Alabaster in Allston: the pro-beard revolution

...and I'm not talking about the clueless girl on the arm of that impossibly femme guy-- that's a different beard.

If you haven't noticed, the pro-beard movement made it's way through Hollywood and has since infiltrated our trendy little enclave. It's like you can't even swing a purse on the T now without hitting at least three of these Adrien Grenier-esque motherfuckers.

Not to brag or anything, but lately I've been indulging in the trend by partaking in some serious make-out sessions with a bearded guy. I'm not ungrateful or anything, but it's taken a serious toll on my skin. And considering that beards are "in" right now, I'm willing to bet quite a few of you ladies, and maybe some bros, too (this is Allston), are in the same boat.

Beards have come at a time of the year that is already hostile toward moisture, and consequently, toward our skin, too. While engaging, a full-on lip lock with these gentlemen- their beards included- is hazardous to the face, especially if your skin is already dry and sensitive to begin with. Too much kissing and too little care, and you may start to find yourself with the girl version of a beard. (No, you won't be growing facial hair, but you will have a distinct line of demarcation that resembles a beard... of dry skin. )

What is a girl to do, you ask? No, you don't have to kick your bearded boy to the curb; just take a few precautionary skin-care measures.

First, and most importantly: Exfoliate! I don't mean go out and buy St. Ives scrub (In fact, don't ever use that shit on your face. It's like rubbing shards of glass all over your skin, and if you have any minor breakouts they'll spread like wildfire when the exfoliating beads break up and spread the bacteria.). You can, however, find some products that have gentle beads in them at a local pharmacy, like CVS or Rite Aid.

But if you're spending day and night in a permanent state of lip lock, you may need an exfoliant that is stronger. Any products with enzymes is great. They work hard destroying dead skin cells, and that, after all, is what we're trying to rid ourselves of here. One of my favorites right now is a green apple fruit peel by Juice Beauty, an organic line of skin care. I like to put it on before getting into the shower; then I leave it on for ten minutes while the steam works its magic (hint: steam will enhance and add moisture to ANY face peel, so applying right before a shower is best). After that, remove and BAM, I have a fresh, new complexion.

The next step is moisturize, which you should be doing daily anyways, so this won't complicate your skin-care regimen. During winter it's okay to use a heavier moisturizer. Because this is New England, feel free to use a creamier one until early- to mid-spring. Once the season changes, though, so too should your moisturizer, to a light, oil-free one.

Two things to keep in mind: exfoliating once or twice a week; moisturize day and night.

If you cannot change a man, you shouldn't force him into beard submission. Besides, he'll eventually lose the beard and making out with go a lot smoother. But until then, the only thing we can do is put ourselves and our skin first.