2 min read

Man’s Best Travel Accessory

Whitt Kelly : April 16, 2014

As travel aficionados, we at Turner are constantly searching for the latest and greatest travel app. But when was the last time an app prevented wrinkles, blocked wind and made you look good? You’d be lucky to find an app that did even one of those things. We, the men at Turner, have found one that does all three. Enter the beard. Not everyone can grow a beard (sorry ladies). But every man can. This is a certainty. I, like you, was at one point insecure about my follicular firepower. I have light-blonde facial hair and more bald patches than a public golf course. Combined, I figured I would never build the great soup-saver that I always dreamed of. Yet a meeting at Turner PR gave me the confidence to grow one. It was my first team meeting. As I walked in to the conference room, I was immediately overcome with paranoia– the same kind of feeling that haunts you on April fool’s day. Did I forget my notebook? Is someone lurking in the shadows to scare me? I scanned my co-workers’ faces. I was missing something – something important. All the men had beards… except me! Campbell’s curly looks blended into a perfectly trimmed mane. Jeff’s tight stubble dotted his face like a well-drawn cartoon. And Tanner, well he may as well have had two scalps – one above his forehead and one on his chin. Each man in the office has a unique style, one that seems to be the only natural configuration of hair for that face shape. No longer did I worry about not having the perfect beard. This is the key to successful and confident beard growth. Let it grow and then work with what you have. What can beard do for you? More than brown can, whatever that means. First and foremost, the beard is a conduit for masculinity. While I can’t guarantee that it will make you look good (although some say it does), I can guarantee that you will feel good. Perception is reality. Second, a beard is proven to block harsh winds and up to 90% of UV rays, keeping your skin youthful and wrinkle free. Third, beard hair can trap pollutants that may cause asthma or allergies, preventing them from clogging your airways. All of these claims are backed by this article. It also happens that the beard is a cure for my writer’s block. Like Aladdin and his magic lamp, a simple stroke of the beard has words falling out like crumbs from lunch (actually there were real crumbs, too). So as you prepare for your next trip, gander at the illustrious manes of the Turner men (below) and realize that the best travel “apps” might not be on your iPhone.