Valentine's day is tomorrow, and lovers everywhere will be gearing up for the annual homage to St Valentine. For traditional unisex salons this means a spike in business as love-struck female clients call in to make sure every hair is perfect for a romantic night out, or even a cosy night in, with that special someone.

"Increasingly at 18|8 Fine Men’s Salons we’ve seen our clients are upping the grooming stakes, so anyone neglecting their male clients at this time of year is missing a trick," says Kristen Thewes, National Education Director at 18|8 Fine Men's Salon. "Men want to look their best, too, and with beards currently riding high in the fashion stakes, this is a perfect opportunity to raise the profile of men’s grooming services."

Beards can be tricky when it comes to romance. Some love getting up close and personal with a guy sporting a good crop of facial hair while others may be less infatuated with the idea – especially if their loved one’s whiskers are a scratchy and unkempt mess. Whichever side of the fence your clients’ nearest and dearest sit, Cupid’s arrow is more likely to hit its target if the beard is supple, groomed and in good condition.  

So, how can you make the most of this year’s February love-fest? By brushing up on your beard skills, of course. Here, Thewes offers MODERN these tips:

• Just as with hairstyling, face shape is a vital consideration when it comes to styling beards. Make sure your team understands this and that they give it due consideration when shaping their clients’ face hair.

• Facial hair is naturally coarser and drier than the hair up top, so it also needs to be treated kindly to look and feel its best. Regular cleansing with a mild shampoo and gentle conditioner is essential. After this, applying specially formulated beard oils and moisturizers will help tame the wildest whiskers.

• Don’t forget color. Though a good dash of white can look amazing, many guys are keen to hide the grey and keep the signs of ageing in check. But beards are generally subtly multi-hued, so home coloring can be a disaster, giving a fake-looking solid block shade (or a copper tint) that leaves any self-respecting beard-wearer with no alternative but to reach for the razor. So be ready to offer advice on ways you could help blend in any gray or white while leaving a totally natural look.

• If your client has a longer beard, trim lightly, as guys are quite attached to their facial hair extremities. The best rule of thumb is to keep the sides lean and sharp without rounding around the jawbone. This will help keep the length and uphold a masculine shape (and your reputation on Yelp).

By maximizing your facial hair services you can guarantee your clients’ beards will look better, feel better and smell better, and that will be good news for them, for their other halves – and for your bottom line.

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