Partner Profile: Bartigan & Stark

Calgary-based Glenn Loveless was raised by a family full of barbers, and his passion for grooming products began there. As Glenn addressed the needs of his own beard, he developed products based on intuition and his knowledge of various oils and waxes. As a result, Bartigan & Stark was born, a line of beard-care products that focus not just on the hair itself, but also every layer of the skin underneath. Compared to other brands Bartigan and Stark are designed to absorb quickly and effectively, often doubling effective treatments for dry skin and will as beard styling agents.

Here’s a few words from the creator.

What inspired you to get into beard-grooming products and make a business out of it?

I've been fascinated with shaving and shaving products for as long as I can remember. Perhaps that came from watching my Dad shave, or watching my Uncle cutting fades when I was a kid. My very first wet shave occurred years before it really needed to. Haha. Being around the barbershop culture gave me exposure to lots of different products, and my medicine cabinet filled up pretty quickly.

As a business, Bartigan & Stark began for two main reasons - to fill a need for products that were perfect for me and my friends, and to create a mechanism whereby I can give back to society.

I started to create products for my own use about three years ago, mainly because I couldn't find product that was 'just right'. That sounds a bit snooty, but in reality I owned quite a lot of product that I liked. There was usually something I wished I could change about all of them - the scent or consistency, etc. I began making products for my family and friends pretty soon after that, and those folks encouraged me to make a business out of it.

In reality it’s fairly simple for someone to blend oils in your home and brand it as beard oil. What would you say makes Bartigan and Stark special, and sets it apart from others?

When I began my research into carrier oils I looked for COs (carrier oils) that have specific qualities. They had to be organic and have highly nutritious, protective, and absorptive properties and low comedogenic properties. As a result, Bartigan & Stark products contain a carrier oil 'blend' of fractionated coconut, argan, jojoba, and shea oil that provides the best of these characteristics.

This blend is all-natural and rich in antioxidants, carotenes, and omega 6 fatty acids, and it has extremely high vitamin E levels. The medium-chain triglycerides content allows the blend to deeply penetrate the skin thereby rejuvenating damaged cells and restoring elasticity and tone without clogging pores. When applying the beard oil, for example, customers will comment that their hands are not oily at all. I have customers who massage any residual beard oil into their elbows, an area needing attention for many men. One customer in particular uses it on his feet in addition to his beard, which I found to be quite hilarious initially but makes total sense because of the blend's properties. Some customers use the beard oil to brighten up their tattoos. I guess that's also due to the absorption qualities.

That’s amazing, it definitely explains why your products feel fantastic to use. Any other key points that you like about your products?

Here are a few interesting 'bonus features' I discovered about these oils:

• Fractionated coconut oil does not clog pores (whereas virgin coconut oil 'may' clog pores is used in high amounts), and it's shelf life is indefinite when stored under normal conditions.
• Argan oil has more than twice the amount of vitamin E as olive oil, hence why I chose it.
• Jojoba will not clog pores, is commonly used to extend the shelf life of other ingredients, and closely resembles the sebum that the skin produces naturally.
• Shea oil is hypo-allergenic and great for sensitive skin. Historically, it has been used to treat minor skin abrasions and irritations.

Thank you so much for your time Glenn. I’ve been loving the moustache wax and we’re thrilled to have you in our beard-care lineup.

You can check out the range of products available from Bartigan and Stark here.