NO Shave November

NSN 2011

2011-11-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Well here we are again, another year of furry faces and a fun yearly tradition.

I think I may have received my first troll comment on the blog!

There's no such thing as "No Shave November". It's called Movember, and it's been around for years and years. Staging this fake nonsense during Movember would be like showing up to a breast cancer event in a t-shirt promoting colonoscopies.

It's Movember. Google it, learn it, do it right, and stop undermining the real one.

I've known about No Shave November just about as long (if not longer) than Movember has been around, and I personally think NSN brings more awareness to the Movember/charity movement during this month.

Are you participating this year?

No Shave November Shirts

2010-11-15T12:06:00.001-08:00

Just in case your facial hair doesn't convince people you are participating in this yearly ritual, these shirts can help you out!

Which one is your favorite?

Another Year Another Beard

2010-11-01T08:16:00.001-07:00

Well it's that time of the year again, I hope you are participating in No Shave November! No excuses.

If you need a refresher on the rules, here ya go:

-Guys - No shaving of the face

-Girls - No shaving of the legs

-In the United States - Keep the hair growing at least until Thanksgiving. (This way you can look fresh and clean for family)

-You are allowed to trim at 15 days, however, this is strongly discouraged.

-Rest of the world - You are asked to participate until the end of the month, besides, it'll help you stay warm.

Now start growing!

Rocky and Balls record song for charity

2009-11-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Rocky and Balls a British female duet has just released a Movember themed song called "The Mo Song". You can purchase it for a name your price deal at their site.

The proceeds will go to The Prostate Cancer Charity and we would love it if you could all buy a copy since it is for a very very very good cause!
In addition, we will keep a track of your names, if you purchase the song, and feature them in our music video when we finally get together to record it! Be part of Rocky and Balls history ;)
It is a minimum of $2 so everyone is donating about a british pound, but think of the good that could do!

If you haven't heard "The Beard Song" by the Sophie Madeleine half of the Rocky and Balls duo, check it out as well.

(Via BoingBoing)

No Shave November Wiki Update

2009-11-20T09:47:00.001-08:00

By far the most traffic I receive on this blog finds its way here through search engine searches of "no shave november wiki" and "no shave november wikipedia." This is presumably to find information regarding the wonderful tradition that is No Shave November.

Unfortunately, the No Shave November wikipedia page does not exist (anymore). Back in 2006 I posted about this tragedy, and about how a certain wikipedia administrator felt that No Shave November is in fact a hoax and not a real celebration.

Well it turns out another wikipedia administrator is now putting roadblocks in the path of a real wikipedia page. Turns out user Gogo Dodo feels that a No Shave November wikipedia page does not qualify under certain wikipedia restrictions. After looking at the said restrictions I don't think a No Shave November wikipedia page should be turned down, if done properly.

Please leave a note on Gogo Dodo's user talk page on wikipedia, and let him know that this is in fact a real tradition. And if you happen to be a seasoned wikipedia editor or contributor I would encourage you to use your knowledge and skills to help us get an honest to goodness page about No Shave November.

Crazy Beard

2009-11-19T13:39:00.001-08:00

Ever wonder what the limits are with regards to what you can do with your beard?

Look no further, the following video is a great example of a "freestyle beard"

Watch here.

My only question is how comfortable is sleeping?

(via Presurfer)

Facial Hair is Sexy

2009-11-18T10:56:00.001-08:00

If you haven't heard yet, People magazine just released their latest "Sexiest Man Alive" report.

Check out this summary from the Fresno Beehive.

As you look through those pictures, what is one important theme that you can see? Yes, you are right, a majority of the guys have some kind of facial hair (and some a 5 o'clock shadow). A coincidence? I don't think so.

Facial hair isn't just for faces anymore

2009-11-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

If humans can have facial hair why can't other things join the fun?

This Mustache Head Badge from etsy.com can be a great addition to your bike (you do ride a bike, don't you?), and maybe you won't feel so bad when you give your bike a name.

Next time you ride your bike use this stylish addition to make your bike stand out from the rest.

(via Presurfer)

Real People, Real Facial Hair

2009-11-16T17:22:00.001-08:00

I feature famous beards and moustaches all the time here on the No Shave November blog, but do real people have facial hair?

Well, according to Below The Nose, a lot of people have moustaches. These guys photograph one guy a day in real life that has a moustache, and there are special posts on Fridays. Check it out, and if you are sporting the stache, you may even get photographed someday.

Kenny Rogers

2009-11-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

I have talked on this blog before about Kenny Rogers, because in all honesty he has a pretty awesome beard.

This is also evident when art is created depicting this fact.

I would like to introduce you to 11 Awesomely Bad Pieces of Kenny Rogers Art

(Via Presurfer)

Can't Grow Facial Hair?

2009-11-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

No problem, just use one of these ideas, and you have an easy to get and easy to get rid beard.

The Poppyseed Beard

The "I Made you a Beard" Beard (Via BoingBoing and Presurfer)

The Barbie Hair Beard

The Other Person's Hair Beard

The Beer Beard (If only this were real...)

Pick and Choose Your Stache

2009-11-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered what all the different types of moustaches would look like on somebody?

Well wonder no longer if you visit Lord Likely's Extra-Ordinary Inter-Active Moustache-O-Rama.

You can see such classic styles as "The Dandy", "The Soup Strainer", "The Chin-Wagger" and many many more.

(Via Presurfer)

Annoying Hair

2009-11-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

While hair has a number of utilitarian aspects, such as warmth, style/fashion accessory, non-verbal communication, and disguises, it also has its drawbacks.

Hair can be annoying at times. I've noticed this most recently with my motorcycle helmet. The strap that goes around below my chin can catch my hair and tug on it a bit as I ride around. It's a bit annoying but it can also be painful. I've also mentioned before the itchiness that can occur from growing hair.

What are other annoying attributes of hair?

Beards in the News

2009-11-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

Beards seem to be in the news a lot recently, in fact check out this article from The Sun about celebrities, their facial hair, and what different beards say about personality.

Famous Movie Beards

2009-11-02T21:59:00.000-08:00

Check out this article from The Daily Campus at UConn about No Shave November. It should help inspire you somewhat to keep your facial hair growing and not cave to the pressure of using your razor.

My favorite movie beard is Will Ferrell's from Anchorman while he was unemployed, depressed and drinking milk on a hot day.

What is your favorite film facial hair? Any from this list?

Beckham's Beard

2009-10-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

It was recently reported that David Beckham is growing a beard for Halloween. If he is smart and/or reads this blog he will hopefully be keeping it for the remainder of the month to participate in No Shave November.

I mean if one of the 20 Sexiest Men can wear a beard, then we all should be able to, right?

Day 30 - 2008

2008-12-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Here is what I looked like on the last day of November.

Day 30

I shaved most of it off today, and this is what I ended up with, the Fu Manchu.

Day 24/25/26/27/28/29 - 2008

2008-11-29T13:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the last few days of the month.

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

How to Grow a Manly Beard

2008-11-29T13:54:00.001-08:00

Here is an article about things you should know before you start growing facial hair.

Via The Art of Manliness

Day 20/21/22/23 - 2008

2008-11-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures from the last four days of facial hair growth.

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Lumberjack Followup

2008-11-24T17:53:00.000-08:00

As I posted a couple days ago the video of the lumberjack, I truly felt this concept go full circle as I unloaded almost 100 live Christmas trees at my store today.

The only thing missing from the picture was a great lumberjack jacket, which I could have gotten here.

Bearded Music for Bearded People

2008-11-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

That is the motto for The Beards, a musical group that celebrates facial hair.

I would strongly suggest picking some music to help you through the month and to stay strong growing that hair, and what better music than that which was created with facial hair in mind.

From their Myspace:

The Beards are a bearded four-piece band who only play songs about beards and having beards. Onstage, The Beards preach about the virtues of having a beard with near-militant intensity. The audience will find itself divided as The Beards sing crowd favourites like Growing a Beard, Beard Revolution and No Beard, No Good. The beardless members of the crowd may find themselves singled out and chastised for their lack of facial hair, while those with beards may be brought onstage as an example of what having a beard is all about. But as hilarious as this oddball outfit are, they can be equally appreciated for their music.

Enjoy. (And please check out their music, it is very inspiring).

Day 16/17/18/19 - 2008

2008-11-20T10:05:00.000-08:00

A little late on the posting of these.

You may notice my hair is a little flat in some of these photos, blame my recent wearing of hats.

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

A Lumberjack?

2008-11-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

Watching the following video, what is missing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zey8567bcg

He really isn't that burly without a beard, I think things may have turned out much better for him had he a beard.

Thanks to Dav for inspiration with this video/song.

No Shave November Article

2008-11-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

Check out this article about No Shave November from commenter Eric Wilkens.

Beard and Moustache Mannequins

2008-11-18T16:18:00.000-08:00

Look at this collection of mannequin heads displaying beards and moustaches for sale. Just incase you don't think you'd be able to grow any facial hair, you can always just buy it.

Via Kottke.org

Facial Hair and Success

2008-11-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

Does facial hair impact one's success in life? Check out this article about the relationship between the success of computer programming language and facial hair.

It does seem pretty compelling, and maybe even so much that I should keep my beard so I can guarantee my success in life. Although, chances are it might only apply to computer languages.

Day 13/14/15 - 2008

2008-11-15T20:01:00.001-08:00

It's really starting to look full.

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Wikipedia Update

2008-11-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

So, while No Shave November does not have a full Wikipedia page yet, I have come across something that is pretty important for the entire movement.

The November Wikipedia page has No Shave November listed as one of the month-long observances during the month, along with Movember.

Anybody interested in starting up a Wikipedia page for No Shave November?

What kind of facial hair does your name have?

2008-11-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

Check out this website that turns your name into a face. I have facial hair on mine, what will you have on yours?

Day 10/11/12 - 2008

2008-11-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

Take a look at the progress.

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

You can start to see the redness of my beard coming in.

Beards as Art

2008-11-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Check out this list of "The Hirsute of Happiness" which portrays facial hair as art.

Day 7/8/9 - 2008

2008-11-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

For 3 days in one, here are the last few days.

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 5/6 - 2008

2008-11-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

Check out Day 5 and 6 of the beard.

Day 5

Day 6

Grow a Giant Beard

2008-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Check out the 10 Very Good Reasons Why You Should Grow a Giant Beard.

(Via AdFreak)

Day 4 - 2008

2008-11-04T23:15:00.001-08:00

Here was my Day 4 (election day) beard.

Day 4

20 Manliest Mustaches and Beards

2008-11-03T22:37:00.000-08:00

November is ever increasingly being known for not shaving. The Art of Manliness blog is even celebrating it this year by posting this compendium of the 20 Manliest Mustaches and Beards.

Day 3 - 2008

2008-11-03T22:29:00.001-08:00

It's starting to come in a little better, but it is still a couple days until I get that really sexy light bearded model look.

Day 2 - 2008

2008-11-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you weren't expecting too much growth in one day, but there is a little bit extra there.

Day 2

How Will You Grow Your Facial Hair?

2008-11-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Check out this list of about 32 facial hair styles.

What will you work towards this month?

Also check out the Beard Page of the same blogger and find out a lot of great info on his facial hair growing experiences and some other interesting tidbits such as the Beard FAQ page.

Day 1 - 2008

2008-11-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am hoping to take a picture of my face every day of the month to show you all my progress with my facial hair, and if I have the time, maybe even create a time-lapse video of the entire month.

Day 1

Top 10 Beards of the year

2007-11-29T19:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my Dad who sent me this link of the winners of the 2007 World Beard and Moustache championships. These guys are masters at growing facial hair, and the bit of commentary at the top of the page is right on, one cannot merely enter this contest on a whim. It takes years and years of preparation.

I've been told by a few people that I should try and grow a handlebar moustache, or grow it out so the surface area of my face doubles, but I think a full month every year is about perfect to quench my thirst for growing facial hair. I'm just satisfied to look at these pictures in amazement.

Facial Hair Accessories

2007-11-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

I think even if you can't or don't want to grow facial hair, you should have temporary options to be a proud member of the facial hair club. The classic example of this is the plastic eye glass frames with the nose and the moustache. There are others though.

Here is a link to a woolen cap that gives you a woolen cap beard/moustache. It's very classy, but for $135 it better be. (via BoingBoing)

This however, brings up one of the best parts of No Shave November. Growing a beard or letting your leg hair grow out for the month of November is perfect because the weather is starting to cool down considerably. (Southern hemisphere excluded) If you actually do grow a beard you won't need to buy one, other than for after you shave. However, an argument can be made that this cap is also perfect for keeping your beard and moustache warm, which is important if you want to take good care of your facial hair.

Age and facial hair

2007-11-20T23:54:00.000-08:00

I've been a little late on posting anything recently because of traveling, but I'm here and ready to blog.

One thing that always gets me is that people always think I look older with facial, I've heard anywhere from a couple years older up to 10 years older. The great part about this is that many of these people don't even know how old I am in the first place, so I take great joy in asking them how old I look with my facial hair and then without. I've gotten responses that I they think I am a little more than 10 years older than I actually am with my facial hair.

Also, on the rare occasion that I order an adult beverage in a restaurant, I've yet to be carded while sporting my beard. (Except for that one time I was at the restaurant with my less than 21 year old brother who also looks like he could be less than 21, and they carded us both). I enjoy not being carded, because it is kind of a hassle to take out my wallet, and then remove my driver's license, and then give it to them to be inspected, and then reverse the entire process. I am, of course, not condoning underage drinking and trying to cheat the system by using facial hair, but I am saying it may be possible.

Picture Proof of Progress

2007-11-15T23:47:00.000-08:00

I promised a mid-month progress picture, so here it is. You may notice that I have done some trimming under the jawline. This is what I explained as my compromise between shaving completely and not shaving at all.

I am quite happy with the speed of growth and fullness of the beard this year. It seems like it gets better every time I do this. Which, in reality, makes me more manly.

Hair Growth

2007-11-12T11:43:00.001-08:00

Hair is a pretty fascinating thing, especially once you look at it closely. It is one of those things that most people know the basics about, but very few people know the finer details. Here is an article that tells you almost everything you wanted to know about hair, it's lifecycle, and how it grows.

I will take a picture of my face on Wednesday or Thursday and post it here so you can see my beard.

Facial Hair in Art

2007-11-10T18:00:00.001-08:00

A Josh Spear blog post pointed me to Etsy Shop and artist ashleyg's new drawings incorporating facial hair. I like this simple style of art, but it also got me thinking of other art with facial hair.

Of course there has been much art over the years that have bearded men, but some stand out in my mind. Those include, Portrait of a Bearded Man by da Vinci, The Oarsmens Breakfast by Renoir, Hand with Globe by Escher, and The Last Supper by da Vinci.

Also, which may be applicable to the topic of facial hair, The Mona Lisa by da Vinci. Mona Lisa is completely without facial hair including eyebrows and eyelashes. They have recently done new scans on this famous painting to reveal some hidden background on the art.

How do you like it?

2007-11-07T23:36:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a page asking (mainly women) how they prefer a man's face, either clean shaven or facial hairy. If you're a woman, leave a comment letting us know how you prefer a man's face.

The art of trimming

2007-11-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

I know I am breaking the rules by trimming my facial hair, but to at least look semi-professional in my job I have decided it is a necessary compromise. So far I have only been trimming the neck, and below the chin line, but I am trying to decide if I want to trim a little bit more. My goal is to keep the general beard/moustache combo in tact, but to give it a little more of a clean look.

Here is a link to Hudson't FTM Resource Guide.

Here is a link to eHow's guide to trimming facial hair.

Here is a link to an ezine article.

Still going strong

2007-11-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

I've heard from a lot of people that they are still going strong with No Shave November. I had to bite the bullet this morning and trim my neck, but I still have the full beard. I decided to trim because of work, it is my compromise between not shaving at all for the first month, and looking less than professional to my bosses.

I am planning on taking a picture or two tomorrow because it will be a full week of not shaving (other than the trim). I will post the picture.

Why can't you braid leg hair?

2007-11-03T22:48:00.000-07:00

Stepping away from the normal banter about facial hair, I thought today's topic should be more focused on leg hair.

Here is an article about leg hair and why it won't grow forever.

I would imagine if this wasn't the case, we'd be able to eventually braid our leg hair, but that just doesn't sound very fun.

Inspiration

2007-11-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

In case you needed some inspiration for getting through the month, check this blog out. It's dedicated to mustaches of the 19th century. It really makes you wonder why more people don't grow the mustache anymore. This blog has daily posts featuring pictures and descriptions of mustaches from that era. Also check out the glossary of terms.

Linked from boingboing and Presurfer

A welcome feeling

2007-11-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

The fresh November air hit my face like a familiar dream as I left my apartment this morning. Fortunately for my face it is No Shave November again. I am very excited to be letting my facial hair grow like nature intended again, and this month could not have come soon enough as any of my friends could tell you that I was impatiently awaiting the arrival of this day.

I hope you are participating in this yearly ritual too and not just another observer. It is much more exciting (especially if you plan on being a faithful reader of this blog) to both be growing your hair and reading about it.

If you are unfamiliar with the rules, I will briefly outline them here. The name of the event, No Shave November, hopefully describes itself well enough. There should be no shaving for the month of November. As we completely support equal opportunity, there are ways for both men and women to participate. We encourage men to refrain from shaving their faces and women from shaving their legs. If you live in the United States and feel that Thanksgiving is a factor that could stop you from participating, it is acceptable to shave right before or on Thanksgiving to look respectable for family. Otherwise, don't shave until December is upon us.

Stay tuned with this blog throughout the month to find out how I am doing with my facial hair, how my friends are faring as they participate, as well as information on hair, facial hair, and just being hairy.

The end

2006-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Well, it is now 2 minutes after midnight, and I just got back from the bathroom after shaving off the majority of my facial hair. I have a strange feeling that I am about to reenter the world of regular shaving. My morning routine is about to get longer and a little more complicated. It's really sad, a person can get really attached to his (or her) facial hair. Luckily I am now gradually stepping into the world of clean shaveness. I officially have a moustache.

I think I will only be keeping it for the weekend, but you never know.

I am still having computer issues, but as soon I can I will post pictures of my hairy adventures.

Stay posted!

Future plans

2006-11-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it is almost the end of the month. I have yet to decide what I will be doing with the facial hair after the 30th of the Month. In the past I have shaved it off in stages so that I can take pictures of a goatee/moustache combo then the fu-manchu, etc. This time around I am seriously considering just shaving everything except the moustache, and just going with that. Maybe not a long time with the moustache, but long enough.

My computer is on the fritz right now, so I am unable to upload my pictures from my camera to my computer to post them on here, so once I have enough pictures to show you of my facial hair and whatever I choose to do with it, I will put them up here.

Jokes

2006-11-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

I hope by now you have heard some or most of the Chuck Norris jokes that are all over the Internet.

The following, taken from here, is an applicable example.

"There is no chin under Chuck Norris' Beard. There is only another fist."

And one of the classic Spamusement comics here.

The beard is growing... still

2006-11-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I truly apologize for not posting for a couple days, but with going to Philadelphia, my computer breaking down, and then going to Seattle shortly thereafter, I've just found very little time to post on my facial hair.

A little update, my facial hair is still going strong (of course after the fateful day I shaved it all off). A number of my friends were planning on shaving their faces before or on Thanksgiving this past Thursday, so they could look acceptably decent for their families. I think this is ok, because it gives people something for which to not shave. They can look ragged and unkempt for a couple weeks and then right before they spend Thanksgiving with family, they can shave the hair off to look so much better. This is actually a large part of the roots of No Shave November, except the event for which to shave was December 1st.

A number of girls have also shaved their legs for Thanksgiving. I am just really proud of them all for sticking with it that long. A number of them did not think it was possible to last that long, but I assured them they could.

Here is a short poem written by one of my female friends regarding No Shave November and Thanksgiving (after shaving).

I am thankful for pants the last three and a half weeks.
I am thankful for razors. I am thankful for smoothness.
-Robyn

If you are still doing No Shave November, you aren't alone. Keep it up until the end of the month, and find out soon what I plan on doing with my facial hair at the end of the month.

Tough as Nails

2006-11-19T05:26:00.000-08:00

There's one difference that I've noticed between shaving and not shaving. My beard seems to be a little rougher when coming in after shaving following a longer time growing the facial hair. I don't know why this might be, but it might have something to do with the slower growing of hair in this same situation.

With all these questions about facial hair, there should almost be an entire college biology class dedicated to facial hair. That would make a lot of things so much easier. It might also just show that I imagine a lot of these things, although I hope not.

Beard Community

2006-11-18T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here's a great website about beards and facial hair as well as the entire beard and facial hair community. This website has a picture gallery as well as bulletin boards.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2006-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

If you appreciate good facial hair, including beards and moustaches, then you absolutely have to respect the men who compete in the World Beard and Moustache Championships.

Check out this website for pictures and information about this event, as well as to find out how you can compete and get involved in this amazing competition.

You don't know what you got 'til it's gone

2006-11-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

I do miss my beard, but as I stated earlier, it's gonna come back in. Probably the biggest thing I have realized today is that having a beard really gives someone trouble when eating, especially messy foods. I have eaten almost exclusively eaten messy foods since being in Philadelphia. Last night a Slouvaki and for lunch today I had a Philly Cheese Steak from Pat's (provolone mushrooms wit). Both of these food items got very messy when I attempted to stuff them in my face. I realized then that my beard would be annoying with that messy food, cause all the sauces and stuff would just stuck in there, and cleaning it would be a pain.

I think maybe someone needs to invent some kind of beard bib. That way someone with a beard can eat without worrying about getting a ton of food stuck in there. I know there are the covers for people working in the food service industry with beards, but I am not sure that would work for this. Plus, they are not that stylish, someone could make them to look very nice. Imagine going to a nice fancy restaurant and putting a beard bib on.

Classy.

I feel terrible

2006-11-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

As you may know, I am in Philadelphia, PA right now. I am representing my Honors College at the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference. As a representative of my University, I felt it was in my best interest to get rid of the facial hair, so I took out the clippers and started hacking away. I took a picture of my facial hair before I shaved it off, and I will post that picture when I get a chance. Fortunately it lined up nicely with the 15th, which is technically the date where people are allowed to trim. This was a bit of a trim, but I am planning on just letting it grow the rest of the month. What I've found in the past is that after not shaving for a while my facial hair isn't growing as quickly. Last year at the end of No Shave November I didn't have to shave for a whole week after shaving for the first time because it didn't get sufficiently long enough. So I can probably let the facial hair grow for the rest of my time in Philadelphia, and continue letting it grow for the rest of the month.

2006-11-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

As Alex commented, this blog does get some interesting advertisements picked out by the wonderful computers at Google. I've also noticed some of these advertisements in my gmail account with messages that relate to No Shave November.

Here is one example...

"Female Pubic Hair Style - bettybeauty.com - Stylish Color For Hair Down There Gray? No Way! Get Your Betty Ready."

It's really quite disturbing, but I guess a small fraction of people discussing shaving in a blog or email would want to click on this kind of ad. Not for me, but there's something out there for everyone, right?

Color

2006-11-13T15:02:00.000-08:00

I really have no idea why, but my facial hair comes in a different color than my head hair. In fact, my facial hair comes in a kind of reddish brown color. My normal hair is a dirty blonde/brown color with no visible red. It makes for some very interesting conversation, as far as I know I don't have any Irish or British in me (as the British Isles have the highest concentration of red hair on the planet). I've actually heard from a number of people that tell me their facial hair is coming in a different color than their normal hair.

I wonder why these hairs are colored different, is it because they don't show themselves as often, or maybe something genetic?

Aftershave

2006-11-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

As I was getting ready for my day today, I was about to put on some aftershave/cologne. However, I had to stop myself for a couple seconds just to make sure I should be putting it on. Because I did not shave this morning (obviously) I was not sure it was appropriate to wear AFTERshave. I decided I would just go for it and that it wouldn't matter much in the long run.

Prickly

2006-11-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

I guess the next phase of not shaving is prickly. Especially right around the mouth and lips, the hair can be very pokey. Not shaving seems to be going through a progression of three steps so far.

1)Dirty looking - This first step makes you look like a hobo, or just someone who doesn't really care about their appearance.

2)Itchy - The next step is the itchiness which I talked about before. This might be the worst steps so far.

3)Pokey - This last step (so far) isn't as annoying, and actually only seems to bug me on occasion. It isn't a problem all the time.

The other thing of note is none of these phases have lasted very long. Mind you, it is only the 11th day of the month.

Famous People

2006-11-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

I think it is just because I am going through this process, but it seems like there are a lot of people (mainly people on TV) that I have seen with just enough facial hair to seem like their are participating in No Shave November. It is quite exciting, but then I realize that chances are they aren't participating necessarily, but they do realize the style and sophistication that coexists with facial hair.

Kenny Rogers

2006-11-08T23:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, well I am going to have to give credit to my roommate Tim on this one. He introduced me to this website during our Freshman year.

http://www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com/

It's really great when a website address explains exactly what the website is about. This website is dedicated to men who look like Kenny Rogers. One of my favorite parts of this website is the "Look Like Kenny Tips" page.

Also, you should check out the corn bread recipe.

Election

2006-11-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

As you may recall from my post on Facial Hair and American Presidents I discussed a little bit about the upcoming American mid-term elections. Today was voting day, and I am very excited to see if any candidates were participating in No Shave November, or at the very least have facial hair (or hairy legs for the women). I am not sure where I might find a resource with this information, but if anyone wants to compile that kind of stuff, I am sure everyone here would love to find out.

I can't say for sure, but it looks like Wolf Blitzer is participating in No Shave November, he almost has the right amount of stubble.

Another experience

2006-11-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got off my butt today and played some racquetball with my friend Jack. I haven't played in a couple of weeks and so I was a little rusty, but I still did alright. One thing that was interesting to note, however, was that sweating with a beard is a strange experience.

Normally, at least for me, when I sweat profusely during a workout such as racquetball, it seems that sweat either runs off my face a lot easier or at least can evaporate off. I noticed that with the beard, sweat seems to stick around longer and stay in the facial hair. My normal practice is to use my sleeve to wipe my face of any sweat, and when I would wipe my beard portion of my face, it just felt like a lot of sweat was transferring to the shirt.

Sorry for the explicit nature of the description, but if you are reading this blog you probably have a higher tolerance for this kind of thing.

Movember

2006-11-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my friend Laura from Australia, whom I met in Europe this past winter,
and she was excited to learn about No Shave November because her brother is participating in something very similar.

The name of the event is Movember, and here is the description from their website.

Movember (the month formally known as November) is a charity event held during November each year.

At the start of Movember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much money and awareness about male health issues as possible. Movember culminates at the end of the month at the gala parties. These glamorous and groomed events will see Tom Selleck and David Boon look-a-likes battle it out on the catwalk for their chance to take home the prestigious Man of Movember title.

From the sounds of it, Movember seems to be Australian based, and from their website it appears that the event has spread to a few other countries.

I think a charity focus is a really great way to do the whole facial hair thing, in fact, that might even be a possibility for No Shave November in the future. I would encourage everyone to donate, and if you do decide to sponsor someone, you could even sponsor Laura's brother.

The address for the site is http://www.movember.com/
The address to donate is http://www.movember.com/uk/sponsor/
Laura's Brother's rego number is 6993

The Seventh Year Itch

2006-11-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

(Although I don't really know how many years I have been doing this, six years might be a little better estimate)

I thought I was going to escape it this year, but apparently not this time around. If you've ever grown hair that you normally shave, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's that annoying itch that makes you feel like your skin underneath is burning. It has finally happened to me today.

I'm sitting here after writing two term papers in as many days. It might be the total numbness from my brain being tired, but all I can feel right now is my itchy face. I wonder if I keep doing this for enough years, will the itch go away eventually?

This also gets me thinking about the possibility that girls might actually have a reasonable complaint with the itching. My face is a lot less area than a girl's legs, so I can imagine if my face is this itchy how much worse it must be for girls. My respect level for girls who are doing this just went up ten fold.

It hasn't even been that long

2006-11-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that point of the month where we've had some people drop out already. It's mostly been girls, and I'm not going to name any names, but they only lasted until yesterday (the 3rd)! This gets one thinking about some of the factors behind No Shave November. I've heard mainly two poor reasons why people a)quit early and b)don't start in the first place.

1st - "It will be too uncomfortable, it will itch too much"
-This is not a very good reason because there are tons of people who get itchy when they are growing their hair that itch, and they stick with it. Plus that itchy phase doesn't last very long.

2nd - "It's too gross, people will see my hair"
-This is the excuse most often used by the girls. It actually brings up a very good discussion. My response to this excuse is that November is pants month anyways, so it's not a big deal. So if girls can wear pants for the whole month, and not even have anyone see their leg hair, then they have even less to worry about then the guys. The guys have their facial hair out for public viewing every single minute of they day. And yet, it's much more "socially acceptable" for guys to be growing their facial hair than for girls to be growing their leg hair.

There's really only one excuse that I've found to be acceptable for not participating, and that is for work reasons.

If you are doing No Shave November still, good work, and if you've made it this far, it's only a few more weeks until you can shave.

One of the best things about facial hair

2006-11-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

If I were to pick one thing that made No Shave November absolutely worth it, I would say that it gives me a chance to stroke my face in contemplation. I have already found myself giving the beard a good ol' rub when in the process of thinking, and it's not even a full beard yet. Maybe the most surprising part of that phrase is the fact that I actually think.

Either way though, it would be very interesting to find out why people do that. It probably even relates to Rodin's "The Thinker" where thinking is associated with some sort of hand to face connection.

All I know is that I can feel very sophisticated with this beard.

Wikipedia

2006-11-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

As my friend Alex noted in the comment of this post it seems that Wikipedia thinks that No Shave November is a hoax, and that no one actually participates in it. Well they are obviously wrong, and its quite a tragedy. I'd like to ask anyone that can to leave a message for the person that deleted this Wikipedia article. The link is here. Just let them know that No Shave November is a real thing, and the article should be restored.

Facial Hair and American Presidents

2006-11-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

We unfortunately do not currently have a President who has embraced the wonders of facial hair and I doubt President Bush will be participating in No Shave November. While this may be a very real tragedy, we can find solace in the fact that previous Presidents have had the courage to sport the hairy face. Here's a little website that discusses this in frightening depth.

http://explorers.whyte.com/presbeards.htm

Especially this being election month, I think politicians should think about using No Shave November as part of their platforms. In fact, I think if there were a Presidential candidate in the 2008 election who decided to either sport facial hair or at least participate in No Shave November, I think he would have a good shot at winning. (Of course, this is assuming that the Presidential candidate is a male). If a female candidate were to participate in No Shave November during the campaign, I would totally vote for her.

It's underway

2006-11-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

When I woke up this morning, I was very tired for some reason. Part of it might be that I ended up sleeping in a little longer than normal, and that always seems to make me more tired. But either way, when I realized that No Shave November had finally started I felt relieved and happy, which helped me wake up a little bit.

My normal routine is to shave immediately after showering, as the skin and hair on my face are quite moist (I shave with a razor). It was really nice to be able to just shower and get on with my day, plus I was running a little bit late anyways. So really, not shaving gives you more time in the day to do other things that are much more important. Wow, the more I think about it the pros side is much longer than the cons side of the No Shave November list.

The start of a beautiful thing

2006-10-31T22:36:00.000-08:00

Well, in some places in the world it is already November, so hopefully those people have already shaven, and are ready to go the rest of the month without doing so.

If you are joining in the celebration of hair this month, or if you are just wondering about all the hoopla, keep checking the No Shave November blog to find out about all things facial hair, and updates on how my friends and I are coping with the new addition to our faces (and legs for the girls).

This month is going to be exciting, and this blog is the place to be.

Facebook Groups

2006-10-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

There are a number of Facebook groups dedicated to this wonderful month. Check them out by searching for "No Shave November" in Facebook.

The countdown is on

2006-10-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the last day to shave!

Here is a recap of the rules.

--------
-Guys - No shaving of the face

-Girls - No shaving of the legs

-In the United States - Keep the hair growing until Thanksgiving. (This way you can look fresh and clean for family)

-You are allowed to trim at 15 days, however, this is strongly discouraged.

-Rest of the world - You are asked to participate until the end of the month, besides, it'll help you stay warm.
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NO Shave November

NSN 2011

No Shave November Shirts

Another Year Another Beard

Rocky and Balls record song for charity

No Shave November Wiki Update

Crazy Beard

Facial Hair is Sexy

Facial hair isn't just for faces anymore

Real People, Real Facial Hair

Kenny Rogers

Can't Grow Facial Hair?

Pick and Choose Your Stache

Annoying Hair

Beards in the News

Famous Movie Beards

Beckham's Beard

Day 30 - 2008

Day 24/25/26/27/28/29 - 2008

How to Grow a Manly Beard

Day 20/21/22/23 - 2008

Lumberjack Followup

Bearded Music for Bearded People

Day 16/17/18/19 - 2008

A Lumberjack?

No Shave November Article

Beard and Moustache Mannequins

Facial Hair and Success

Day 13/14/15 - 2008

Wikipedia Update

What kind of facial hair does your name have?

Day 10/11/12 - 2008

Beards as Art

Day 7/8/9 - 2008

Day 5/6 - 2008

Grow a Giant Beard

Day 4 - 2008

20 Manliest Mustaches and Beards

Day 3 - 2008

Day 2 - 2008

How Will You Grow Your Facial Hair?

Day 1 - 2008

Top 10 Beards of the year

Facial Hair Accessories

Age and facial hair

Picture Proof of Progress

Hair Growth

Facial Hair in Art

How do you like it?

The art of trimming

Still going strong

Why can't you braid leg hair?

Inspiration

A welcome feeling

The end

Future plans

Jokes

The beard is growing... still

Tough as Nails

Beard Community

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

You don't know what you got 'til it's gone

I feel terrible

Ads

Color

Aftershave

Prickly

Famous People

Kenny Rogers

Election

Another experience

Movember

The Seventh Year Itch

It hasn't even been that long

One of the best things about facial hair

Wikipedia

Facial Hair and American Presidents

It's underway

The start of a beautiful thing

Facebook Groups