Beards are booming these days, whether short or long, meticulously styled or scruffy, among young college hipsters and mature, graying CEOs.

With the rise of the beard, there has been an increase in products that help beardsmen manage them. Among the many tools now out there, there is perhaps none more practical than the Beard Bib.

Here’s a familiar situation that bearded gents have to deal with on an almost daily basis. You are putting the finishing touches after cleaning up your beard and are impressed with the results. However, as you look down on your bathroom sink, you clogged the drain with beard clippings.

Now, you must clean up the sink before your spouse finds out what you did. What should have been a fulfilling and relaxed morning is now rushed and stressful. This would not have happened if you used the best beard bib before trimming your facial hair.

What Is a Beard Bib (aka Beard Cape, Beard Apron)

A beard bib is exactly what it sounds like. It is a large piece of cloth (think of what they make you wear at the barbershop) that wraps around your neck on one end and has suction cups on the other to stick to your mirror or tiled bathroom wall.

Its purpose: to catch all the prickly, messy hairs that cascade from your face while shaving.

Once you’ve finished, you unstick the suction cups, fold the cloth in half, and tilt it downwards into a trash can for the easiest post-shave cleanup of your life.

What Are the Benefits

If you have a significant other, if you have a cloggable sink or shower drain, if you hate sweeping and wiping and still having hairs clinging to the floor and countertop, or if you hate feeling those prickly shaved hairs all over you, then you already know the answer to this: YES!

How many times has your partner had to ask (aka – nag) you about the hair in the sink and on the floor because you forgot or didn’t have the time to do it when you shaved?

How many bottles of Draino has your sink and/or shower drain had to drink this year to unclog it from the mass of hair stuck in it from your shaving?

Even if you have a short, trimmed beard, it doesn’t take, but a few shaves before the drain starts to get backed up.

And if you like a clean bathroom, or if you like having company over, how many times and ways have you had to try to sweep up, wipe up, and mop up those tiny hairs that want to stick to everything!

A beard bib (also known as a beard apron or shave bib) helps solve these dilemmas.

Keeps Clippings From Clogging the Sink

The beard bib catches all the hair clippings so they will not get into the sink and cause it to clog up. You can stop bringing the plunger with you every time you have to shape or trim your beard.

Makes It Easier to Gather and Dispose of Clippings

The beard bib can catch almost all of the hair clippings. This means you do not have to worry about sweeping the bathroom floor after your facial hair grooming session. Just gather the beard bib, walk to the trash bin, and empty the bib directly into it.

Keeps the Clippings From Sticking on Your Shirt

You probably already know how annoying it can be to get small hair clippings stuck on your shirt. You will need to change your shirt; otherwise, you will feel itchy the entire day. As the name suggests, this product attaches around your neck, so it prevents hair from falling on your shirt.

Doesn’t Get in the Way of Your Grooming

You might think that this large thing will hamper your movements, thereby preventing you from getting a good trim and shave. However, that is not the case at all. You will still be able to use your best vintage straight razor without fear of cutting yourself.

How Does a Beard Bib Work

The concept behind the beard bib is quite simple. It is an oversized bib. One end wraps around your neck while the other end attaches to the mirror above the bathroom sink. It forms a large pocket that catches all the hair clippings for easier disposal.

Pros and Cons of Beard Bibs

Pros

• Keeps your bathroom clean and tidy.
• Makes your facial hair grooming regimen quicker.
• Prevents you from experiencing hair-clogged pipes.
• Prevents clipping from sticking on your shirt.
• Does not interfere with your grooming routines.

Cons

• Takes a bit of time to set up.
• Feels a bit awkward the first couple of uses.

How to Choose the Best Beard Bib

Neck Clips

This is a neat little feature that is not included in many beard bibs. This essentially allows you to unclip the bib around your neck and hang it on the hooks on the bathroom mirror, allowing you to come back to it later. This is handy when you suddenly need to stop in the middle of your grooming session for whatever reason.

Weight

Ideally, you want a beard bib that is as lightweight as possible. This will depend on the material used to make the bib and whatever extras are included. You would not want to use something too heavy as it will be extremely uncomfortable.

Material

Ideally, you should use a beard bib made of nylon material. The reason being is that nylon is lightweight and non-stick. It is also easy to fold down to a very compact size.

Extras

These are the bonus items that come with the beard bib. Some brands only offer the beard bib, while others include the beard bib in a complete set of men’s grooming tools. Of course, the latter will be more expensive. However, if you do not have the correct tools yet, having a grooming kit with all the necessary tools will be a good investment.

How to Use It

Step 1 – Decide on how you would style your beard

If you are still weighing if you should shave your beard or not and trim the edges to keep it neat, you should decide now rather than change your mind in the middle of your grooming.

Step 2 – Wash and dry your beard

I advise that you apply Proraso shaving soap with rich lather to soften the beard hairs. This promotes ease in trimming them. Towel dry your beard.

Step 3 – Wear the beard bib

Wrap one end of the bib around your neck and secure it by ensuring the Velcro straps are connected securely. Make sure that the bib is tight, but not so much that it cuts off blood circulation.

Step 4 – Attach the beard bib to your mirror

Your beard bib came with two suction cup-mounted hooks. You will have to attach those to your bathroom mirror. Place the hooks at the same level as your shoulders or slightly below. Attach the bottom corners of the beard bib onto the hooks.

Step 5 – Apply shaving cream or shave butter

Using the world’s best shave butter will also help further soften beard hairs. These products can also keep them in place so they will not get in your way while grooming your beard. If you do not have shaving cream, then baby oil works as an alternative to shaving cream.

Step 6 – Brush your beard to give it direction

Brushing your beard will make it easier to trim. In addition, you can lift hairs with a shave brush for better, closer shaving. This is especially important if you use a disposable razor, as disposable razors should pull hairs.

Step 7 – Start trimming

Adjust your clippers to your ideal length, and start buzzing through your beard. Don’t worry about the hair clippings, as the beard bib will catch them all.

After clipping your beard, it is now time to shave and trim the edges of your beard. The first thing that you should do is carefully trim your neckline accurately. One way to do this is to use a high-quality straight razor with a sharp Japanese steel blade.

Step 8 – Carefully gather the ends

Remove the beard bib from the hooks on the mirror. Carefully hold the ends so that the hair clippings will not spill out. Walk towards the garbage bin and dump the clippings into it.

Take off the beard bib. Shake off any hairs that remain gently. Brush the surface lightly if needed. Fold the bib. Put it in the carrying bag and store it until the next time you need it.

How to Clean One

Step 1 – Shake off stuck-on hairs

Even though beard bibs are made of non-stick nylon, there will always be a couple of stragglers that will manage to cling onto the surface. Unfurl the bib and shake it to loosen as much of the hairs as you can. You should do this outside.

Step 2 – Check the wash instructions

If the beard bib is machine-washable, you can throw the entire thing into the washing machine and run it through the delicate wash cycle. If it is not machine-washable, hand-wash it in a small basin with warm soapy water. Do not scrub it too hard.

Step 3 – Hang the beard bib out to dry  

Nylon fabric is quite sensitive to heat, so it is better to air-dry your beard bib rather than putting it in the dryer. It won’t take long to dry, maybe just an hour if it is sunny outside.

Quick Tips About Trimming and Styling

While using your handy dandy beard bib, there are some basic steps to trimming and styling your facial hair that you should remember.

• Determine/know your beard style: the style you aim for will determine how long you need to let it grow and where the neck and cheek lines need to be.
• Wash and pat dry your beard.
• Comb your beard, including the mustache portion (if applicable) and your neckline; make sure you comb in a single direction.
• Using clippers, trim your beard to slightly longer than the desired length.
• Using a smaller setting, start working on the beard fade as you move toward the neck and cheeks.
• For the mustache portion, comb all the hairs to the side and clip on the desired setting for length. Then comb the mustache down over the lip, remove the clipper guard, and trim all the hairs that hang over your lip and into your mouth.
• Use beard scissors for detailing and getting rid of those stray hairs.

At this point, if you are wanting to work on shaping your beard and not just trimming it, you would want to grab your beard shaping tool (make sure you have it close at hand while using your beard bib) and sharpen those lines.

Finish with beard oil to moisturize and soften your beard. If you want to style your beard, now is the time to follow up with some beard balm or beard wax.

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

You do not necessarily have to spend a lot to get a good quality one when it comes to beard bibs. Even the original beard bib is not that expensive. On the other hand, some brands charge a bit more for their beard bibs. Still, they provide a couple of extras to sweeten the deal.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Let your beard dry before trimming – Dry beard clipping will not cling onto the beard bib.
• Throw the beard clippings into the wastebasket – Never flush hair clippings in the toilet or down the shower drain as they will gather and clog up the pipes.

Don’ts

• Do not use the beard bib without hooking it in your mirror – Although wearing it like a cape can help keep the hairs from sticking all over your body, it will still get on the floor and in the sink.

FAQ

Who invented the beard bib?

The beard bib was an original concept by Nicholas and Alessia Galekovic, which they pitched in the Shark Tank TV show. The couple managed to snag $100,000 for 20% equity of their company.

Do I need a beard catcher?

You don’t technically “need” a beard catcher, but having one will make your daily beard grooming so much easier. You can use the beard bib to shave before showering if you have sensitive skin, so the clippings won’t make your skin itchy. Shaving before the shower is for men with sensitive skin.

Why buy a beard bib?

If you have a beard bib, you don’t need to worry about the beard clippings falling into your bathroom sink and clogging it up. You are potentially saving hundreds of dollars in future plumbing repairs if you buy a beard bib now.

How does a beard bib stick to the mirror?

Most beard bibs come with suction cup-mounted hooks. You attach the hooks to the mirror, and then you hook up the ends of the beard bib onto the hooks.

Conclusion

The beard bib is such a simple yet very effective tool that makes men’s daily grooming rituals a lot easier. With the help of a beard bib, you no longer need to worry about your beard clippings clogging up the bathroom sink.

Who would have thought that a simple piece of nylon cloth is the solution to many domestic disputes? Although it will take a bit of getting used to, eventually, you will see that the beard bib was a tool that you never knew you needed.

Photos from: luckybusiness / depositphotos.com, photographee.eu / depositphotos.com, pressmaster / depositphotos.com and fxquadro / depositphotos.com.

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