The Novantadue Blog

Honest answer: beard density is mostly genetic, and no oil or balm changes how many follicles you have. Beard oil moisturizes; it doesn't make hair grow. Shaving doesn't make hair grow back thicker either. It only feels that way because the blunt tip of a freshly cut hair is coarser than a tapered, natural tip.

What helps? Time: many beards fill in over several weeks, so don't judge it too early. A skilled barber can also shape the beard to work with your growth pattern, and a shorter, well-defined style often looks much better than a long, thin one. If you see sudden bald spots, redness or scaling, see a doctor or dermatologist, because that can be a skin condition and not just genetics.

Random detail: The tip of a freshly shaved hair is blunt, which is why stubble feels rougher than a natural, tapered hair. The hair isn't actually thicker.

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A good beard routine is short. Wash it a few times a week with a gentle cleanser. Daily washing isn't necessary for most people, and harsh soap can dry out both the beard and the skin underneath. Follow with a light moisturizer or beard oil, mainly for the skin and for softness. Comb or brush it to train the direction and spread product evenly.

Then there's trimming. Even if you're growing it out, regular trims keep the shape clean and remove split ends. Many beards look best with a tidy neckline and cheek line, and a barber can set those lines so you can maintain them yourself.

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Random detail: An itchy, flaky beard often comes from dry skin under the hair, not from the hair itself.

Walking in and saying "just clean it up" leaves a lot to chance. A few things make the conversation easier:

• Bring a photo. Even a rough reference is clearer than describing it. Ideally, one from the front and one from the side or back.
• Say how much you want off. Describe the sides, the top and the neckline separately.
• Mention how you style it. Do you use product? Do you want it ready in two minutes?
• Tell your barber about cowlicks. Hair grows in a pattern, and a cowlick is where it spirals or flips. A good barber will cut with it, not against it.

Random detail: A cowlick usually can't be "fixed." The best haircut works with the direction your hair grows in.

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Both styles blend short hair into longer hair, but they do it differently. A taper gets gradually shorter toward the neckline and around the ears, usually staying a little longer overall. It's the classic, conservative choice. A fade goes shorter, often all the way down to the skin, and blends over a larger area.

The names low, mid and high describe where the fade starts on the head: low sits near the ears and neckline, mid starts around the temples, high starts higher up the sides. A skin (or bald) fade means the shortest part goes down to bare skin.

Random detail: "Number 2" or "guard 1" in barber talk refers to the clipper guard length, which is how barbers keep a fade consistent from visit to visit.

Book your appointment today at Salon Novantadue

NovantaDue is a premium barbershop at 2825 Boulevard de la Concorde Est in Laval, Quebec. To book, visit novantadue.ca, choose your service and pick a time that works for you.

On your first visit, expect a short consultation before any clippers come out. Your barber will ask what you want, look at how your hair grows, and suggest what will work for you. Bring a reference photo if you have one, and tell us how you usually style your hair.

Booking ahead is the best way to guarantee your time, especially on evenings and weekends.

Random detail: The few minutes spent at the start of the appointment are what make the difference between a good cut and the right cut.

• "Hats make you go bald." No. Male-pattern hair loss is largely driven by genetics and hormones, not headwear.
• "Washing every day makes hair fall out." The hairs you see in the drain were already on their way out. Losing roughly 50–100 hairs a day is normal.
• "It comes from your mother's side only." Genetics are more complicated than that. Both sides of the family can contribute.
• "Cutting it short makes it thicker." Hair isn't affected by cutting, though a short style can make thinning less obvious.

A skilled barber can pick a cut that works with a receding hairline or thinning crown. But if you notice sudden shedding or patchy bald spots, see a doctor.

Random detail: A well-chosen short cut often looks fuller than longer hair on a thinning head.

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Hair grows about half an inch a month on average. Here's what really affects it, and what doesn't, from the barbers at Novantadue in Laval.

On average, scalp hair grows about 1.25 cm (half an inch) per month, which adds up to roughly 15 cm a year. Your own rate depends mostly on genetics, plus age and overall health. Each hair follicle grows in cycles, and the active growth phase can last anywhere from a couple of years to several years, which is why some people can grow their hair very long and others hit a ceiling.

Two myths worth retiring: cutting your hair does not make it grow faster, and no shampoo or oil can dramatically speed up the rate your follicles work at. What a trim does do is remove split and broken ends, so your hair looks thicker and healthier.

"Best" is subjective, but a few things reliably separate a great barbershop from an average one:

• Consultation. A good barber asks questions and listens before cutting.
• Cleanliness. Tools should be cleaned and disinfected between clients, and the shop should look and feel tidy.
• Consistency. Look at recent photos and reviews that show repeated, clean work, not just one great photo.
• Skill with your hair type. Ask whether they cut your kind of hair and style regularly.
• Easy booking and respect for your time.

Visit once and trust your own experience. If you walk out with a cut you like and a barber you'd return to, you've found the right place.

Random detail: Most people stay with a good barber for years, so the first visit is worth getting right.

Hair products are mainly defined by two things: hold (how well they keep the style in place) and finish (shiny or matte).

• Pomade: usually a shinier finish. Water-based versions rinse out more easily than oil-based ones.
• Clay: typically a matte finish with strong hold and texture. Good for messy, textured styles.
• Paste: flexible, medium hold, low to medium shine.
• Wax: moldable and good for short, textured looks.

There's no single best one. It depends on your hair type, length and the look you want. Use a small amount and work it between your palms before applying. Ask your barber, who can show you with your own hair.

Random detail: Most people use far too much. Start with a pea-sized amount.

Cold, dry air outside and heating inside strip moisture from your skin, and your scalp is skin. That's why so many people in Quebec start flaking in winter. There are two common causes with different fixes.

Dry scalp: small, white, dry flakes, and often dry skin elsewhere too. Washing a bit less often with a gentle shampoo, and moisturizing, can help.

Dandruff: larger, oily or yellowish flakes with an oily, itchy scalp. It's linked to a yeast that lives on everyone's skin, and medicated shampoos (ingredients like zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole or selenium sulfide) are the usual treatment.

If it's red, very itchy, or doesn't improve after a few weeks of a medicated shampoo, see a doctor.

Random detail: Washing more doesn't cure flakes. For dry scalp it can make things worse.

Those iconic red-and-white (sometimes blue) stripes in front of the barbershop aren't just decoration — they date back to medieval times when barbers also performed bloodletting and minor surgery alongside haircuts. The red represents blood, the white represents the bandages used to wrap wounds, and the pole itself symbolizes the stick patients would grip to make their veins more visible. Blue stripes, added later in some countries (especially the U.S.), are said to represent either the veins themselves or a patriotic nod to the flag.

Random detail: The spinning motion of modern barber poles was designed to mimic the twisting of bandages as they were wrapped and unwrapped — a visual callback to that surgical history, even though barbers haven't performed bloodletting in centuries.

It's a tradition for Canadian parents to warn about it, but colds and flu are caused by viruses, not by cold air or damp hair. You can't catch a cold simply because your hair was wet.

That said, it isn't pleasant. A wet head in -20°C feels much colder, and a cold scalp makes you uncomfortable fast. Dry your hair before heading out when you can, and wear a hat in the cold. That's about comfort, not illness.

Random detail: The real reason people "get sick in winter" is mostly that we spend more time indoors, closer to other people and their viruses.

The hot towel is a barbershop classic, and it genuinely helps, just not for the reason most people think. You'll often hear that it "opens your pores." Pores don't have muscles and don't open or close like doors. What heat and moisture actually do is soften the hair and the skin, which makes the hair easier to cut and reduces tugging and irritation.

The rest of a good shave follows the same logic: warm prep, a lubricating lather, a sharp blade, and a calming finish.

Random detail: Softer hair needs less pressure from the razor, and less pressure is the main thing that separates a smooth shave from a rough one.

An ingrown hair happens when a shaved hair curls back into the skin and gets trapped, causing a red, sometimes painful bump. Coarse, curly hair is more prone to it. Dermatologists' standard advice is consistent:

• Soften the skin with warm water first.
• Use a shaving cream or gel, not just water or soap.
• Shave with the direction of growth.
• Don't pull the skin tight, and keep it to one or two passes.
• Use a sharp razor and don't press hard.
• Exfoliate gently a few times a week.

If a bump forms, don't pick at it. Most clear up on their own, but see a dermatologist if they're frequent, infected or leaving dark marks.

Random detail: Pulling a hair out (tweezing, waxing) tends to make ingrown hairs more likely, not less.