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Are beard products in store space replacing shaving products?

My 19 year old son told me a year or two ago that he thought 'Beards are totally out now'. I think he was wrong. Today at Target I saw: beard wash, beard wax, beard shampoo, beard oil, beard butter, beard pomade couple of other things. In Walmart for instance where space is limited, they've used a whole shelf in the shaving section for these items. I noticed shave products, aftershaves etc. seem to be fewer.
 
Actually, since the 60s, beards have been a staple of American manliness. Except for that regrettable disco thing in the 70s. I have had a beard since 1976 and most middle age men seem to rock white beards now. Even tonight at a restaurant I saw several men in their 20s with quite healthy beards. I do like those products, especially beard oil and beard wax.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Looking for some shave gear deals at my local Winners proved disappointing. Some cheapo DE razors and 1 generic sad looking brush, off brand cream and mystery splash. There was however a fair amount of beard product and a few brands I recognized. At least 85% beard products for sure.
 
Looking for some shave gear deals at my local Winners proved disappointing. Some cheapo DE razors and 1 generic sad looking brush, off brand cream and mystery splash. There was however a fair amount of beard product and a few brands I recognized. At least 85% beard products for sure.
I was going to post something similar.

Winners and Marshall’s have tons of men’s products currently (East of Toronto) but it is predominantly beard products. Also lots of hair pomades and L’Oréal and similar men’s facial products but I haven’t seen much shaving stuff in ages. A few months ago I bought a couple of Rockwell synth brushes at a Winners but nothing since beyond Thayers Tonic.

If I had a beard, I’d be like a kid in a candy store there.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Quarantine beards are hot right now... and soooo 2020. 🤪

Only until playoff season...

Then Playoff Beards will be all the rage.

I agree; seeing it where I live, too. Which is kind of amusing (and not to imply scorn or criticism). A few years back when kilts became an icon of confident masculinity I was amused that a number of men who wore kilts shared sources for "kilt shirts" with extra-long tails. The idea was that a nice smooth fabric layer between the kilt and the manly parts would ease the irritation a bit. Until one guy's wife pointed out that women have known that for years, and it's called a "slip." Suddenly all the manly men were regimental again. :001_rolle

As almost every parent will say, "It's just a phase."

O.H.
 
Agreed.

Surely there is enough room in the world for those who shave and those who don't.

Of particular annoyance is, for example, L'Oreal who introduced their BarberClub range that included products for both. But then shortly after the shave cream quietly disappeared from the range (or at least in the UK it did).

I mean, who ever heard of a man going to a barber for a shave right?
 
I don't mind it as long as there is still plenty of selection on the web.

And I don't mind guys sporting a healthy beard as long as is well kept, heck I would grow a killer beard if I wanted to.

What really ticks me off is when a bearded guy comes up and says: “shaving is for girls, grow a beard and be a man”

I personally have never needed a beard to assure myself since my manliness has never being questioned by me or anyone else😉
 
I don't mind it as long as there is still plenty of selection on the web.

And I don't mind guys sporting a healthy beard as long as is well kept, heck I would grow a killer beard if I wanted to.

What really ticks me off is when a bearded guy comes up and says: “shaving is for girls, grow a beard and be a man”

I personally have never needed a beard to assure myself since my manliness has never being questioned by me or anyone else😉
The ancient Greeks and Romans were (generally) clean-shaven. If people want to question those guys' manliness, I would refer them to Thermopylae and Caesar's conquest of Gaul.
 
Quarantine beards are in right now.
I've had my beard (a "Commander Riker" style, though I grew mine before he did) since 1988. If they're getting to be "in," maybe I need to cut mine back to one of those "ring" beards, a la Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber in Die Hard.
 
What really ticks me off is when a bearded guy comes up and says: “shaving is for girls, grow a beard and be a man”

A while back in a pub I had an acquaintance give it the old "real men grow beards" line.

I pointed out that the completely automatic process of expelling mostly dead cells from your skin in no way makes you a real man. Actually, the fact that I've seen women with beards, kids with beards and even clams with beards means not only does it not make you a man it doesn't even guarantee that you male, adult or human.

Now a real man - he drags an insanely sharp piece of metal across his face every day and ENJOYS it!!

(No offence meant to those with beards - but he started it) :)
 
My 19 year old son told me a year or two ago that he thought 'Beards are totally out now'. I think he was wrong. Today at Target I saw: beard wash, beard wax, beard shampoo, beard oil, beard butter, beard pomade couple of other things. In Walmart for instance where space is limited, they've used a whole shelf in the shaving section for these items. I noticed shave products, aftershaves etc. seem to be fewer.

To be honest I think your 19 yr old is closer to the reality of where things are going and if anything - finding lots of these (overstocked) products in the TJ Maxes and Marshalls of the world if anything actually just simply points to exactly his point. The 19 yr olds aren't trying to replicate trends of what was "interesting" when he was 4-5 but are far more interested in defining their own way and their own look. If I were to be bolder - my guess is even Gillette's forays into DE aren't being done blindly and are actually feeling out a lot of people like your son in understanding where the trends are going - and testing them.

At a really basic level - who wants a quarantine beard as a positive expression of oneself ? If anything reminding myself of the hellscape that is 2020 by looking in a mirror feels like exactly a good trend for the smarter generation (like your son) to break free from.
 
Target is trend-aware but its inventory is not a strong leading indicator. I too find their men's shaving section beard-heavy and wet-shaving-supply deficient. That said, beards both performative and casual are still alive and well in Portlandia.
 
I noticed the latest Gillette products marketed as King C Gillette have included a range of beard trimming and care products. They seem to be embracing all manner of tools and products in their in store product range including the DE razor.
 
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EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
I often read on B&B that traditional shaving is 'like grandpa used to shave' and I think that is mostly true. We use basically the same tools and products, and in many cases actual vintage tools and products. Not much has changed and that is a large part of the appeal for me. I wonder what our forefathers would think of beard wash, beard oil, beard conditioner, beard wax, beard balm, beard shampoo, beard pomade, and beard butter. Not much I suspect and I would agree with them, maybe I am just getting left behind by progress which is fine by me. 👍
 
Arguments over what does or doesnt make you a man aside, I havent really noticed a reduction in shaving products here in Ohio. I just notice that the shaving products are the same and they just made the mens' grooming section bigger by adding beard products as well.
As someone else said, theres room in the world for bearded men and clean shaven men. I personally love my beard and will never shave it off no matter what popular culture says is cool but I fully support those those who choose to be clean shaven.
 
@Badgerstate36 I think the beard or no beard is more of a personality trait. I’ve tried it a couple times but is just not me.

I’ve also seen guys who have had a beard for a long time and when they shave it off it does not seem like them so it suits them well to have a beard.

And if you throw all this upcoming beard products to make it look nice and healthy is a win win.

As with all things, is good to have something for everyone, the fact that wet shaving products are not prominent in brick and mortar stores is just there are not enough of us buying those products to justify the shelf space. Good thing is not the 1900’s when you were at the mercy of whatever the local shop was able to provide.
 
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