Amazon Prime Day: My Beard Is Glorious and the Reason Why Is on Sale Right Now
Firstly, my beard is glorious, and I will be taking no notes. That being said, it takes a decent amount of time and effort to keep it looking lustrous and shiny. Before I decided to dedicate my life to grooming, my beard was constantly itchy and unruly. I didn't think you needed to take care of it; I just accepted the itch as the price I paid. Turns out that's not the case. A few small products can make all the difference in comfort.
Beard hair is naturally coarse due to many factors, not least that we tend to wash our beards with harsh body washes. The follicles on your face also play a part in the coarseness. Like normal hair, beard hair needs shampoo and conditioner to keep it well moisturized. Once you've cleaned it correctly, you can use the Every Man Jack Cleaning kit to make it look the best it can be.
Brush up on your grooming
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Your normal comb or hairbrush isn't really going to work for a beard. The grooming kit comes with a hand brush, wooden comb and scissors (in a nice little pouch), any of which can improve your facial hair. I use the beard brush multiple times a day. It looks like a boot brush and has very coarse bristles, but they work well to detangle the curly beard hair and make it much easier to apply the balms. It also adds some great volume, making your beard feel more bushy, even when you're starting to grow it out.
Using the wooden comb sometimes feels like you're looking for head lice in your kids' hair, but the thicker prongs help me get some separation in my beard so I can see any hairs that may be too long and need snipping with little barber scissors. Having the brush and comb, or at least the comb, on you at all times means you can give that beard a little straightening up before company. It's also worth remembering that the bristles on your brush won't last forever, so you should replace them every six months with standard use.
Balms and oils make all the difference
James Bricknell/CNET
Using beard oil changed the game for me. Just a few drops on your hand massaged into your beard and, most importantly, onto the skin under your beard, reduces static, which makes your hairs stand on end, and nourishes the hair and skin it touches. It also makes your beard hair much softer and easier to manage. Finally, beard oil, especially Every Man Jack sandalwood, smells amazing without being overpowering. It's a subtle smell that's fresh and light. Some oils can have a heavy smell of "tobacco leaf" or "whisky barrel" -- because men can't have nice smells, we have to smell like bars, apparently -- but the sandalwood is a natural smell without being floral.
The beard balm is used mainly for styling. I use it to tame the wilder grey hairs that now appear in my beard with more frequency, as they can stick out even after brushing. Beard balm holds them in place, giving me a more manicured look. Every Man Jack also makes a bear butter that I use whenever I get out of the shower. It smells incredibly and helps lock in the moisture. I love how light and clean it makes my beard feel immediately after using it.
It's OK to look good
There has been a lot of stigma around men's grooming for years. The idea that we can't look after our hair or skin without losing some kind of points on the masculinity meter has lead to scruffy beards ruining it for the rest of us. You deserve to look good and not itch all the time, and Every Man Jack's grooming kit is the way to do that. I use it every single day, however long my beard might be. It keeps my skin from flaking and my beard gloriously shiny, like a Viking or wizard.
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2 days ago
- CNET
Stop Your Wine From Going Bad Fast With These Storage Tips
If you're pouring just one glass and planning to save the rest of the bottle, it's natural to wonder how long the wine will stay good. Can you enjoy it the next day, or does it lose its flavor after just one night? The good news is wine does not spoil the moment it is opened. With the right storage, it can keep its taste for several days. Recorking the bottle, storing it upright, and placing it in the fridge -- yes, even red wine, can all help slow down oxidation. Exactly how long it lasts depends on the type. White and rosé wines often hold up for around five days, reds for about three to five, and sparkling wine for one to three, depending on the style and how tightly you seal it. Don't miss any of CNET's unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome. Read more: Need to Find High-Quality Wine on a Budget? Here's How Here's how long wine lasts and how best to store it Once any bottle of wine stays open beyond the few hours it takes to breathe and decant, its quality begins to deteriorate. That's why it is crucial to take some steps to preserve its longevity, should you want to finish the remaining beverage before it essentially turns to vinegar. According to wine educator Rachel Thralls, each wine type requires different storage methods. Here's a breakdown of the most common. Red wine Open red wine should be stored in the fridge to preserve it and removed about 10 minutes before serving. Pamela Vachon/CNET Days it will last in the fridge: 3-5 "Red wines can be stored in a cool, dark place with a cork or in your wine fridge or refrigerator," says Thralls. "The more tannin and acidity the red wine has, the longer it tends to last after opening." For example, a lower tannin wine like Pinot Noir won't last as long as rich reds like Cabernet Sauvignon. "Some wines will even improve after the first day open," Thralls adds. "If you don't have a wine fridge, your regular fridge is better than letting the wine sit out in a 70-degree room. Just take the red wine out about 10 minutes before you want a glass so it warms up a little. The red wine will also open up in the glass." Full-bodied white wine Days it will last in the fridge: 2-3 Fuller-bodied whites tend to lose their oomph a little faster. YourWineStore "Full-bodied white wines such as oaked chardonnay and viognier tend to oxidize more quickly because they see more oxygen during their prebottling aging process," explains Thralls. "Be certain to always keep them corked and in the fridge. If you drink a lot of this type of wine, it's a really smart idea to also invest in vacuum caps ." Not long after the cork is popped, all wine begins to deteriorate. Vacu Vin Sparkling wine Days it will last in the fridge: 1-3 Sparkling wine has the shortest shelf lives of any wine. Shutterstock "Sparkling wines lose their carbonation quickly after opening," says Thralls. "A traditional method sparkling wine such as cava or Champagne (which have more atmospheres of pressure, aka more bubbles) will last a little longer than a tank method sparkling wine like prosecco." Invest in a bouchon (sparkling wine stopper) for best results. If you're really serious about preserving your Champagne, Coravin makes a bougie sparkling wine preservation system that pumps carbon dioxide back into the bottle to extend its effervescent fridge life by weeks. Light white, sweet white and rosé wines Days it will last in the fridge: 4-5 Uncorked light white wines can go for as long as five days if kept cold. Fresh Vine "Most light white and rosé wines will be drinkable for up to a week when stored in your refrigerator with a cork," advises Thralls. "You'll notice the taste will change subtly after the first day as the wine oxidizes. The overall fruit character of the wine will often diminish, becoming less vibrant." Tips for storing wine How and where you store wine is important, before and after opening. Wine Enthusiast The aforementioned guidelines are helpful for any wine novice. Thralls suggests a few general rules to take into consideration with any opened bottle. 1. Invest in a wine preserver. "They work very well for keeping wine after it's been opened. You can use the cork and push it back in or try [a product such as] Repour, which removes the oxygen from the bottle." Coravin wine systems are pricier but these high-tech units actually refill the bottle with argon gas, extending the life of red and white wine for up to a month. 2. Store any open wine in the refrigerator. "Or a wine fridge, if you have one," says Thralls. "This cold storage will slow down any development of the wine, keeping it fresh. The ideal cellar or wine fridge temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit." 3. 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"If you drink affordable wine most of the time, serving it slightly chilled will disguise most 'off' aromas," she says. "A wine above 70 degrees Fahrenheit will start to smell more alcoholic because of increased ethanol evaporation that occurs as the temperature rises." Thralls says that this is a good reason to not fill your wine glass up to the brim. "A typical serving of wine is about 5 ounces and a bottle of wine contains just over 25 ounces, so you should get about five glasses of wine per bottle," she explains. "The extra space in a typical wine glass is designed to hold the aromas when you swirl and smell your wine, so try and save some space." The ideal serving temperatures for each type of wine There's an ideal temperature for serving every type of wine. Africa Studio/Shutterstock Champagne and sparkling wines Affordable sparkling wines taste best served at 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. 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CNET
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I Found a Better Way to Cook Grilled Cheese and I'm Never Going Back
I've been making grilled cheese for years, but the air fryer completely changed the game for me. What I used to cook on the stove is now quicker, crispier, and far less greasy. I've moved far beyond the confines of a hot skillet now, and it's time you do the same. Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens for 2025Not only does the bread comes out golden and crunchy, but the cheese melts into that perfect gooey center. In fact, I hardly need any butter at all. Plus, the kitchen stays cool since there's no hot pan on the stove. If you haven't tried grilled cheese in an air fryer yet, it's more than worth it. The results are hard to beat, and it might just become your new go-to method. Don't miss any of CNET's unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome. If you don't own an air fryer, I recommend Ninja's glass-bowl model. It's the best we've tested and makes a mean grilled cheese. 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For your grilled cheese, the air fryer is working on both of the bread surfaces and the cheese all at once, resulting in a quicker melt, which adheres the cheese to the bread slices together making for a much easier flip. (Flipping is still recommended but with far less drama.) The air circulation provides deep crunchiness, not only to the surfaces that received the butter or mayo treatment but to the entire crust. Any inclusions beyond cheese in the interior of the sandwich are also transforming because of the ambient heat. Simply placing a lid on your saute pan or skillet can't achieve the same results, as the components will become steamed and potentially soggy. How I make a grilled cheese in the air fryer Humble ingredients are transformed into something great inside an air fryer. Pamela Vachon/CNET Assemble a grilled cheese as you would otherwise Sliced bread Sliced or shredded cheese (I like American cheese for a basic grilled cheese and a combo of gruyere and cheddar for an upgrade.) Butter or mayonnaise for the outside of the bread slices (dealer's choice) For a basic grilled cheese, you can assemble the sandwich in the basket of your air fryer: bread with buttered side down, followed by sliced or shredded cheese, then topped with the final slice with buttered side up. Be it a simple sandwich or a fancier combination of cheese, bread and fixings, the air fryer makes a crispy, gooey grilled cheese in minutes. Pamela Vachon/CNET Set the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 3 to 6 minutes on each side, flipping halfway through. The already melted cheese will keep your sandwich nicely together during the flip. You can get a lightly golden grilled cheese in less time but I recommend hanging on for 5 to 6 minutes for a deeply crunchy sandwich. Another perk of the air fryer is that you can more easily peek to see where you are without adversely affecting the outcome. The air fryer is even better for a stacked grilled cheese Add a fruit element and cured meats for a fancier air fryer sammy. Pamela Vachon/CNET This is where the air fryer really shines in the grilled cheese realm. Every element of an upgraded grilled cheese adds a degree of difficulty when trying to cook in a skillet, much of which is mitigated in the safe confines of an air fryer. Thicker bread. Thicker cheese, like hunks of camembert or brie. And think of all the great grilled cheese ingredients that can be slippery: apple slices, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, pickles, etc. Any grilled cheese with more than two components can be challenging to flip gracefully in a skillet, even for trained cooks. Bag a loaf of good bread and stuff your sandwich with upmarket cheese. Pamela Vachon/CNET To prove a point, I assembled a fancy grilled cheese with camembert, prosciutto and apple slices. (Plus mayonnaise on the exterior, because I was being fancy, and mayo gives your sandwich a little extra tang.) Because of its height, I assembled it fully outside of the air fryer and then carefully placed it in the drawer. Et voila! Pamela Vachon/CNET After 6 minutes of air fryer cooking, the flip was seamless and the sophisticated outcome belies the fact that you spent all of one minute assembling the masterpiece. The exterior of the ham even got a little bonus crisping. So the air fryer invites you to go to town with whatever you can dream up for your grilled cheese: cured or cooked ground meats, grilled veggies, various sauces and relishes -- you name it. An epic grilled cheese variation is limited only by the confines of your imagination. Do I need to preheat an air fryer for grilled cheese? A grilled cheese is a quick-cooking sandwich no matter how you do it so you don't want to add on minutes of additional time for something that only takes minutes to accomplish. That said, while preheating your air fryer may be a waste of time for certain preparations, I think putting it on for just a minute to heat up the nonstick surface that the sandwich sits on is worthwhile to get that golden crust working right away. Are there drawbacks to making air fryer grilled cheese? Depending on your model and size of air fryer, and the shape of bread you choose, it can be tricky to make more than two sandwiches at once, so it might not be the most family-friendly method for making grilled cheese. But for a solo meal or date night, your air fryer is the grilled cheese hack you didn't know you needed.
CNET
3 days ago
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I Saved $100 on My Electric Bill Without Changing My Daily Routine
The heat is still hanging on across much of the US, and keeping your home comfortable can get expensive quickly. Air conditioning is often the only relief, but running it all day comes with a big price tag. A recent CNET survey found nearly 8 in 10 US adults feel stressed about rising energy bills, and it's easy to see why. One way to save that many people overlook is unplugging electronics when they're not in use. Even powered off, certain devices still pull a little electricity. Over time, that "always on" draw adds up on your bill. It can also make your AC work harder by adding small amounts of heat to the room. Making unplugging part of your daily routine can chip away at those costs. Pair it with other simple changes, like closing blinds during the hottest hours or running ceiling fans, and you might be surprised at how much you save without giving up comfort. Below, we'll answer how much money unplugging home appliances can actually save you and whether the energy savings are worth unplugging and replugging appliances each day. Plus, to maximize your energy savings, we have tips on how to lower your water bill, the best temperature to set your thermostat at to save money and the energy-efficient way to do laundry to cut utility costs. Don't miss any of CNET's unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome. Can unplugging appliances actually save me money? It might seem counterintuitive to unplug your appliances. After all, they're off, so why would they be sucking up energy? The fact is, household appliances actually still use energy even when they are turned off but still plugged in, according to Whether the device is switched off or in standby mode, some of the worst offenders are: A device that may still use energy in the form of lights or other displays showing the device is off. Desktop computers that were put into sleep mode instead of being powered off. Chargers that still draw power even if the device is not connected. Media players that continually draw power, especially ones that still might scan for updates in the background. Phones with displays that show when not in active use, like cordless phones. New smart home appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers that have always-on displays, internet connectivity and electronic controls. Reduce your standby power to save electricity and money Many people are shocked to realize how much standby power can add up. Standby power accounts for 5% to 10% of residential energy use, according to the Department of Energy. How much you save could depend on how many devices you use -- and your habits with them. For instance, an educational experiment from Colorado State University found that a combo radio/CD player/tape player used 4 watts continually, whether or not it was in use. Unplugging it when not in use would save 100 times as much power during the lifetime of the device. A study published by the Natural Resources Defense Council (PDF) found that reducing the load from always-on devices would save consumers a total of $8 billion annually and avoid using 64 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. It also has environmental benefits, like preventing 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution. The NRDC estimated the cost of always-on devices at up to $165 per household per year on average. Pro savings tip Buying a smart plug can help you conserve energy by controlling the power on virtually any device you plug in. This plug from Leviton is CNET's top pick. Details $21 at Amazon How can I optimize my standby power? The first step is, of course, to unplug anything that is not actively in use or not used often. Examples of devices that could easily be unplugged include TVs and set-top boxes in guest rooms. It's also generally easy to unplug media players when not in use, like a radio or CD player. When you take your device off its charger, it can help you get into the habit of unplugging that charger as well. You might also be surprised how many devices we have plugged in that we don't even use anymore. Examples could include old wireless phones, old media players or lamps that are more decorative than functional. Unplugging and replugging in everything can get tedious, especially if your outlets are in hard-to-reach places. If the outlet is inaccessible, it will be hard to keep up. Instead, you can also set up ways to make the process of cutting phantom load more automatic. You can plug devices into surge protectors. That way, one flick of a power switch button can turn off multiple devices. You can also get timers to plug devices into or smart plugs so that you can automate when the power is connected to a device. For instance, you might set the time for the TV's power so it is only connected during peak use times like evenings or weekends. Investing in a smart thermostat that can keep your room comfortable, while optimizing for power consumption is a good investment for long-term savings. Similarly, installing LED light bulbs is an excellent investment that uses far less energy compared to incandescent lightbulbs. While the initial outlay might seem high, the savings add up over the years. You can also look into getting Energy Star products. Many of these products are rated to have lower standby power use than products that are not rated by Energy Star. Find additional resources for saving electricity As power bills get higher and more erratic over time, it's more vital than ever to find ways to save on electric costs. For instance, in addition to unplugging the devices in the home, you can take a look at our guide about turning off lights when not in use. Another key way to affect your electric/heating bill for the better is to know the ideal temperature you should set for your home. You can also review our guide on quick tips for saving on your gas and electric bill, like turning down your water heater or changing your air filters. More money-saving tips
