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It is November yet again. And yes, while the most important cycle you may be preparing for is the defrosting of Mariah Carey and her All I Want for Christmas domination of the airwaves, there is another you are likely hitting right now. No-Shave November is in full swing. So while all your friends are a few days into tossing their razors and trimmers away for thirty days, others are focusing on a completely separate engagement: Movember.

Most people use these two phrases interchangeably, but they are entirely different, with different origins and focuses. So what is the difference between No-Shave November and Movember? Well, sit back and let me walk you through it so you know which one you are participating in and who exactly you are supporting when you do.

When a man is coming of age, there is a rite of passage he must go through. If he is lucky, he has a father who will teach him. But he must learn to shave. Whether you are a guy who loves the Harvey Specter clean-shaven look or a guy who wants to look like the wild man in the wilderness, you still need to perfect this process. Every man needs some good shaving tips. If you are a father of a son, this is a ritual you are looking forward to teaching your son. And you will cherish that moment, among others, as they move on in their life.

If you aren’t someone lucky enough to have a father or grandfather you can look to for the wisdom of the shave, then you’re the person we’re looking for here. I remember my father teaching me. So it is important to pass on the information to you. In true Mark style, I reached out to my friends at Cutting Edge and got expert information from a leader in the industry.

I was a failure … the facial hair equivalent of a 90-pound weakling. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t grow a beard; it was more that whatever facial hair I did grow felt like a Velcroed-on Brillo pad: super uncomfortable and leaving my skin itchy and broken out. As Movember and No-Shave November came and went, I made two separate attempts at beard growth … each ending with a sprint into the bathroom when I could stand it no more, trimmer in hand, welcoming back the clean-shaven face I know so well. It wasn’t the first time I’d given up on hirsute happiness. 

When December rolled around, I decided to pay attention to an email I’d gotten for something called The Beard Club, a subscription service for beard care products. The Club’s premise was “helping first-timers as well as seasoned hirsute gentleman to up their grooming game.” I couldn’t resist and threw down the gauntlet. Could they help even me? After all, the site’s tag line is “Don’t Grow it Alone.”