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| Dr. Allan Peterkin |
The Kentucky Derby is finally here! Turning to Dr. Allan
Peterkin today, May 2, The Makeup Examiner offers her suavenistas all the
answers to get your face in shape for this weekend’s event and beyond. Whether
you’re going to be at the track or at a local viewing party, you know that you
want to put your best face forward for the races … and the ladies. After all,
the Derby is more than a horserace … it is the kick-off event for the social
season. So, how can you achieve the best facial hairstyle?
Yvonne P. Mazzulo (The Makeup
Examiner): Regarding facial hairstyles, we’re seeing everything from
clean-shaven to full beards. What styles would you say are current for the
season?
Dr. Allan Peterkin: Well, I think
a lot of men tend to shave off their scruff and winter hibernation beards for
spring and summer months, when it is much warmer. The modern Derby has
generally been a clean-shaven affair. With the recent surge in facial hair
trends, however, I think men are starting to wear what fits them best and
there's more freedom for stylish self-expression.
What advice can you share to
guide men on what look they’re best suited for?
Dr. Peterkin: Determining your
face shape and giving your facial features some thought is the first step in
choosing the right beard or mustache. Make note of the strength of your
jawline, the prominence of your cheekbones, the size of your lips, and the
volume of your cheeks. All of these can affect which facial hairstyles will
complement your look and which will not. While faces come in all sorts of
shapes and sizes, they are all basically one of these three: Round,
Square/Angular, or Oval. Choosing the best style for your face shape is about
achieving a fine-tuned balance between face and hair. Your barber can help you
decide or check out specific tips in my book on grooming “The BeardedGentleman-The Style Guide to Shaving Face".
Once a guy has chosen a
facial hairstyle, be it full beard, clean-shaven or somewhere in between; how
can they achieve that style?
Dr. Peterkin: I would advise
someone who would like to grow a beard to be sure to take all of the necessary
steps that accompany caring for both facial hair AND FACIAL SKIN. Bearded or
not, men need to care for their skin by cleansing and moisturizing, I’d
recommend using a cleanser like the Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Face Wash and their
Face Lotion with SPF.
The easiest beard to grow and
maintain is the short length trimmed beard. You can care for this beard simply
by keeping the margins clean (shaving outside the natural growth) and regularly
trimming your beard with scissors or a clipper to maintain a uniform length.
A lot of men look good with
stubble (and women when surveyed like that look).
How does skincare factor
into a good facial hairstyle look and what advice can you offer about skincare?
Dr. Peterkin: What most men don’t
realize is the key to your grooming regimen is skincare. Guys only need a few
products to care for their skin, and certain brands have made it easy for guys
to maintain a quick, regular grooming routine. For example, the Dove Men+Care
face range is designed to care for men’s skin in three easy steps, which
require only 3 basic products which work in sync: face wash, shave gel, and
face lotion or post shave balm.
Some guys have issues
with growing in a beard evenly, what advice can you offer to help achieve a
thicker and even beard?
Dr. Peterkin: Patience is key.
Let your facial hair grow for a few weeks to determine maximal growth patterns
and then keep it in check by shaping and trimming it to give it a cleaner and
sharper look -- constant maintenance helps with the uneven growth. If you can't
grow a full beard, you can still consider your options-sideburns, stubble, a
mustache or soul-patch. When shaving,
use a shave gel that moisturizes your skin and shave outside the natural growth
on your neck and above your cheeks, but not with too much precision that it
eliminates the natural look. Use pictures of yourself as a reference and create
visual parameters – keep that in mind when shaving the perimeter on the upper
cheek and at the neckline.
What is the best way for
guys to maintain their chosen look throughout the season?
Dr. Peterkin: Moisturize!
Moisturizing is the most important step in a grooming routine --so if you
haven’t started yet -- start now! This is especially important for older guys,
who are most susceptible to dryness and wrinkles. I’d recommend using a
lightweight moisturizer every morning and evening to help care for your skin, keeping it healthy and
fresh, bearded or not. If you do have facial hair, you can also use a dab of
the lotion or of Dove's post-shave balm to condition your beard and keep it
soft.
What are your plans for Derby Weekend?
Dr. Peterkin: I recently bought
two fine top hats, but won't be able to make the Derby this year. It's on my
list for next year! I plan to lie low, and enjoy the beautiful weather!
Note: A very special thank you to
Dr. Allan Peterkin for his time and expertise. Dr. Perterkin’s books can be
found online at AD Peterkin and at Barnes &Noble. The Dove Men+Care Face
Range is available at Dove and mass retailers.
Dr. Allan Peterkin is a facial
hair expert, pogonologist (beard scholar), and a Dove Men+Care Face Range
Expert. Dr. Peterkin has authored three bestselling books on facial hair and is
a leading authority on contemporary styling choices for men lending his
expertise to the likes of Men's Health, GQ and Esquire, as well as in
documentaries from National Geographic and Morgan Spurlock (“Mansome” 2012). He
also appeared as a judge at the 2012 National Beard and Mustache Championships
held in Las Vegas. Dr. Peterkin’s books include; “One Thousand Beards-A
Cultural History of Facial Hair”, “The Bearded Gentleman-The Style Guide To
Shaving Face” (co-written with Nick Burns) and “One Thousand Mustaches-A
Cultural History of The Mo.”
