Ever since there have been men, there have been beards. When you are applying organic beard products to your facial hair, you are doing more than just making yourself look good. You are engaging in a long history of beards and the cultures that defined it as a masculine norm.
Four Distinct Beard Periods
Although beards have always existed in some form, there have been four distinct periods where beards really exploded in popularity. Prior to the first period, Alexander the Great established clean shaven faces for men as being the only appropriate aesthetic. The four distinct periods in beard admiration are as follows.
- 2nd century thanks to Emperor Hadrian
- Middle Ages when knights and kings preferred beards
- Renaissance during the 1500s
- Late 19th century to today
Part of the reason for these distinct periods is humanity’s need to push against what was considered normal in the previous generation. Each generation of men want to redefine what it means to be masculine.
The Relationship Between Beards and Religion
Certain religions, particularly the Abrahamic ones, place a heavy emphasis on male members retaining their beards. Part of this is due to certain religion’s requirements that men show patience and discipline by maintaining facial hair. However, shaving has also played a role in how people orient themselves to the divine. For instance, some groups of people view shaving as a form of purification.
Beards in Today’s World
It is always interesting to examine how beards were viewed centuries or just decades ago and how they are viewed now. Today, beards are more often associated with the “hipster” aesthetic.
One last interesting tidbit to know is that the last bearded president of the United States was Benjamin Harrison in the 1890s. For over a century, people just have not wanted a leader with a beard. As long as you are not running for president, you can keep your facial hair and maintain it with the best beard products from Lovely Beards. Contact us here.