Louise McSharry: The best products to shape and maintain a perfect beard

The most recent bout of this behaviour came as a result of Australian actor Jacob Elordi’s facial hair. The man who many will know from Euphoria, Saltburn and The Kissing Booth films (as much as he’d rather we forget them) has grown a beard.

Beards often get people going, but usually it’s because they’ve ramped someone up on the hotness scale. This time, however, Elordi admirers were devastated. “Finally, living proof that not all men look better with a beard,” one X user wrote. “It’s a crime to cover up that jawline,” wrote influencer James Kavanagh on Instagram.

While the beard might not work for him, there are countless men who look fantastic with one, as long as it’s well kept. Yes, simply ceasing shaving and letting facial hair do its thing won’t deliver the best results. To look your best, you have to put a teeny bit of work in.

First, the shape of the beard must be considered. A full-on man-of-the-woods beard can look great, but even they can look a little scraggly if they’re not occasionally trimmed. A barber can do this for you when you’re getting your hair cut, but you can also have a go at home if you like with a good beard trimmer. These guys are usually electric and rechargeable, and a good one will come with a range of detachable combs, which allow you to select your length. The longer the comb, the further the blade will stay from your face.

You can spend a lot of money on a trimmer, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Philips Series 3000 7-in-1 Multigroom Beard Trimmer and Hair Clipper (€32.99 via boots.ie) is reasonably priced and does what you need it to. Choosing the length of your beard is really a stylistic decision, but if you struggle with patchy growth, longer hair can conceal that more easily.

Maintaining the edge of your beard is crucial too. It should stop below the chin and before the neck. The Adam’s apple is a handy tool for gauging this. Place a finger or two above it and shave from there. The Gillette Fusion5 Razor (€27.99 for razor and eight replacement blades via meagherspharmacy.ie) uses extra blades to ensure a close shave, and is really effective.

When it comes to the condition of your beard, a good oil can really make a difference. Regular use will result in softer and shinier hair with less potential for frizz. Aside from that, many beard oils are beautifully fragranced too, so can be used instead of or in conjunction with another fragrance.

The men I love like Percy Nobleman’s Scented Beard Oil (from €10.49 via boots.ie) thanks to its natural blend of sweet almond, argan, avocado and jojoba oils, which leave the beard feeling hydrated without feeling oily. Work it into your beard after showering, applying it from root to tip.

Buying Irish

I was immediately excited when Luna Professional Haircare’s Stray Tamer (€14 via chtralee.com) came through my letterbox. This product, by Cork influencer Lisa Jordan’s Luna brand, was designed to help you achieve the sleek hair looks favoured by many these days. It is shaped like a stick of deodorant, but instead contains key ingredients like shea butter, ocean bamboo and seaweed extract, which both nourish the hair and keep it in place. Stray Tamer can be applied directly to styled hair to ensure it looks smooth and sleek — like the slickest slick-back you can imagine. This product is really handy to throw in your bag on a night out.

Something old…

Foundation sticks were long classified in my mind as ‘not for me’. They always felt heavy to me, and the results always looked a little cakey. That all changed, however, with Tom Ford’s Traceless Foundation Stick (€81.45 via lookfantastic.ie). This product delivers coverage at whatever level you require, whether it’s sheer, medium or full, thanks to its ability to build beautifully. The finish is soft-matte and skinlike, and blends easily into the skin, leaving you with a lightweight feel that never looks cakey. Aside from appearances, Traceless Foundation Stick contains the brand’s Infusing Complex, which has brightening, antioxidant and soothing ingredients, meaning the product works for you while you wear it. Like all Tom Ford products, it’s not cheap, but I find it lasts a long time and really performs brilliantly.

... Something new

Dior’s Forever Perfect Foundation Stick is still going to set you back a pretty penny, but, at €60, it’s significantly less than the Tom Ford offering without compromising on performance. This foundation stick was designed to suit lots of different situations thanks to its heat and humidity-resistant formula and buildability. The brand advises that it can be used as a concealer as well as a foundation and, thanks to its blurring properties, it will help you achieve a flawless complexion. The lightweight, silky texture means it is incredibly comfortable with wear and doesn’t feel heavy or masklike. I’m delighted that foundation sticks have evolved from the panstick of old, as their multi-use properties and solid formula make them incredibly useful.