I vividly remember the day I saw the first black hair on my chin - it was during that long, hot summer, which I spent at my grandparents' house in the countryside. I was staring at myself in the mirror, my innocent eyes full of anxiety; for the first time in my life, I realized that my body is growing and that my careless childhood days will come to an end. What a frightening realization that was!
I also remember the first time I shaved; or shall I say the first time my mother attempted to shorten my peach fuzz with scissors? It ended up being a bloody mess because her hands were shaking with nervousness. Up to this day, I have a small mark on my neck, which reminds me of that moment. My peach fuzz soon turned into strong beard, which I have been shaving ever since, never letting it grow for more than three to 4four weeks. That continued until last December when I finally pledged myself to let it grow long.
Having a beard comes with a new set of responsibilities, including combing and moisturizing it on a daily basis, as well as trimming it every once in a while. Having a beard also means spending money on dedicated beard products - soaps, shampoos, and balms. Using regular shampoos and soaps is not a good idea because the beard and skin underneath will start looking and feeling terrible.
Recently, I bought myself a new beard balm, and since there aren't many reviews of it online, I decided to snap a few shots and let you know how it smells and feels on my beard.
Bárðarbunga - Berad Balm Fit For Vikings ~ 60 ml ~ 25 Euros
If you don't know what Bárðarbunga is - it's a volcano in Iceland, and if you don't know how to spell it - you are not the only one! Nevertheless, such a name creates a certain expectation. The balm comes in an old-school looking aluminum tin, which has a threaded closure. That means that I can easily carry it around without being worried that the lid will fall off.
Removing the lid makes me happy in an instant. The consistency of the balm is great, meaning that it's right in the sweet spot - neither very soft nor very hard. The smell is punchy and sweet at the same time; among the ingredients are mango, aniseed (liquorice), sweet orange, as well as black pepper.
Rubbing it between my palms intensifies the smell. A lot!
After applying it and spending 6 hours in the office today, my beard looks in a very good shape! I am still able to smell the balm, although the aroma is not as strong as it was in the morning. I like it lot - it's undoubtedly made of quality oils, and that alone justifies its relatively high price.
So, If you have a beard or if you'd like to make your bearded partner happy, Bárðarbunga beard balm would make a great gift!
Dan