So you’ve heard of Movember, sure. It’s the time of year where men across the world band together and grow awesome mustaches for an even awesome cause. But what if you’re not ready to kiss goodbye to your facial hair for just a month of mustache growing? If only there was a way for you to keep your beard and still raise money for a great cause?

Enter No-Shave November. Cousin to Movember, No-Shave November is a way that you can raise awareness of male-related health, including cancer and mental health issues. It’s also a fantastic excuse to keep your beard on the grow.

Where Did No-Shave November Start?

In 2007, a gentleman by the name of Matt Hill tragically lost the fight to colon cancer. It was after this that his 8 children – 4 of them boys – decided to do something in his honor.

That something was No-Shave November. In an interview with today.com, the family described the thought process behind setting the event up:

“A lot of cancer patients undergo chemo and they lose hair. So we grow our hair for those that are losing it,” said Christine Hill, one of Matt Hill’s daughters. “And then, the money that you would have spent on hair removal is donated to the cause.”

In 2009, the oldest sister of the family Rebecca, officially launched No-Shave November as a non-profit organization. With the help of one of her friends, they raised $2,000 for the cause. Since then, it’s grown a bit – last year, they raised over $1 million.

Today heard that even Thomas, who is the youngest of the siblings at just 16, is committing hours of his life to helping out. Although he’s hardly shaving as it stands, he gets involved in other ways.

“I come home from school, I check online for all the bracelet orders. I pack all those up, have to go to the post office, ship them out,” he said. “Then later, I’ll go online and check for support emails because I also respond to those, help people out. Make sure the donations are still coming in, no-one’s having issues. And I also help my brother design the website.”

They’re all getting involved and you should too. It’s for a fantastic cause.

Movember vs No-Shave November – What’s the Difference?

This one has confused us before, so we don’t blame you if you’re not quite sure. Two facial-hair themed charity events that both have month-pun-based names. Not the easiest to differentiate between.

The Movember Foundation claims to be “the only charity tackling men’s health on a global scale, year-round.” If you ask me, it sounds like there’s a bit of competition.

The point of Movember is to throw in the facial hair towel at the start of the month, shave clean, and grow a badass Mo alongside your fellow bros. Through doing this, you’re meant to raise funds towards various partner-charities that help with male illnesses such as prostate cancer.

The Movember Foundation was founded back in 2003 when two Australian dudes by the names of Luke Slattery and Travis Garone decided to club together for a good cause. By 2015, they’d raised over $710 million. They operate in 21 countries (and counting), so their claim of tackling men’s health on a global scale is definitely founded.

No-Shave November, however, is a “web-based, non-profit organization devoted to growing cancer awareness and raising funds to support cancer prevention, research, and education.”

As opposed to shaving clean and starting afresh on your quest for an awesome mustache, men worldwide are encouraged to get involved by throwing the razor aside and letting the hair grow wild. It’s a convenient opportunity for me, as I’d already set aside November for a full-on grow period. Now I can do that whilst raising money for charity. It’s a win-win.

Women are even encouraged to get involved. Let that body hair grow out for the entirety of November in the name of charity and goodwill. You’ll probably even save a bit of money on those waxing appointments.

Although No-Shave November might be the easier option for bearded gents reluctant to shave clean, both charities are not-for-profit, so it doesn’t really matter which one you do. It’s entirely down to personal preference, as the money will go to a good cause no matter what.

How to Keep your Beard in Check During No-Shave November
If you’re not shaving, that doesn’t mean you can just leave your beard to its own devices. If it’s out there on its own in the cold winter months, it’s going to let you know about it. These complaints will come in the forms of beardruff, split-ends and general unattractive frizz.

Don’t worry, though, there are several inexpensive ways you can keep on top of the mountain of hair that’ll soon be exploding from your face. Take a look at the following products and learn about their benefits:

Beard Oils

As you probably already know, beard oils are a great way of keeping your facial hair in line. They’ll moisturize the underlying skin, preventing outbreaks of beardruff, as well as keep your hair soft.

Unless you’re looking to pay mad money, you’ll do well to find a better oil than that produced by Smooth Viking. It looks great, smells great, and trust me – it’ll make that beard of yours feel great.

Beard Shampoos

Let’s take it back a step. Before you apply your beard oil, you’re going to want to work a good beard shampoo into your daily shower routine. Although it might look rugged, beards require a lot of care and attention to keep them in top condition.

When washing each morning (or whenever you do it, nobody’s judging), massage a small amount of beard shampoo into your facial hair, then rinse it out. By doing this, you’ll be able to exfoliate the skin underneath your beard, removing any dead cells and particles of that burrito you destroyed on Saturday night.

The shampoo you buy doesn’t need to break the bank. Check out this option from Beardsmen Spirit – the refreshing fragrance of their all-natural US oils will leave you feeling chilled and refreshed.

Beard Balms

If you really feel like splashing some cash and treating yourself a little, you should definitely take a look at some beard balms. Considering you’re not going to be shaving for a month straight, it’s understandable that your beard might get a little out of control. That’s where beard balms come in.

Think of them as the lovechild of beard oils and beard waxes – they’ll give you all of the conditioning nourishing benefits of oil, with the style and control of a wax. They’re basically the hair spray of the beard world, except they’re good for you and the environment, too.

If you’re in need of a good beard balm, check out the likes of Brooklyn Botany. Not only are you going to catch all of the fantastic benefits a beard balm has to offer, but you’ll also be able to enjoy the incredible scents of jojoba, orange, and argan oil whilst doing it. This isn’t one to be missed.

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So there you have it – everything you need to know about No-Shave November, including a couple of essential product suggestions to help you get through the month.

For information on how you can get involved with No-Shave November, take a look at their website.