While 2020 might not have seemed like much of a year for growth, it was in one very important respect: beards.

The lockdowns of 2020 saw more men leaving the razors on the shelf, with 52% of Kiwi men saying they shaved less during lockdown. A good portion of these men also admit to letting their facial hair go all Jumanji in general appearance, but new research by global men’s grooming experts, Bulldog Skincare, has shown that men will be going back to more of a grooming routine in the coming months, and they’re looking forward to experimenting with their looks. Boar & Blade barbershops owner Hohepa Rutene teams up with Bulldog Skincare to predict the grooming trends for men in 2021.

Trend 1: Taming the lockdown beard

The iso-beard isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but it’s going to be shorter and smarter, with 41% of men planning to spend more time on personal grooming and channel less of the ‘I just woke up like this’ vibes.

Trend 2: Having a mo-ment

Fans of Magnum PI rejoice – the moustache is looking to be an emerging trend for 2021, with one in ten men looking to try a mo’ on for size this summer. Movember as always saw the guys embracing moustaches in all their glory, and with people looking for fun and experimentation when it comes to their look this year, the trend is set to continue into the following months. An 80s revival, perhaps?

Trend 3: Putting your best face forward

We may have got a bit of guilty pleasure out of staying in our trackpants and never washing our faces while we were stuck at home in 2020, but skincare is going to be a big focus for 2021, with 25% of men planning to reboot their regime and use more products such as moisturiser and face wash on a regular basis. With less FaceTime and more face time, there will be a renewed interest in looking good and feeling great.

boarandblade.co.nz