Lifestyle

The winter months can be grueling on the skin. The cold air makes our skin especially vulnerable, often times leaving it dry and cracked. If you’re like most men, you probably write this off as just a part of the season and think there isn’t anything that you can do about it. But that isn’t true. There are 3 key skin care routines every black man should do during the winter months to protect his skin.  Shower with lukewarm water. We know you want to hit the showers and turn up the heat because of the cold. However, the hot water removes essential oils from your skin making it especially susceptible to drying out. Thus leaving you with the ultimate fail for Fresh men - ashy skin. To prevent the ash, turn down the heat. Moisturize daily. Hydrating your skin daily will help you keep an even tone and prevent flakey and ashy skin (again nobody likes ashy skin). Use your moisturizer immediately after showering while your skin is still wet. An added bonus is to use a moisturizer with sunscreen. Although it’s cold, the sun’s UV’s can still cause damage to your skin even though it is melaninated. The sunscreen will help protect your skin from hyperpigmentation and skin cancer. Drink more water. Skin care starts from the inside out. In the winter time, we tend to drink less water, turning to drinks like coffee and tea to stay warm. However, now, more than ever your skin needs to stay hydrated from H20. Experts recommend that you drink an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. If it’s warmth you want, consider drinking warm water with a lemon to experience a refreshing, healthy drink. Winter weather doesn’t have to mean dry ashy skin. Implement these three simple skin care tips to keep your face and skin fresh all winter.

‘Tis the season for great food and company. While you enjoy this time with loved ones, friends, and days off work (if you’re lucky), we’ve got good news about all the food you’ll be indulging in. Believe it or not, certain holiday foods actually help boost beard growth the natural way. So, this season, dive in and load up your plate with these five foods for a healthier, fuller beard. If your beard is dull and dry load your plate up with sweet potatoes this holiday season. Dull, dry beards indicate a beta-carotene deficiency. Our bodies transform beta-carotene into vitamin A which keeps hair moisturized. Stuff your face with baby cabbage aka Brussel sprouts. These green vegetables are high in vitamin C, the vitamin that strengthens and protects your beard from breakage. Does it seem like no matter how hard you try, your beard just isn’t coming in the way you want it to? You may have a zinc deficiency. Hair loss and lack of hair growth are often caused by a deficiency in zinc. Help yourself to a few beef short ribs for the cause, they’re loaded with zinc. You shouldn’t be surprised that spinach has made the list. This superfood is packed with vitamin A, iron, beta-carotene, folate, and vitamin C. These vitamins work together to keep hair follicles moisturized. Last but not least indulge in cinnamon. Cinnamon’s antifungal and antioxidant properties improve blood circulation to hair follicles which promote hair growth. Skip the vitamins and supplements that allegedly stimulate hair growth and get right to the source - great holiday food!

The beard has made a major comeback and is here to stay. Men around the world, approximately 55% of them, have some facial hair to complement their features. If you’ve been eyeing that colleague down the hall or double tapping that guy with the great beard pics, we’re here to tell you that now, more than ever, is the perfect time to open your heart to a black man with a beard. Here’s why: He is patient. Seriously, it takes a lot to grow a healthy beard? Great beards don’t just happen, especially not overnight. Black men with healthy beards have waited weeks (some even years) to get their beards healthy and full. That says a lot about the amount of patience he has for things he cares dearly about. He is understanding. The man has a beauty routine of his own. He understands that good things will take time and will respect the hours you probably spend grooming yourself. He is wise and respected. Want to date a man who commands a room without even having to open his mouth? Since the beginning of time, men with beards have been looked at as scholarly and wise. Think about how smart it is to wear a style that is timeless and versatile. He is a good lover. Beards are versatile in the bedroom too. From a gentle tickle to an aggressive rub, beards add a little friction where necessary and offer a unique, pleasing experience to partners. He is going to look good for a long time. Everybody knows, “black don’t crack.” But the University of Southern Queensland has discovered something even more appealing. In a study published in the Radiation Protection Dosimetry Journal, it was found that beards, “block 90 to 95 percent of UV rays, slowing the aging process and reducing skin cancer.” Your bearded black man is going to look good forever. So, if you’ve been considering giving a bearded black man a shot, we say go for it! Need directions to the nearest single, bearded black man? Check out our Beard Gang Facebook page. Once you two fall in love, give him the gift of maintaining his healthy beard with some of our Fresh Heritage Classic Beard Oil, trust us, you both will love it!

We love beards! You obviously have some interest in them too if you’ve landed here. At Fresh Heritage, we consider ourselves experts when it comes to caring for beards. Did you know that the profession of studying beards is called pogonology and that scholars who study beards are Pogonologist (yes this is an actual career choice if you’re looking for a new one)? There are so many crazy, but actual, facts about beards we bet you probably didn't know. Read the ten beard facts that surprised us below and share them with fellow beard connoisseurs: Fact #1: It is estimated that about 55% of men around the world have some type of facial hair. Fact # 2: The average beard is made up of about 30,000 whiskers and, grows 5 ½ inches in a year. Fact #3: Beards have the capability of growing four times a man’s height. Fact #4: The average man who shaves spends 3,350 hours in the bathroom. Fact #5 If the average man never trimmed his beard, it can grow to be 27 ½  feet. Fact #6: People with an abnormal fear of beards (yes they exist) have pogonophobia. Fact #7: Beads can work as a filter to keep pollen and dust from settling, helping men with allergies breath better. Fact #8: Beards make you 63% more likely to win a staring contest. Fact #9: The longest female beard ever recorded was 30 cm. Fact #10: Hans Langseth holds the record for the longest beard ever recorded; it was about 17 feet long.

First impressions are the most lasting. Do you know what your facial hair or lack thereof says about you? From the Beard Scholar himself, Allan Peterkin, to our 41,000 Beard Gang members, we’ve scoured the internet streets to see exactly what people think of black men and their facial hair. Clean Shave A clean shave is as much of a statement as a full beard. While we’re #beardgang here at Fresh Heritage, we still have love for our beardless brothers, with hope that they will one day join us. Until then, we’ve noticed a common belief about those who choose to stay clean. The clean-shaven black man is looked at as a young man that likes to be in control. He’s meticulous, some may even label him as a preppy, clean freak. Scruffy-Face This man typically received fewer likes on his pictures in our Beard Gang Facebook Group leading us to believe it’s not the ladies’ favorite look. There’s a common misconception that this look is easy to maintain, which can make those without the scruff think that men who choose this style are easy going, laid-back, or even lazy. Trust us, we know how hard it is to keep this look up, which is why we offer a Custom Beard Grooming Kit equip with a beard comb, brush, scissors, and oils to assist you. Goatee We’ve read around town, well online, that the man with a goatee may just be a commitment-phobe. A goatee is a gateway to a fuller, healthier beard, or any easy way to return to a clean shave if the mood strikes. This guy is keeping his options open. Chinstrap Peterkin says, “It’s a guy who wants to push the envelope and also wants to be asked about his facial hair.” We scrolled through the Beard Gang Group and noticed only a few of our brothers wearing this look, but hey, it definitely takes a lot of work to keep up. The men who choose to rock a chinstrap put a lot of time and effort into their daily appearance and really care. Full Beard aka The Alpha Beard The new school has taken over this old style and made it the most popular among black men today. A full beard is associated with a high status and a wealth of experience. This alpha style seems to be a favorite among women who love beards. Disclaimer People project their own meanings into facial hair. In this day in age, the only way to find out why a man wears a certain style over another is to ask him! So fellas, what do you have to say about your beard?

Men let’s take care of our hair daily. Oils help your hair in two ways: It helps your hair become thicker or help maintain the thickness you already have. Oil’s stimulate hair follicles and conditions the skin under your beard & strengthens the root so you don’t shed as much. Here is a video from B With A Beard, youtube channel Black Men’s Beard recommends are as followed. Coconut oil - widely used, thickness and growth. Olive oil - make sure it’s extra virgin; antioxidant fights hair loss Avocado oil - protein in it, super food Rosemary - helps with growth Almond oil - Vitamin E To add value We recommend Super oil’s or products with multiple oils in it that have the same benefits and more. Fresh Heritage Classic Beard Oil uses: Argan Oil - Rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin E and antioxidants Coconut Oil - widely used, thickness and growth Olive Oil - antioxidant fights hair loss Jojoba Oil - Skin & Hair healer and moisturizer