UrbanUpdate

Right now, Milo Ventimiglia is somewhere in California working on growing his beard back. The This Is Us star—who was clean-shaven for last month's GQ shoot—has to be on a strict facial hair schedule these days for his role as tough-guy-with-a-soft-heart Jack Pearson, and fans will be pleased to hear that the show's second season is coming—quick. Ventimiglia wore a robust beard and an impressive mustache for much of the show's first season, which was all real and all natural, no Hollywood trickery involved. But unlike other actors who have grown facial hair for a role, Ventimiglia's mustache didn't look out of place. He made the thing look so good, actually, that we're thinking the 70s-style facial hair deserves a comeback. But not every man is comfortable with (not to mention capable of) swapping facial hair styles as quickly as Milo—and even fewer are paid to do it. So, since he's does it for a living, we asked Ventimiglia for some tips on growing a leading man-worthy mustache or beard. Plus what to do if you want a full beard but can't get past patchy. Turns out he has a pretty zen view of male grooming.

You're growing your beard back for season two, what are you doing to make your facial hair grow in faster?

There are no magic tricks to making your beard grow faster. It's just patience. I think hair grows, um, a millimeter every month, or half-inch every six months, or a quarter kilometer every year. I'm really not sure, I think the best thing to do is wash your face and use lotion and just pray that it grows in right.

Are there any products you can't live without?

I'm a very simple guy: soap and lotion. There's really not a whole lot to it.

Do you have any tips for all the patchy beards out there?

There is nothing wrong with being clean-shaven. If you're a little patchy, and you've got your fingers crossed for that nice thick heavy Wisconsin butcher beard, just be OK with looking more like a Wall Street, slick, well-dressed, well-shaven man. Nothing wrong with that.

Do you have any mustache icons?

Tom Selleck, Don Mattingly, Kevin Costner's had a couple of good mustaches, I mean there are so many, so many from when I grew up. But I think Tom Selleck is very known for the mustache. I'm happy to be in the ranks of mustachioed men.

Do you want to see mustaches make a comeback in 2017?

I got paid to wear one. So I didn't personally decide Hey I'm gonna wear a mustache. It was more like This is what you're doing for work, kid. So I wore the mustache. But usually when I'm not working I just let my beard grow in and let my hair grow out. And see what job is next.

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