Calling all you Dapper Dukes

Suzeandthebeard....we didn't call ourselves that for nothing.

This one is for the hairier half of the blog.

Beardy has used many different variations and remedies of beard oils and now we would like to share one of our favourites with you. 

The Dapper Duke

We came across this selection of elixirs one day walking through Milton Keynes when beardy was chased down by a lady. Obviously this came as a shock to beardy, at first he thought it was someone who knew him yet had no idea who they were, obviously this was resolved quickly when she explained she was selling beard oils and waxes.

                          

They specialise in all things follicle: beards and moustaches right up to the hair on your head. 

These wizards of the men's grooming world can soften the driest of beards. Twist the longest of dashing ‘taches. And they must insist – nurture the neglected skin from whence it all springs. 

                         

All of their oils and waxes are made using natural products, so non of that synthetic nonsense. Core ingredients like jojoba, almond, argan and pure vitamin E to soften even the prickliest of facial hair. Handpicked essential oils add subtle aromas whilst giving you endless skincare benefits. 

We were able to have a smell test of the oils which is obviously the number one key for selecting your beard oil. Our favourite oil from here is the Molten Marshmallow as it smells incredible, having Suze love the beard scent is obviously a must. Also girlies it's great for smoothing out those spilt ends....but shhh don't tell your bearded one. 

                         

The moustache wax they make is probably one of the best beardy has used. It provides great structure for those on point curls.

We have seen this great little business develop over the year and their range has grown with them. 

When seeing them recently at a craft fair Beardy stocked up on some more oil and wax, both molten marshmallow scented. They have a great selection of scents so don't be afraid to try something new. We also got info that some new scents were being released near Christmas time...so keep those eyes peeled. 

                          

Beardy also got a new pair of shades which are made from an old skateboard deck. The sunglasses are as comfy as my Ray Bans and they look awesome.

That's right these guys don't just deal with lotions and potions. They have a brand new line of Starwars inspired t-shirts. 

Give them a whirl at https://dapperduke.co.uk and as the Dapper Duke says "you’ll be at your most devilishly handsome in no time."

The joys of second hand

As money is short at the moment we knew we couldn't buy furniture brand new.

We had a couple of ideas in mind of what we wanted to furnish the house.

We were lucky enough to have a beautiful Victorian wardrobe left behind by the previous tenants, they said they weren't able to shift it, however we have reason to believe it's haunted, dun dun dun.

      

We always shut the doors on it when we go out however it's always open again when we come home. Also things keep disappearing then reappearing. We realise that this maybe due to many things, forgetfulness, the wind, but the fact our fluffy little man won't go near it gives us the creeps. We love it though as it's beautiful and who wouldn't want the chance to call in ghostbusters. 

We also had our old bed in storage so our bedroom situation at the moment is pretty much sorted.

Let's admit it guys, scouting around online and searching charity furniture shops for our living room has been so much fun! 

Beardy was determined to get us a Chesterfield. After weeks of searching for "the perfect sofa" and not having any luck with either the price or people not getting back to us we felt a bit disheartened. However thanks to Gumtree, just down the road from our new place we spoke with a lovely couple who had our dream Chesterfield sat in their garage, and to top it off it was free to a good home!!! It's a beautiful 3 seater oxblood sofa, granted the cushions are a little bit worn but it just adds to its character.

In total it cost us petrol money and some leather polish, instead of £500 (standard rate) so a massive thank you to them.

         

        

Suze found a full John Lewis set for the living room which included a TV stand, chest box and coffee table which we couldn't wait to get our hands on. 

        

After a long journey and battling traffic we turned up to find the measurements that were provided were wrong. However Beardy pulled off some wizardry of packing and managed to get this 3 piece set into our little Seat (car). 

        

When we got it all home we had to get our creative skills out, this may have involved a saw. The coffee table just looked too high next to the sofa. So what did we do? Yep, chopped it's legs off. 

        

The whole dark wood and 'lowered' look works so well, especially in such an old building with high ceilings. 

       

We are now on the hunt for a few copper pieces and a large mirror for above the fire place to finish off the 'classic' style in the living room, so back on Gumtree we go. 

If you know anywhere that sells anything a bit quirky or vintage classic style comment below. 

Top Tips 

▪️Gumtree (www.gumtree.com) has been amazing for us. 

▪️Don't be afraid to make an offer. Having learnt some serious haggling skills whilst being away we have managed to get some incredible deals. 

▪️If you change your mind on a piece it's FREE to advertise on Gumtree! So get selling to free up some spare cash for that new bargain you find. 

Suze and the Beard HQ

Well it's official we have found Suze and the Beard HQ! 

        

Being back in the UK we were desperate to get back into our own space. When Beardy and I were just about to give up the search we found the most beautiful, quirky and what we also think is slightly haunted, two bedroom apartment that just took our breath away. As soon as we walked in from our first viewing we knew this was the one. Even the pictures we originally saw didn't do this place justice.

Right. Let’s talk moving, *deep breath everyone*. We honestly thought moving would be a piece of cake. 

‘We’ve just got back from travelling, we don’t have that much stuff’

‘It’ll all fit in the car, of course it will’ 

‘Oh, just one more bag of clothes’

‘We’ve got this, we are so organised’

These were several sentences uttered in those weeks running up to the BIG MOVE, and yeah…how wrong we were. 

When we knew we had a set date for our move we gradually started collecting a few bits, a plate set here, a vintage HMV radio there, you guys know, to make Suze and the Beard HQ a little more ‘us’. Due to this and having to rummage through storage containers the day of the move was hectic! We had several trips to and from new to old just to ensure we didn’t leave anything behind. 

       

Believe us when we say YOU OWN WAAAAAY MORE STUFF THAN YOU THINK!!!

Now we are starting to settle and finally making it more ‘our style’ (which is a mixture of vintage, dark wood and random stuff…don’t ask) we have to admit taking a step back and being able to see what we did right, wrong and what we were ridiculously underprepared for was a bit of a shocker. 

So listen up about to movers, have a read through our tips and tricks so you are fully prepared for this awesome adventure you are about to embark on. 

Top Tips

• Boxes at the ready! Use your spare time wisely and start packing early. We can’t stress this enough guys. Once everything is packed and labelled correctly then you can actually relax before you take the huge leap of moving. Plus who doesn’t love creating a box fort in the process?

  
  

• Have a clear out! You don’t want to be taking those ripped t’s or smelly trainers with you. So be thorough. This is the prime time to declutter and to have a fresh start so take the opportunity. 

  
  

•  Inform your postie! Don’t forget to redirect your mail. You can do it online or just pop into your local post office and explain you are changing your address. We don’t want anyone losing out on those Tesco club card points or heaven forbid those Dominos deals!

  
  

• Get yourselves on Gumtree. This site is amazing if you are looking for quality furniture on the cheap. (a post will be up soon about this site as we have scored some serious deals and freebies)

  
  

   

  
  

• HELP! Don’t be afraid to ask for it. Movers, painter’s and dinner makers come in all shapes either friends or family so say Thanks and embrace it! Both our parents have been a huge supports throughout all of this. So a HUGE THANKYOU to Mumma G, Papa Felipe, Mumma R and Big Roge! You guys are awesome and we couldn’t have done it without you guys. 

  
  

• Get that camera out! Start snapping guys, this will not only be a lovely thing to look at in the future but also will help massively if anything gets questioned about ‘deposits’. Cover yourself as much as you can, it also gives you a chance to work on that light and dark focussing :D

  
  

• ENJOY! That’s right, enjoy it. We all know moving is one of the most stressful thing you will ever have to go through but my goodness, having your own space is so worth it. Be naughty, grab a take out menu, stick some corona in the fridge and ENJOY your first night in your new home.

   
  
  
  We hope these tips come in handy, also as a few people have been asking, little man is settling in nicely.