Grooming Editor

Grooming Expert in Residence: Beard And Eye Care, with John Turvey from House 99 ep. 1

We’re very excited to introduce our first ever Grooming Expert in Residence, John Turvey from House 99. When John came to meet us at Mankind Headquarters last month, it was obvious that we’d be doing our customers and readers a disservice if we let the opportunity to benefit from his copious knowledge pass them by. That’s why, for the month of November, John will using his years of expertise in the grooming industry to answer common grooming questions. Read more below and keep up to speed with the Mankind blog for future instalments.

Every time I’ve grown out my beard, it’s been patchy and straggly-looking, but I’ve decided to give it a proper go again. How do I make it look good?

Growing a beard is about the three Ps: Prepare,  Persevere, and be Patient!  Every man’s beard grows differently – in direction, area, length, speed.  (Stop looking at your mate’s chins to compare, and focus on making yours the best it can be!). And yes, you may notice there are areas on your face where the hair doesn’t grow as evenly as you’d like. So, preparation is key here – a healthy beard  grows from healthy skin, so start each morning with the House 99 Get Groomed Purifying Beard Scrub to remove any dead skin cells and excess oil that can build up and obstruct hair growth.

You only need a small amount to cover the pad of your finger, which you should massage into the skin under your beard and rinse. Then apply a small amount of Seriously Groomed Beard Balm, which will condition and groom the stubble/ beard growing through, making it more comfortable to grow (it stops any itching), and tames unruly hairs to keep it looking sharp.

Now you’re all set, stick with it!  Get a regular beard trim from your local barber to keep your style in check, keep it groomed, and enjoy happy beard days ahead.

I have to work late most nights, and while I feel fine on little sleep, my skin looks really tired. What can I do to solve this?

When we stare too long at computers (or have a few too many nights out in a row), it causes the tiny blood vessels beneath the skin to enlarge and show through the skin. This causes fluid to build underneath the eye, causing your eyes to appear puffy.  As well as drinking lots of water, start your day with a coffee – and no, not the kind you get from a barista!

Caffeine has been clinically proven to constrict the blood vessels when applied to the skin, thereby reducing the puffiness and improving the appearance around the eye.House 99 Truly Brighter eye balm uses this with great affect to fight eye fatigue.  Instantly freshens-up the eyes like a double-espresso for the face!  Use a tiny amount (size of a grain of rice), and pat gently around the eye area.  Handy tip: store it in the fridge door for a super-cooling start to the day.

If you like this content, read more about House 99, get to know their range in more detail, and keep up to speed with the Mankind blog.

If you have a question for our Grooming Expert in Residence, let us know on our Instagram.



John Turvey

John Turvey

Community User

I started out working in a local hair salon while at school as my first Saturday job.
Following this, I studied grooming and styling at The London College of Fashion. Since graduating, my work in grooming has taken me all over the world.