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 Boston Beard Bureau basics
"We are really just an eclectic group of guys (and gals) who get together at least once a month to try to better our community," says Boston Beard Bureau president Bert Mayer. "All our competitions are for charity, and while drinking may be an activity that most of our get-togethers revolve around, we have members who don't drink. It isn't a requirement; that means people under 21 can be a part of the club as well (as long as the bar lets them hang out). To be an official member of our club, we have a few bylaws to get your name on the list: 1. No money will be due to the club. Anything you would like to contribute is up to you. 2. All members must attend a Boston Beard Bureau meeting or BBB-sponsored gathering. 3. All members must have participated in a beard and/or moustache contest (any will do). 4. All facial hair is valid. 5. All members will embody the good nature of facial hair and spread joy throughout the land.” Stubble style
"It's all trial and error," says Boston Beard Bureau president Bert Mayer. "There can't be a wrong way, right? Just act like you meant to do it. I started with wax, moved to hair gel, settled with hairspray, and I am still learning after two years." Competitive edge
"Just show up," says Boston Beard Bureau president Bert Mayer. "There is nothing hard about it. Competitions aren't about winning; they are about having fun. Losing isn't something to worry about. Chances are someone will take a sweet candid shot of you on stage, and BOOM, new profile picture." Wax on
"You can get most good waxes online; most even have Facebook pages or are sold at competitions," says Boston Beard Bureau president Bert Mayer. "I personally know half the guys that make the stuff I use. Whenever someone in our club tries a new product and we are happy with it, we always endorse it on our page (https://www.facebook.com/BostonBeardBureau). It's about spreading the word of new products and helping people find what works for them." No hair? No worries!
"I know very few women who are hairy enough to compete, but that doesn't stop them from showing up and rocking some fake beards," says Boston Beard Bureau president Bert Mayer. "This isn't a lifestyle that discriminates. Everyone is welcome as long as you are having a good time. Own what you DO have, and the rest will come in later." Beard growth
"We're working on getting our official site up (http://www.bostonbeards.org/), which will help update people on local events and give a more in-depth look at the club," says Boston Beard Bureau president Bert Mayer. "Fundraising/merchandise sales are a big part of what helps us get to competitions out of state. If you want to help out the club (and look like a badass at the same time), check out our store: http://bostonbeards.storenvy.com/. Reach out and feel the beard!"
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Just Grow It.
Keywords: Artist
You know, Red Sox hotshot Andrew Miller gets a lot of ink about his hair. Jesus, they call him, and the Mountain Man. Whatever. All we know is if Bert Mayer threw a decent fastball, he'd have it all over Mr. Miller. Look at the dude! There are curls and spikes, and seriously, there could be a small mammal starting a nice family in his beard.
The hairy look does happen to run in Bert's family. His dad, an audio engineer, sported an impressive goatee when Bert was a tyke. It made an impression. By the time Bert was a sophomore at Hampshire Regional High School in Western Massachusetts, he’d grown his own goatee. "I have hair!" he declared. "I am a man!" He had heard that legend has it that if you shave, the hair will grow in thicker. Bert shaved. It didn't grow in thicker. He shaved again. Zip. And again. Nothing. But by the time he was a freshman studying film at the Massachusetts College of Art, he could grow a mustache. At the age of 22, his cheeks grew in. We're talking full beard here. Around that time, he stumbled onto the netherworld of beard competitions, a subculture of Fu Manchu, musketeer, imperial partial, and freestyle facial hair styles. Bert thought (stroking his beard, of course). Why not? He walked into a contest in Somerville with a handlebar mustache accented by four spikes. He walked out with a trophy.
Now Bert prides himself as the founder and president of the Boston Beard Bureau, a group of 20 men and women who meet monthly to discuss cool styles, nifty hair gels, and how to make bank at the next competition. They are looking for more members — no facial hair necessary, Bert insists. (There's a fake beard category that is gender-neutral.) His family has even gotten into the act: his dad entered with his infamous goatee, his mother with a crocheted beard, and his aunt took home second prize with a beard made of bottle caps. Andrew Miller? Are you game?
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