all over. Keep it long so I can wear it in lots of different ways.”

What product to use:

Use a styling cream or gel. It should be really light so you can’t see it, but it should also have hold in it. You might also want to invest in a good hair spray.

Prep time:

Leave yourself 15 to 20 minutes. Apply the product on dry or (preferably) damp hair. The technique is the same as above: Rub it into your hands and apply from roots to ends, working it through with your fingers. When your hair is dry, finish it with a hair spray to set it and prevent it from collapsing.

Go back to the stylist:

Every eight to 10 weeks. You might even be able to stretch it longer. Basically, go back to the hairdresser when it’s too long for you to put product in.

Ryan Reynolds

The look:

More conservative than Pattinson but a bit crazier than Levine.

What hair texture it works with

: Wavy, curly hair.

Who it’s for:

Guys who naturally have texture in their hair and are looking for moderate bedhead.

How to ask for it:

Communicate that you want a lot of texture. Make sure the stylist is experienced in cutting wavy hair on men because it’s more difficult than straight hair. You can ask for a twist-cutting technique, which is specifically for curlier hair and something most stylists are familiar with. Twist-cutting creates great texture in this kind of hair.

What product to use:

The hair has a coarser texture, so stick with something a little more oil-based. Grooming cream that feels like a lotion works best.

Prep time:

Five to 10 minutes. Apply to damp or dry hair, working a nickel-sized amount in your hands and rubbing it from roots to ends. With the tips of your fingers, arrange small or large sections, depending on how piecey you want it to look. If the hair is very dry or coarse, carry a small amount of your product with you when you leave in the morning and apply a little bit for touch-ups during the day or before going out at night.

Go back to the stylist:

Every four to six weeks. Since wavy, curly hair grows out rather than down, it needs regular attention from the hairdresser to keep it in line.

Photos: Getty Images

To be the king of the south coast, might want to play to the dust of summer places. For this purpose, as well as many other features, a real need to pay attention giyiminize ku?am?n?za.

Seven years, "that work" to be connected to the veteran mayonuza concern us deeply. Especially in writing that huge printed T-shirt ... Yes, writes something on a really very funny. And five years, but repeated a joke, just a bad joke.

Trends of the season as he ran from 1998 to the resort town of görünmeyin investigated for you. Men's clothing to distinguish right from wrong, keep reading.

Solmay?n the beach
Summers, the national shirt, bathing suit. More precisely, shorts, bathing suit. Slip your chances of being to our mind wearing a swimsuit (and in front of our eyes), even getirmiyoruz.

"This year, fashion is not a solid color shorts, bathing suits," he says, chain stores, customer consultant who served as Jimmy Key AKSÜT Trust. "Look for shorts with beautiful colors and great patterns. So that is guaranteed to draw attention from afar. "AKSÜT mayolarda bermudaya also close to the length shorts this summer, has come forward telling more.

Peace of the afternoon
After the beach, in the one-piece fashion, it's time to cool ak?amüstlerine. On the sea sefas?n?n, sit down and enjoy a drink to enjoy the scenery is not saturated. In this environment, the most important rule of fashion, of course, "comfort" is. Beymen style for many years engaged in consulting and store manager positions HüseyinTopçu, jeans, or bermuda shorts liners can be connected on the arms twisted urges. The colors of the season, red, pink, fuchsia and eye-catching colors such as lilac open. Huge raw flax and cotton plaid shirt wardrobe can add peace of mind. For those who prefer to use once every summer, take a white, navy blue and a red T-shirt-of-pants, shorts or polo-neck T-shirt may prefer Kombinini. Because it is never old-fashioned sailor's way of dressing.

T-shirt was printed by Topçu'ya cycle. Grandfathers or smiley-faced t-shirts from the dry-fashioned slide deep into your closet for a while. Instead, get a few t-shirt polo shirt will benefit. As long as they remove up the collar of your T-shirt gezmeyin.

In shorts, Bermuda shorts this year as every year, one of the hallmarks. Featured colors, khaki, gray and blue striped ones. Sack also fashionable shorts with pockets and thick stitching. Easily find what stores you go to the blue-striped bermudas. Sandals or sports shoes complete an outfit than Topçu'ya looking. Alone, when choosing a flat thong sandals and dark colors make sure that there is. ?ortlar?n?z?n patterns will be getting out enough already.

In the night
Are determined to strike a stamp of summer nights on holiday, we suggest you bone colored T-shirt and polo shirt into a coat of arms, according to the situation in the bottom of linen, canvas or denim pants. Do not be put on soles that deform compliance. Cool summer nights, patched elbows, cotton jackets, finds its place in the 2011 summer trends.

As for accessories ... This year, footwear, accessories like pouch of the doghouse. Both summer and winter accessories should avoid this type of specialist, he says.

Sequel
The summer months came and passed one after another, keep up with the times üstümüzdekilerin also quite normal. We took a brief look at our selection of popular beat outfit this summer, but we hid the end of the most important recommendation: Wear what you wear comfortable clothes, never go back to the city on holiday, relax and rest.

Shaving irritation is a very common malady, partially because there are so many causes for it. To name just a few:

• Blade’s too sharp
• Blade’s too dull
• Too many passes/strokes
• Too much pressure
• Shaving too quickly
• Lack of moisture
• Shaving with cold water

Like I said, the list is long, and it could be even longer if we were to consider men with unique circumstances, like curly beards. And of course we all know what it looks and feels like: unsightly ingrown hairs, redness and the don’t-touch-my-face-right-now burning sensation.

Yet there is a solution. (There’s always a solution, right?) Below I’ve listed a few tried-and-true ways to avoid shaving irritation.

1. Start off clean.
One of the first steps to guarantee a close, comfortable and irritation-free shave is to make sure your face is clean. A quick rinse of the face with a face wash and/or exfoliator not only removes dirt and oils, but also aids in softening the beard. This allows for the razor blade to perform at its optimum level, and it frees your skin of extra dirt and oils that could wreak havoc on your open pores.

2. Keep it wet.
I always let my clients know there is absolutely nothing wrong with over-prepping their beards. So lather, re-lather, then lather again if you have to. Simply put, the wetter and softer you can get your beard, the less effort it will be to take it off. And who wouldn’t mind a bit more cushion between the face and the blade? The end result is fewer strokes, which means the blade is on your face for less time. If you want it a bit closer, then re-lather and shave again!

The best way to maximize moisture is to immediately apply the shaving cream after you’ve rinsed off your face wash. This way the cream can trap the moisture already on the skin and infuse more in the process.

3. Know your face.
For many men, shaving against the grain leads to skin sensitivity (i.e., razor burn) and, even worse, ingrown hairs. If you’re one of those men, knowing the direction(s) in which your hair grows can save you from days of frustration -- not to mention feeling like you can’t leave the house. Once you determine where you have multidirectional growth patterns, you can prep them more heavily. Also consider leaving this area for last, so you can really concentrate on the best direction to shave in order to minimize irritation.

4. Heal and moisturize.
A splash of cold water will bring your skin back in balance by closing the pores. Then, grab your favorite aftershave balm -- one that’s designed to heal and also moisturize the skin. Don’t minimize the importance of this step. Healing is key; your skin will be going through this process again very soon!

Sports mascots have set ’stache-sporting records for decades. Yep, we’re talking about those psychotically smiling guys with heads big enough to require their own weather systems, who stalk the sidelines in support of your favorite teams. We asked Lana DeDoncker, senior stylist for New York City’s Downtown Magazine, to tell us which macho mustaches are worth emulating, and how to get the look if you’ve got the spirit.

Bernie Brewer (Milwaukee Brewers)

Here’s a guy who anybody would want to get behind … especially when he whips down a slide behind the outfield wall into a pool of Pabst Blue Ribbon whenever a Milwaukee Brewer bangs one into the bleachers. His blond handlebar brush suggests a blue-collar man’s man who puts his heart and soul into giving hard-working Americans an old-fashioned good time. Says Lana … “Obviously, this is an exaggerated characterization of the American ideal of a working man. The mustache is beyond cartoonish, but you can imagine it being modeled on that of a broad-shouldered brewer of the early 20th century. If you’re looking to emulate a look, that’s not a bad one to shoot for -- he looks like a young Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid. To achieve it, simply grow your mustache as thick and as far out beyond your lip line on either side of your mouth as possible. Make sure to groom around it; if the rest of your face is cleanly shaved, it’ll emphasize the impressive size of the ’stache itself. Then use a little mustache wax to brush the ends so they extend from your cheeks. Not too much, though. This is supposed to look mean and natural.”

Mr. Redlegs (Cincinnati Reds)

The reigning Mustache Monarch in all of sports, this guy has a baseball head the size of a medicine ball and a mustache to match. A popular ESPN commercial spot about a network mustache contest pits the Big Red Machine mascot against Cincinnati’s reigning National League MVP Joey Votto and broadcaster John Ravetch. When Ravetch and Mr. Redlegs go nose-to-nose in an uncomfortable men’s room confrontation (is there any other kind?), Ravetch’s threat -- “You’re going down!" -- sounds as empty as the brains of the cast of “Jersey Shore.” Says Lana … “The only way to measure this mustache is to compare it to the wingspan on a stealth bomber. But the look, of course, is an outsized version of a very cool style favored by ballplayers in both the 19th and 20th centuries. To approximate it, you’ll need to dampen your ’stache and comb it flat with a small mustache brush. Your strokes should start out in the middle and fan out to the ends. After rinsing your brush, apply mustache wax to it and stroke your mustache with the same motion, ensuring that the wax permeates all the bristles. When you’re done, squeeze a little wax onto your fingertips and twist the ends up in an upward and outward motion so that they point to the sky and give you that Wyatt Earp look that kept Kevin Costner up to his chaps in chicks in the mid-’90s.”

Pistol Pete (Oklahoma State University Cowboys)

The gun-slinging sidekick of the OSU Cowboys has a waxed-out ’stache with thin turned-up ends, allowing for evil finger-twisting opportunities not seen since Snidely Whiplash was lashing Dudley Do-Right’s dame to the train tracks every Saturday morning. Sadly, Pete had his pants pulled down -- or, more accurately, his mustache yanked off -- by a rival mascot at a game between OSU and Utah State a couple of years back. We were treated to one of the best mascot brawls on the books, but when Pete’s brush was revealed to be fake, it effectively shot his reputation to hell. Says Lana … “Pete put up a noble fight to preserve his school’s honor, but after he was stripped of his ’stache, he became a cowboy exposed as being full of bull. If you want to replicate this cheesy look anyway, just head to any costume store with $1.99 for a brush that wraps around your mug with a rubber band. Not where you want to be, boys.”

Viktor the Viking (Minnesota Vikings)

If you’re seeking that special Lord of Asgard look, this is your man, er, god. Modeled after a Norse warrior, this dude sweats more testosterone than an MMA pay-per-view event. He also offers an axe and shield as key talking points to anybody who might want to publicly doubt his total dudeness. Says Lana (a little weak-kneed) … “This guy is more macho than the entire Marine Corps. If you can grow a ’stache this … virile … here’s how to keep it in shape. First, you’ll want to trim it down to a controllable level with a pair of grooming scissors: To do so, dampen the hairs with water and comb down. Working from the middle out and continuing to comb the strays down before each clip, use a small pair of mustache scissors to snip across the bottom of the mustache for a smooth, even line. Then do the same to the outer edges of the top down to the outer edges on the chin for distinct parameters. Now that you have your outline, you can trim the bulk of the inner mustache. Don’t cut too much at first! This will allow you to judge how short you want to go. You can always cut more, but you can’t put anything back. Now comb through it once more to root out any hairs you might have missed and snip them off. You’re done, Olaf! It’s time to growl into the mirror, grab your axe and head out for a glamorous evening sacking the town!”

All Photo Credits: Getty Images