Well, one off my chest and the other off my face.

Thankfully we have reached the end of Movember for another year and I can get rid of the itchy, odd-look-inducing, ginger and grey whiskers that have emerged on my upper lip.

Regardless, it’s all for a great cause.

Money raised during Movember helps fund the delivery of men’s health programs around prostate cancer, testicular cancer and poor mental health.

This year saw the added focus of physical inactivity added to the Movember Foundation causes.

From 30 Melbourne mates starting the mo-growing campaign in 2003, Movember has grown to see 4,746,905  men and women around the world taking part and $685million raised.

However, has Movember had its day?

It certainly seemed to have less exposure across the country this year, and anecdotally fewer Bega Valley blokes taking part. 

Is the gimmick losing its shine? Has the public grown tired of the same call for donations year after year? Will the month of the moustache go the same way as Red Nose Day?

Has the rise and rise of the hipster brought an end to the noble cause of growing facial hair?

The trendy branding of Movember certainly has less impact when so many in modern society are already sporting Ned Kellys and cardigans.

Speaking of branding, all credit to the Illawarra’s Cyrus Villanueva for his stunning performances to win X-Factor.

But am I the only one jaded that only two days after Cyrus’s grand final win, both runners-up were also announced as having signed to Sony and releasing their debut singles this week?

The whole premise behind the series is to get the public behind their favourite act with a lucrative Sony contract awaiting the overall winner.

Not that Matt, Jess and Louise don’t deserve a future in the music industry - they are sure to go far.

But what message does it send to Cyrus – and to his legion of voting supporters – that essentially the grand final, and by extension the series, was redundant?

And yes, I watch X-Factor – music soothes the savage itching on my face.