Men’s Style Guide: Fall 2016

How to grow a show-quality beard

Rob Hopper, of Commodore Tonsorial Parlor, shares his tips

Rob Hopper, owner of Sandy Springs’ buzzy new Commodore Tonsorial Parlor (tonsorial, for the uninitiated, relates to barbers, not tonsils), shares his tricks on how to grow fall’s greatest accessory: a show-­quality beard.

Hands off
First two weeks: Don’t do anything. A period of untouched base growth is necessary. But go ahead and invest in trimmers; we suggest Wahl Detailers and Andis T-Outliners.

Don’t overtrim
Two to four weeks: We recommend keeping a nice low neck line, just above the laryngeal prominence (aka the Adam’s apple) and only edging the mustache hair that is starting to protrude over the top lip. Avoid the common pitfall of edging the cheek at this phase.

Groom on
Four to eight weeks: It’s time to start using a soft bristle boar brush and beard oil; our very own Adrian Doss formulates Dossalini’s from a blend of organic oils. Now you can meet with the pros to perfect the shape.