10 beard styles for Men

There are a lot of different beard styles you can choose from. However, you have to understand that there are also a lot of factors that are needed to be considered in order for you to find the right one that will match your features.  Distinct face shapes require various beard styles. Remember, what looks good on others may not exactly look the same on you.

We have consolidated the best beard styles for 2017 that will surely add oomph to your looks. You can experiment as much as you want in order for you to find what will really look good on you. You should have the patience especially if you are aiming for longer beard styles as of course, you will look unkempt while waiting for it to grow.

1. Balbo

The Balbo is among the most popular beard styles these days. Robert Downey, Jr., a renowned American actor who starred on top grossing films such as The Avengers and Iron Man, has been maintaining the Balbo look for years as it matches his features pretty well.

Match:

Men with narrow chin

How to achieve:

You need to grow a full beard in order for you to have ample hair for shaping. Do not shave for 4 weeks or until the beard has fully grown. You also need to grow a mustache. It requires careful sculpting so you need good razors to achieve the look. You can use a disposable or an electric razor to take off the hair on the sides, and a straight razor to shape the Balbo beard style appropriately.

2. Bandholz

The Bandholz beard style was popularized by Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand. He was into the corporate world until he fell in love with beards. He got negative comments because of his drive to grow his beard until its limit, thus, he has quit his job and decided to put up Beardbrand

Beardbrand was just a community before. Eric posted blogs, YouTube videos, and Tumbler entries to provide information to enthusiasts who would like to keep their beards at its finest condition. Later on, he has decided to turn it into a business by offering high-quality products that really work wonders. From beard oils, washes, and softeners, to scissors and combs, the Beardbrand is certainly a one-stop shop.

Match:

Triangle, inverted triangle, oblong, oval or diamond shape face

How to achieve:

Growing a Bandholz require patience. At first, you will look patchy and unkempt especially during the first 4 months. You need to have the patience to keep it untouched. Throw away your razor and scissors; you won’t need them for months. Just let it grow until it reaches the maximum length you can genetically grow. You can start shaping and cutting it 7 months after, or you can keep it as is, depending on your preferences. What is nice about the Bandholz is that you can keep it freely unlike other beard styles.

3. Circle Beard

Also known as the “standard” beard, the circle beard is a combination of mustache and rounded goatee beard styles. It looks tidy, thus, making it a good option for men who would like to look presentable without letting go of their beard.

Match:

Oval and round shape face

How to achieve:

Make sure that you have grown a reasonable amount of hair to avoid over trimming or shaving. It would be best to visit a salon to perfectly achieve the circle shape as it can be a bit fussy. As soon as you have acquired the right look, you can do the succeeding trimming and shaving on your own.

4. Extended Goatee

Also known as the tailback or the Hollywoodian, the extended goatee is a combination of a goatee and a mustache. The style is different from the full beard as you are taking off the hair on the sideburns.

Match:

Square and oval face shape

How to Achieve:

Make sure that you have grown medium stubble before shaping your beard. Take off the hair on the sideburns and adjust the width according to your preferences. Do not take off your mustache.

5. Friendly mutton chops

The friendly mutton chops is also referred to as the sideburns, sideburns or side whiskers. The term “sideburns” was derived from Ambrose Burnside, a renowned American Civil War general.

Match:

Circular or square face shape

How to Achieve:

Let your sideburns and mustache grow until they meet. Shave the hair on your chin until the lower lip area. You can keep your sideburns growing until it becomes fluffy.

6. Full Beard

The manliest and much preferred by men among all the beard styles, the full beard is certainly something you must not miss this 2017! Well-groomed full beard is more attractive as it accentuates your features better.

Match:

Diamond, Triangle or Inverted Triangle face shape

How to Achieve:

The full beard depends on your genetics. If you grow hair all over your face, then achieving it is easy. You just have to let the hair grow until medium stubbles and shape it evenly using a razor. Stop shaving until 6 weeks so as to attain the look. Trim right after to maintain the length.

7. Garibaldi

Do not have ample time to keep your beard looking kempt? The Garibaldi is perfect for you! It is a bit shorter than the Bandholz, thus, trimming it once in a while is required.

Match:

Oval or Rectangular Face

How to Achieve:

You have to grow your beard for months, about 4 months depending on how quick you grow your beard, until it reaches 15-20cm. Trim and shape the lower area from time to time to make it look round.  The mustache’s length is something that you should also keep neat as the focus should be on the beard. No styling aids required as it has to look natural.

8. Imperial

The Imperial became popular during the Second Empire. It is not actually a beard style but a mustache. However, you can incorporate it with your sideburns or chin beards, like what Mel Gibson has done on his beard. Just make sure that you keep the beard simple so as to keep the imperial mustache as the highlight of your face.

Match:

Rectangular or Oblong Face

How to Achieve:

Do not shave for weeks, or even months, until you have acquired whiskers that are long enough to be shaped. Some enthusiasts say that they had to wait as much as 3 months until they have successfully achieved the look.

Shave your sideburns or the hair near your mustache. Never trim! Make sure you’re your mustache looks natural, so even if it disturbs you from eating well or if it falls from time to time, resist the temptation of trimming to successfully have the Imperial look. Now, start curling the ends. You can use beard oil or mustache wax to keep its curl.

9. Short Stubble

The simplest among all the beard styles, the short stubble is something that you can easily maintain as there will be no “special” method just to achieve the look. It looks manly yet does not make you look untidy.

Match:

All face shapes

How to Achieve:

Just don’t shave your beard and mustache for 1 to 2 days. After that period, just trim it to keep its short length. If you grow hair above your cheeks, just shave it habitually to maintain the look. You can also shave the hair growing on your neck area, keeping the stubbles focused just around the lower area of your face.

10. Medium Stubble

Well, if you don’t want to trim your short stubble, then you have to say hello to medium stubble. If you think you look better on it, just once again keep the hair trimmed until it’s 3 to 5mm long. It will probably make you look scruffy a little bit, but if properly maintained, it will surely bring out your machismo image.

Match:

All face shapes

How to Achieve:

Make sure that your beard doesn’t go beyond your cheek and neck area, so trim or shave all those excess growth. Keep the length no more than 5mm so you should have a good trimmer as you will use it at least once every week.

Here is what your sleeping habit tells you about your Love relationship

Recent psychological research carried out at the Edinburgh International Science Festival discovered an interesting fact: any change in the relationship of a loving couple immediately affects the positions that partners take in their sleep. The most important thing here is not the position in which they cuddle before going to sleep or the one that they take right after they fell asleep. The position they sleep in all night long and wake up in the morning is the only one that really matters.

Inspired by the research of Professor Richard Wiseman (University of Hertfordshire) and the work of psychologist Corinne Sweet, the below is created as a fun guide to sleeping positions for couples that hopefully will give you a better understanding of your relationship.

The ’Honeymoon Hug’ position

This position tends to occur if the couple has just started dating or had to spend some time apart from each other.

The position is also popular among married couples if their family life is still passionate and full of tenderness and love.

The ’Dialogue’ position

This position is very common among those partners who maintain a strong connection between each other but still need to spend more time together and to communicate more often.

The ’Stargazing’ position

Both partners sleep on their backs. Usually, one person is laying on their back while the other rests their head on their partner’s shoulder, making him or her the more dependent one. This couple has great chemistry, but sometimes one of them finds it a little uncomfortable being forced to take the other one’s point of view (and in this case, position) into consideration.

The ’Sweetheart’s Cradle’ position

This position is very similar to the previous one, although it’s much more intimate. This one is very common among couples that aren’t afraid to constantly show their feelings; they’re very tender and care a lot about each other. The position typically means that the man is more bossy and domineering in the relationship.

The ’I Cherish You’ position

These couples are usually very happy and genuinely enjoy their relationships. The position reflects mutual respect of personal space. And their touching backs are more proof that it’s highly important for them to feel their partner’s presence nearby.

The ’Liberty’ position

This position may show that a couple went to bed right after they had a big fight. However, there is an alternative explanation: both partners are probably very independent, self-centered individuals who require a lot of personal space.

The ’King of the Bed’ position

Partners who tend to spread themselves all over the bed are usually those who feel the need to assert themselves rather than show their feelings to their partner. Their behavior in relationships is often very selfish, which is reflected in their sleeping habits.

The ’Spoons’ position

This position indicates harmonious and passionate relationships at the same time. The position is very popular within the first few years of marriage. The partner behind usually plays a dominant role in such relationships. The other partner, on the contrary, enjoys the feeling of being protected.

The ’Loose Spoons’ position

Couples choose a very comfortable ’spooning’ position but provide each other with more freedom. This is one of the most complicated positions with at least two possible interpretations:

1. The position reflects a relationship without passion — at least one of the partners feels this way. He or she feels no more need for any physical contact or is simply dissatisfied with his or her partner.
2. In the second case, the partner who turns their back provokes the other one into an expression of feelings and is willing to get more attention.

The ’Leg Hug’ position

The partners prefer not to sleep in close contact with each other, but they casually touch each other’s feet. Usually, couples sleeping like this share family harmony and mutual trust. They give each other freedom while keeping a small ’bridge’ to touch and feel each other even at night.

10 things depression makes you experience that no one talks about

Depression doesn't mean you're feeling sad. In fact, living with this mental illness can significantly alter your life. Here's how.

One of the most common words used in day-to-day conversations is depression. People often talk about how someone has been feeling depressed. Ever since Bollywood actors like Deepika Padukone have spoken up about depression, it is no longer treated with the same stigma and indifference.

Despite all this awareness about depression, it always bothers me how so many of my friends and acquaintances, who are otherwise smart, well read and highly educated people, are so clueless about how living with depression can significantly affect one’s day-to-day life. ‘Just stop being sad, yaar. You have nothing to be sad about,’ or ‘Snap out of it’ are very common phrases they use. These are the things no one told you about depression.

However, being depressed has nothing to do with being sad. These are the ten things a patient living with moderate to chronic depression experiences on a daily basis while struggling to lead a normal life.

1. Your personal hygiene is no longer a priority

When you’re depressed, you no longer function like you used to. You will find yourself putting off taking a bath, making your bed, keeping your house clean or even brushing your teeth on some days. Your self-esteem hits an all-time low. Every time you see your reflection in the mirror, all you can see are your flaws and shortcomings.

2. You feel guilty all the time

When you’re depressed, you tend to be very hard on yourself.  You feel like you’re constantly letting down your loved ones and beat yourself up for having a condition you just can’t control.

3. Even simple tasks make you feel exhausted and overwhelmed

Making yourself a cup of tea can seem like a gigantic task. You find that you take much longer to complete simple steps and get overwhelmed easily. You’re unable to concentrate on work or studies and constantly feel like your batteries need to be recharged despite taking long breaks.

4. Physical symptoms

A common misconception is that depression cannot affect you physically. However, that is far from the truth. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry in 2004 has confirmed that the physical symptoms of depression include chronic joint pain, limb pain, back pain, chest pains, gastrointestinal problems, fatigue and sleep disturbances [1].

5. Feeling hollow or empty

Not everyone who is depressed spends the entire day crying into a pillow or just feeling sad. Chronic depression acts a lot like a Dementor (from Harry Potter) and leaves you feeling completely hollow or empty on the inside.

6. You will feel irritable

Being irritable and grumpy is a symptom of depression that is often ignored. You will find yourself snapping and losing your temper over the smallest triggers. Due to lack of awareness about this symptom of depression, you will be labelled as ‘moody’ or’ unstable.’

7. Lying awake in bed all night long

Depression causes a lot of sleep disturbances. You might feel tired and exhausted after surviving yet another day but despite that, you won’t get any sleep. On the other hand, if you’re oversleeping it could be a sign of depression.

8. Isolation

When you’re living with depression, you are likely to lose friends. Not everyone will understand what you’re going through or have the inclination to provide any support. Another major side-effect of depression is that you lose interest in socialising and being around people. You feel like no one can understand you and you start isolating yourself by spending far too much time in your room alone. Consciously make the effort to reach out to a few people and to build a strong support system.

9. You might experience nightmares

Finnish researchers found a link between depression and nightmares as they observed that depressed individuals were far more prone to nightmares as compared to healthy people. Frequent nightmares could also be a sign of post stress trauma disorder (PTSD).

10. You will be called lazy

When you’re struggling to deal with depression, your loved ones will call you lazy and even blame you for not putting in enough effort. However, it is important for you to remember that just like you would get a viral fever or other physical ailment treated by a doctor, depression can also be treated with the right psychiatrist or psychologist. 

TV Beauties that rocked the bikini

It might be monsoons right now but a bevy of beauties from TV have raised temperatures. Check them out!

Not long ago, TV actresses preferred to dress by their onscreen image. However, that is slowly changing and here is proof. In the past six months, we have seen a number of our TV divas in bikinis. The gals have flaunted their hot bodies/vacation pictures with elan. Check out these beauteous babes and tell us whom you found the sexiest!

Sonarika Bhadoria
The lady has moved on from TV to films down South but people still identify her as Parvati. When she posted a snap in a red bikini top and floral sarong chilling on the pristine beaches on the Maldives, she faced a lot of hate mail. People were aghast at how a ‘divine figure’ could pose in a swimsuit. The lady replied them tersely and rightly so.

Mouni Roy
She has millions of followers on Instagram courtesy her gorgeous pictures with her style game bang on. A few days after Sonarika’s controversy, Mouni posted snaps of her Goa holiday. The lady looks cute in the swimsuit that she has matched with a friend. Talk about co-ordination!

Nia Sharma
Voted as one of the sexiest Asian Women on the planet by her followers, Nia Sharma is a total stunner. The lady is not afraid to flaunt her hot body in the most risky outfits. On her recent Dubai break, she posed in a hot pink Victoria’s Secrets bikini and a pale powder blue one-piece swimsuit. Sassy, confident and stylish, Nia rocked the bikini and how!

Jasmin Bhasin
Now, this swimsuit outing really surprised us. We know Jasmin as the drop dead gorgeous Twinkle from Tashan E Ishq but the gal made our jaws drop with her stunning snaps from her Bali holiday. She has flaunted the bikini (black, blue and pink) with aplomb and posted some truly aesthetic and fun pictures. Way to go, girl!

Natasa Stankovic
Remember Natasa Stankovic from Bigg Boss? The Serbian beauty was also seen in the video DJ Wale Babu. The lovely gal has posted bikini pictures from a lovely holiday in Greece and we are totally flat. With the lovely tresses, sun-kissed body and happy smile, she is looking every inch a tropical diva.

Anita Hassanandani
If it’s Maldives, there has to be a bikini. This is the mantra Anita Hassanandani swears by. Check out this bikini picture with her cute husband in Prisma. We were floored in her cute pink avatar in her Bali vacay but this one’s hotter.

Training body to burn fat, not store it

Researchers have uncovered a new molecular mechanism for stimulating the body to burn fat -- a discovery that could lead to new medications to fight obesity, diabetes and heart diseases.

By knocking out the gene that produces a protein, known as folliculin, in fat cells in mice, the researchers triggered a series of biomolecular signals that switched the cells from storing fat to burning it.

This process is known as the 'browning' of fat cells. The principal role of brown fat is to burn energy to produce heat, which helps keep our body temperature constant. White fat serves as an energy-storage tissue.

Scientists recently discovered a new type of fat tissue with characteristics somewhere between healthy brown fat and the not-so-healthy white kind. The so-called beige fat is capable of behaving like brown fat in response to certain stimuli such as exposure to cold.

"Conversion from white fat cells to beige or brown fat cells is a very desirable effect in the obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome indications, since excess energy in the body is not stored in fat tissue but is burned in brown or beige fat tissue," said the study's senior author Arnim Pause, professor at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

For the study, published in the journal Genes & Development, the team bred mice to have fat cells that did not produce folliculin. They then fed normal mice and folliculin-deficient mice with a high-fat, junk food-like diet over 14 weeks.

Normal mice gained weight rapidly, whereas folliculin-deficient mice remained slim.

By measuring rates of oxygen consumption and CO2 production, the researchers found the folliculin-deficient mice were burning more fat.

At the end of the trial, these mice had smaller white fat cells and less white fat tissue overall.

The extra energy they were producing made them better at tolerating cold temperatures, too, the researchers said.

The research could open the way for new medications to be developed that will stimulate the 'browning' process.

"One implication (of the study) is that a drug could be developed to stimulate the activity of beige/brown fat cells and thus help manage obesity and other metabolic disorders," Vincent Giguere from the University in Montreal noted.