Have you ever wanted to dress up as Santa Claus, but not had the resources or inspiration to make yourself look like the bearded man? You’re in luck because here’s how to make a Santa beard that looks real! It’s easy, inexpensive, and sure to get you in the holiday spirit. Best of all, it can be used again and again.
Step 1: Materials you will need
There are so many different materials you can use for your beard, but this one is probably the cheapest. The first thing you'll need is a newspaper, scissors, glue, and construction paper in your desired color. With the construction paper in front of you, cut out two shapes that look like triangles but the angles will be cut off on the left side. These shapes should represent cheekbones and where they attach to each other will be the pointy end of your beard at the top right corner. Cut out four more triangles that represent nose indentations and extend towards what would be your chin. One at the top center and one at the bottom center should cover your mouth.
Step 2: Drawing the face shape
Before you go any further, make sure your beard is at the desired length. Longer beards are easier to shape but may require more upkeep if they get in your face too much. In that case a good beard trimmer will do the trick. One of the great things about growing out a beard is that it gives you some practice before deciding how long you want to go for the ultimate effect.
Once you're satisfied with its length, comb through it gently with a beard comb and spray a little hair product in it. This will help keep your beard manageable and lighten up the appearance of flyaway hairs - both necessities when growing out your first beard.
Step 3: Cutting and shaping it out
- Cut off an appropriately sized section of your beard and lay it on the table in front of you so that the top (towards your face) of the hair is at the bottom and it is forming a 'U' shape,
- Brush out any tangles with some help from a comb or your fingers,
- If your hair does not already have grey streaks in it - pull out some grey hairs near the roots by pinching them between two fingers,
- Take another smaller section of hair and brush it up into an upward curve and place this piece under one side of the U-shape
Step 4: Clean up your edges
First clean up your edges. When you are satisfied with the shape of your beard, take black paint and paint the edge so that it is indistinguishable from the rest of your beard. Using this technique will help make sure that there aren't any stray hairs sticking out which might make people think that you're not wearing a real beard.
Then let it dry! Once the edges are all painted, you can let the entire beard dry overnight if needed- just so long as its in front of a fan or open window if it's going to be hot outside!
Step 5: Attaching them with hot glue or tape
Use hot glue or tape to attach your beard pieces in place. Carefully place on top of your nose, so the fibers go across your mouth and up onto the side of your face. You'll also want to make sure that the chin hangs down about an inch below the lower lip so it looks natural-looking and three-dimensional. Add glue underneath some of the beards if they are not sticking well enough and let them dry completely before you put on the hat.
So far we have covered how to choose, store, buy, and make (or order) beards for Halloween costumes or just for fun! Now we're going to learn how to attach them in place using hot glue or tape!
