Good facial hair can make a look. Every Beatle had a beard in the 1970s (top points to George Harrison, in particular), Jim Morrison grew one out to complement his curly hair, David Beckham's been as experimental with his chin hair as he has his diverse wardrobe, while Jason Momoa's facial hair is as impressive as the merman hair.
Christian Bale is with them too. In addition to laying claim to a slick wardrobe and one of cinema's, finest resumés, Bale also has one of the best grooming regimes in Hollywood. A signature swept-back mop of hair, tightly clipped beard and horseshoe style 'stache all big up his cool factor.
And it's only getting better: the 48-year-old Welsh-born actor has gone and beaten himself at his own game. For his GQ November cover Bale sports a slightly bushier, grown-out beard than we've seen before. But he hasn't gone full Gimli Son of Glóin, or peak 2020 lockdown. Instead, his is a cleaner, smarter take. Neat around the edges, with just enough tousling at the chin, we're saying that it's the best beard we've seen all year.
Naturally, we want in on what Christian Bale is doing and so we called upon Joe Mills (of barber Joe & Co) to get some tips to help you achieve the same levels of bearded excellence as Bale.
Joe Mills: "Growing out your moustache and beard takes a couple of weeks. If you are starting from clean-shaven you may get a little irritation on your skin. It's just your skin adjusting, so keep it moisturised and it should pass in a day or two.
"To keep it looking groomed like Bale's, you'll need to invest in one of the best beard trimmers. I think a Wahl Super Taper Clipper is the one to go for. It's cordless so you can use it easily in the bathroom and it comes with 'guards' so you can trim your beard to the exact length you want, whether that's as long as Bale's or slightly shorter.
"To line out your mo, comb the hair downwards and then, using one corner of the clipper, gently trim along the line of your lip. Don't go in too deep or you could take too much off. Take your time and keep checking it's symmetrical.
"Personally, I think you should invest in a decent face wash to keep your skin and beard clean. Pair this up with a moisturiser to keep it soft and supple. Triumph & Disaster is the best for both.
“As a final touch, add a few drops of beard oil to give it that groomed look and feel. Captain Fawcett's comes with a comb for extra help.”
