“That’s a clean-shaven manly looking Viking,” said no one ever. But let’s face it. Beards aren’t easy to grow out, and while some baby-faced men can’t do it, there are those who can. While vikings of the past didn’t care much for the maintenance of their beards, modern times are a lot different.

Growing out a beard like a viking requires care and trimming, since the disheveled look has past its prime of haute couture. Here are a couple ways of how you can have that viking-style manly beard on you:

1. You’ve got to wait it out.

Getting to viking beard length takes time. But in that process, you’ll want to rub some viking beard oil into it. All beards produce a certain amount of oil, and to keep your beard looking healthy, you’ll want to add some into it. When oil dries out, your beard will look dry and unkempt, so keep it looking glossy and full by rubbing some oil in once or twice a day.

2. If it looks messy, style your hair at the very least.

In the growth process, you’ll come to a point where it might get messy. If you’re impatient about the length and don’t intend to trim it at first, the very least you could do is style your hair nicely so you don’t end up looking like a hobo. Vikings depicted in History’s series may have untidy looking beards, but just check out how neatly styled their hair looks!

3. Keep it clean.

No one likes a dirty beard. As it gets longer, you’ll find food stuff getting stuck in it. Like everything else, you’ll want to keep it clean. Don’t wait for it to smell, because, even beards can have a natural odor to it.

4. Get it professionally trimmed every once in awhile.

You can do most of it on your own, but when it gets out of hand too much, you’ll need some professional help in areas you can’t reach or estimate properly. Don’t be shy to get it looked at by your local barber. Beards need this sort of love from time to time.

5. Eat a healthy diet rich in iron

Oysters and vegetables are rich in iron, and a healthy diet actually promotes a healthier look for your beard. These are the essential nutrients your beard thrives on to grow. You’ll also want to work out, since your body produces testosterone when you do. It’s the man-chemical your beard needs to keep on growing.