Hey there beard enthusiast! Are you looking for the best beard maintenance tips? There is a whole world of information out there and sorting through it might get a bit overwhelming.
Believe it or not, growing a beard is the easiest part of having an awesome, impressive beard. You only have to be patient. It takes about two weeks to see the pattern of hair growth, and an extra two weeks to get a significant growth, and something resembling a true beard.
But you can’t have great-looking facial hair without proper beard maintenance. And unfortunately, most men don’t know how to take care of their beards. That’s why some men start growing a beard, are patient until it reaches a decent length, and then shave it off because it doesn’t look good.
Beard maintenance will have to be a part of your daily schedule. Caring for your beard will probably include trips to your barber and a few shopping expenses for things like beard brushes, beard oils, beard shampoos and moisturizers.
This probably sounds like a lot of information. And you might ask yourself, ‘is it really worth the effort of having a beard maintenance routine?’. The answer is yes. It just takes a bit of commitment, and the results are going to be unbelievable.
While it’s true that not all men have the potential to grow full, luscious beards, many could still sport remarkable facial hair if they knew how to take care of it. Read on to discover beard maintenance tips that will help you keep your facial hair in top shape.
Beard Maintenance - How to Grow the Best Beard
Having a great beard maintenance routine should always start with general upkeep, such as getting enough sleep, drinking water, having a healthy diet, and avoiding stress. The thing is, if you are healthy and happy, then so is your skin and hair.
Another thing that people might overlook is the fact that the general state of your health has a huge influence on hormone levels. It’s a well documented fact that testosterone and dihydrotestosterone play an important role in facial hair growth. Testosterone levels can be influenced by stress levels, sleep deprivation and having an unbalanced diet.
Another important thing is getting your vitamins. Whether they have a direct influence on hair growth, or they play a role in hormone production, vitamins are clearly beneficial. Some of the most important ones are:
- Vitamin A – plays an important role in sebum oil production and the regulation of testosterone levels.
- Vitamin D – is important for hair follicle maturation and it maintains testosterone levels.
- Vitamin K – has an important role in testosterone production.
- Vitamin E – is a powerful antioxidant with a positive effect on hormone production.
- B2, B7, B9, and B12 – deficiencies of these vitamins from the B group have been associated with hair loss.
Minerals also play an important role in the general health of your body, and in a particular way, your facial hair. They influence how fast your hair grows and how it looks, through direct influence or they play a role in hormone production and balance. Some of the most important minerals are:
- Zinc – plays a role in hair growth and disturbances in its metabolism can lead to hair loss.
- Selenium – excess and deficiency of this mineral can cause hair abnormalities and even hair loss, so maintaining a good balance is essential.
- Copper – plays a huge role in hair pigmentation. A deficiency in this mineral can lead to hair depigmentation.
Keeps Your Face And Beard Healthy
Say what you will, but beards aren’t always comfortable. In fact, many men complain that their faces are itchy when they grow a beard, especially during the first stages of the growing process. This is where having a good beard maintenance routine can come in handy.
Having hair grow out of your face can be itchy, but the itchiness is more often than not intensified by the exfoliated skin cells that are trapped next to your skin, by small food particles, dirt, oils, or polluting agents present in the beard.
Cleaning your beard on a daily basis and maintaining it with the right products can significantly reduce itchiness. And cleaning your face helps remove the dead skin cells and other debris from around the hair follicle, which can make your beard look healthy and promote growth.
Makes Styling Easier
There are only a few things worse than having to untangle a knot in your beard. If you don’t deal with them, small tangles can turn into huge knots that will have you pulling your hair out, literally.
And unfortunately, applying oil on an unkempt beard in an attempt to untangle it doesn’t always work, so it’s easier to practice proper beard care than to fix it when in need.
Maintain your beard by keeping it combed and hydrated. If you do that, styling it will be easy and will only take a few minutes of your day.
Makes You Look More Attractive
A properly maintained beard is an attractive one. Keeping your beard clean and healthy with the help of a well thought beard maintenance routine is key. Trim your beard to give it a proper shape to fit your style and enhance your features.
Having a healthy, well-groomed beard can be a statement feature to your personal style. And it can definitely be a head turner. You just have to put in the time and take your grooming seriously.
Beard Maintenance - Grooming and Tips
1. Wash Your Beard Regularly
Remember that a clean beard is a happy beard. You have to wash your beard regularly to keep it looking healthy. Washing your beard helps remove dust particles, dead skin, and other debris such as food and drink particles (happens, right?).
Keep in mind that the hair on your face and the one on your head are different, and so is the skin surrounding it. You should always use dedicated products for beard maintenance. A beard shampoo should be used once or twice a week. Washing your beard more often can dry the hairs which will lead to beard curling, itchiness, and split ends. This is how you do it:
- Scoop up warm water in your hands and get your beard nice and wet
- Get a sufficient amount of beard shampoo on your hands and gently massage it into your facial hair.
- After getting a good lather going, rinse your beard with warm water.
- Pat your beard dry with a towel – use gentle movements to prevent causing damage to your hair.
Beard maintenance can be supplemented with beard conditioners or beard masks for an extra boost of moisture. You might find that you need one, especially in the winter months.
2. Use Beard Oil
Beard oils are a must-have product in your daily beard maintenance regimen. It is a product used to supplement the natural oils in your skin. It moisturizes the skin beneath your beard, as well as your facial hair.
Using beard oil has many advantages:
- Keeps your beard looking fuller
- Keeps your facial hair soft
- It helps promote hair growth
- Helps tame your beard
- Scented versions keep you smelling great
The proper time to apply your beard oil is after a shower, so the extra moisture from the air will actually be trapped inside the hair follicle, which improves local hydration. Coat your hands with a few drops, spread the oil and apply it evenly on your beard and mustache.
If your beard is thick and long, you might want to apply more product. It’s a matter of what works best for you. You should apply the beard oil every other day, or even daily if you live in a dry climate. Feel it out and pick what works for you.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you should try using natural products. The more chemicals you put on your face, the greater the chance of irritating your skin.
3. Trim Your Beard
Trimming your beard is essential if you want to keep your beard in top shape without visiting your local barbershop on a weekly basis. It should definitely be a part of your beard maintenance routine. The first cut is always the hardest, but you can reshape your beard with ease if you stick to a plan and watch some tutorials online.
This part of your beard maintenance routine will require some tools such as a brush and an electrical trimmer. If you’re a more coordinated and up for a challenge, you go old school and trim your beard using a pair of scissors and comb.
There are a few pointers you should keep in mind when trimming your beard:
- Trim your neckline – it gives your beard a polished, professional finish
- Use the right tools – you can use beard shapers as a template
- Trim your cheek line – smile and follow the line of your cheeks up to your sideburns
- Go slow – don’t rush the process, especially if you’re a beginner
Trimming, as a part of beard maintenance, is more important for shorter beards or in the early stages of beard growth. Use it to tame your whiskers or give your beard the proper shape to match your face or desired style.
4. Use Beard Balm
You can use beard balm for conditioning and styling. A beard balm is similar to beard oil, so you don’t have to use both at the same time. Even though it’s somewhat heavier than the oil, beard balm is the right product if you’re going for a heavier texture.
Using beard balm as a part of your beard maintenance routine can help prevent beard dandruff, itchiness, and it keeps your facial hair hydrated and looking healthy. It’s especially helpful if you live in a place with harsh environmental conditions. Cold or dry weather can play havoc on your beard hair.
- Beard balms might sound complicated but using them is really easy:
- Scoop it up with your fingers – beard balm is solid at room temperature
- Spread it on your hands and let it melt
- Apply it on your beard in the same way you would spread your beard oil
- As the beard balm cools, it solidifies and forms a protective layer on your hairs which also traps moisture inside.
5. Use a Beard Brush
You can use a beard brush to help condition your facial hair. Most experts recommend using a beard brush because its bristles have a special texture that helps sweep away the dust and grime while training your hair to grow in the right direction.
Brushing your whiskers is an essential part of your beard maintenance. It’s an effective styling tool and it keeps your hairs tame, it helps with hair curling, and it distributes your skin’s natural oils and/or your grooming products (such as beard oil).
Brushing your beard should be a daily activity that you can do in the morning or after you shower. Keep in mind that too much brushing or using the wrong brush may lead to skin irritation or split ends. Using a brush with natural hairs can also prevent that ultra-annoying static buildup.
Brush your beard starting with the hairs underneath by using a lifting motion. This part will help loosen any dirt or grime inside your beard and it will help add volume. Finish your brushing with downward motions on the surface of your beard to bring your hairs in the right direction and tame and strays.
6. Use a Beard Trimmer or Shaping Tool
Maintaining a certain beard style can be achieved with a rigorous beard maintenance routine, which should include tools like a beard trimmer and a shaping tool. You can use a beard shaping tool as a physical template for your beard. The beard shaping tool enables you to follow the same lines with your beard trimmer, making beard maintenance easier.
Compared to the old trusty scissors, a beard trimmer is a bit more user friendly and has different comb lengths which will prevent hand slipping accidents. You can use trimmers to maintain your beard style or give it a new shape.
Using a trimmer and shaping tool might sound a bit challenging, but here is what you need to know:
- Use the shaping tool as a template and shave the excess
- Use the largest comb length in the beginning of your shave, then you can downsize as needed.
- Shave against the grain by using an upward motion
- Shave the stray hairs and keep your neckline clean
Beard Maintenance - Do’s & Don’ts
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Recommended Beard Maintenance Products in 2023
Having the perfect beard maintenance routine is essential for every beard enthusiast. A good care routine can make or break your beard look.
There is a lot of information about all the tools, tips and tricks you need in order to maintain a good-looking beard and The Beard Struggle can help you grow and maintain a healthy beard. Here is a summary of what you need to know.
- Cleaning your beard is essential – use dedicated products like beard shampoos to wash your beard once or twice a week.
- Hydration is everything – keep your beard hair looking and feeling great with beard conditioners, beard masks, beard oil, and beard balm.
- Styling is a daily activity – use dedicated tools like brushes and combs to tame your beard hairs, and tools like beard shapers, scissors, or electric trimmers to maintain a proper beard shape and style.
- If you’re still unsure, you can get all these tools in kits and bundles because having them all together is easier to keep track of what you need. A good choice is The Ultimate Kit from The Beard Struggle with products for cleaning, hydrating, and grooming.
Beard maintenance can be a challenge in the beginning, but with time it will be easily integrated as a part of your daily and weekly care routine. Whether you choose to do it all on your own, or you take some time for trips to your barber, it is ultimately a personal decision.
The trick is to not let yourself get overwhelmed, and take it step by step. Feel it out and see which style and which products fit your needs.
Want to keep your beard looking worthy of song and tales?
Check out The Beard Struggle’s shop and find the tools you need to make your beard the envy of your bearded brethren.
