grooming

Beards have gone in and out fashion since ancient Greece. Peter I of Russia ordered all officials to shave their beards, and England's Henry the VIII imposed a tax on beards while growing one himself.

For the last 30 years, we've seen goatees and mutton chops and other styles I can't begin to name, but the full-on beard has been all but absent. It belongs to the mythical life of leisurely lit professors and, well, hipsters. Same thing. Now, with Jon Hamm and Robert Pattinson, the beard has gone mainstream. Why now? And where has it been?

Anthropologist Desmond Morris says shaving brings three advantages. First, it makes men look younger; second, it makes them appear friendlier; and third, it makes them appear cleaner.

I'm stuck on the cleanliness. The only thing Americans hate more than dirt is an unclean restroom. Just in case I'm wrong, here are four reasons beards have historically made Americans bristle.

• Communists: If there's one thing communists have in common — besides everything — it's facial hair. From Karl Marx to Fidel Castro, the beard says "I don't buy razors."
• Beatniks: Beards fell out of fashion after World War I. Soldiers shaved out of necessity — they needed to wear gas masks — but when the war was glorified by Hollywood, so were clean-shaven soldiers. Men remained smooth-faced for most of the 20th century; at least until the beatniks got subversive and stubbly in the early '60s.

Get the other two after the jump

Temps are heating up and for long-haired pups, Summer means time for a new 'do. For long-haired breeds, shedding is year-round battle, and frequent baths and trims can help the problem . . . but costs add up. TeamSugar user Lynne writes in about her Golden Retriever:

Since I'm not an expert, can you provide any insight and tips on the best products, methods, and stylings to accomplish reducing his fur coat during the Summer? I already have a Furminator, but that takes a lot of time and I don't want to irritate his (pale) skin with too many strokes. I'm hoping I can use the clippers with a 1-2 inch guard but would like some further advice.

Several companies make at-home trimmer kits with DVDs, but I've never used any on my short-haired pup. Can anyone offer up some tips or product suggestions to help Lynne and Sonny out?

Q: I just recently got a little Boston Terrier who seems to have been neglected by his previous owners. I have an appointment with the vet for next week, but I wanted to know some good products to protect/clean his eye?

A: Congratulations! I'm glad that you have a doctor's appointment because it's important to make sure that a tear stain is not a sign of epiphora (blocked tear duct), an eye inflammation, or other disease. There's a difference between cleaning up the stain and treating the eyes themselves, and buggy eyed pooches (Bostons, Pugs, Frenchies, etc.) can be at greater risk of dust, dryness, or scratches. Now North hates swabs, but he'll sit still for eye drops.

To see what product I use, and how to apply it, read more

Although I like to think North is pretty neutral to bath time, his pals at Wag Hotel tell me he loved the hydromassage he got on his last stay. In an attempt to recreate that at home, I tested out the FURminator TubNub ($13) on my pooch. A rubbery tool with nubs to massage a pet, work in the shampoo, and stimulate hair follicles during bath time, North seemed to enjoy this easy massage and it left my other hand free to hold him steady.

I finished up his bath time with this Microfiber Towel ($18) — pretty and green, it was barely damp after I dried him off! Check out the products up close, and see how well they cleaned North's fur below!