Men! Your beards could do a lot more talking this No-Shave November
It’s been close to 3 to 4 years of beards topping the focal style statement of men. A trend which seemed to be deftly spearheaded by our brightly-spirited Men’s cricket captain, Virat Kohli & then proudly echoed by thousands of men & boys today, has indeed become a fashion rage. Handsome hirsute faces are here to stay & Oh! That’s wow! And, what if your beards could do a lot more good stuff than just priding your face? This #NoShaveNovember let your fuzz add more purpose & resonance to causes that can mean a lot to people battling Prostate & Testicular Cancer.
Well, No-Shave November is here. Razors are being dumped & beard waxes getting sold out as men are gearing up to take on the #NoShaveChallenge.
As popular as this trend is, a few of us know that the challenge originated from a movement towards raising awareness around men’s health, particularly Prostate cancer, Testicular cancer & also men’s mental health.
No-Shave November: Inception & Purpose
It all began as a simple Facebook campaign in 2009, where men (and women!) forewent shaving for the month of November, and donated their monthly shaving expenses towards cancer prevention & research, while also evoking the much-needed conversation about embracing our body hair. Something many cancer patients lose to chemotherapy & radiation therapy.
The aim here is to encourage the early detection of cancer, boost the awareness around examination & good treatment, which can prevent millions of such deaths.
So far, the official movement has raised over $12M for multiple benefiting foundations.
Not many of which are from India though!
By the way, apart from being one of the most aesthetic facial fashion trends of the 21st century, beards are back to dishing out some great physical benefits beyond the cultural extremeties of styling, comfort & luxury, which are otherwise considered as attributes of metrosexual men only. Or that of our ascetic forefathers, great men in history or community-bound traditions.
How your Beard can make you feel better
Moisture-locking
If you’re someone who lives in colder weather, facial hair excellently keeps cold wind away from your skin that robs it from moisture. In the presence of a beard/moustache, your sebaceous glands can lock in optimum moisture, specially if you suffer from dry skin & are prone to abrasion after shaving.
Sun-protection
Beards or any kind of body hair can block nearly 90% of harmful UV rays from the skin, the prolonged exposure to which can cause wrinkles & a range of skin damage.
Protection from Breakouts
A lot of people with sensitive skin face the brunt of blisters, infections, breakouts etc after their shaving/hair removal routine. Although a neat beard requires some grooming & patience with hygiene, it’s completely worth trying to let your body free from the nasty effects of nicks & cuts.
What lies in No-Shave November (NSN) this time!
Well, intriguingly, Mars By GHC, one of India’s first men’s digital health brands, is taking on the challenge. Alongside multiple NSN themed events and social media contests, their November campaign is also donating 10% of their proceeds this month to the Indian Prostate Cancer Foundation (IPCF), one of the only foundations in India dedicated to research on prostate and testicular cancer.
They also have 40% off on all beard products (medical grade beard growth solutions) to encourage customers to forgo shaving & make the most of this Movember.
Besides, they’re also hosting fun & engaging contests & giveaways with prizes worth up to 10,000 INR on their Instagram page @marsbyghc
So, this #NoShaveNovember, may be ditch that razor & let your stubble evolve throb along with your bearded heart, hoping to see more of this conversation.
Disclaimer – This is a collaboration post completely in tune with my honest personal perspective towards a dedicated noble cause. You may read my full disclosure.
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