Are Beard Blow-Outs The Next Frontier of Men's Grooming?

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Beards are a trend among Chicago gentlemen, and not just during the winter,reports The Chicago Sun-Times. The trend is so prevalent that local salons have stylists who specialize in beard maintenance.

At Floyd's 99 barbershop in Wicker Park, for example, Natalie Anderson is informally known as the "big beard specialist." She has clients who stop in for beard spiff-ups every two weeks, or even more frequently. Tending to giant beards is similar to giving "an upside-down haircut for the face," Anderson said. She tames bearded clients using a blow-dry-bar approach: heat from a blow dryer helps her shape and smooth a beard, and lay it flat against the face.

At Pete's Barbershop in Avondale, owner Pete Huels also knows how to tame a wild beard. With each $19 haircut, he offers to trim, shape, or thin clients' beards for free.

Huels and Anderson both recommend that their clients use Bearded Bastard products—which include conditioners and oils—between visits. "The Bearded Bastard is the sexiest smelling thing I've ever encountered," Anderson told the Sun-Times. "It smells like the Northwoods of Wisconsin, campfires and fighting."
· Beard Trend Requires Keen Attention to Grooming [The Chicago Sun-Times]
· Floyd's 99 Barbershop [Official Site]
· Pete's Barbershop [Official Site]
· The Bearded Bastard [Official Site]