If you have a morning routine that pretty much runs on auto-pilot, it’s a good idea to include a few minutes of beard care into your grooming preparation for the day. Whether you’re just starting your beard or you’ve had it for a while, there are several things you can do at home to keep your facial hair looking great in between barber visits. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Brush Your Beard
It’s important to brush your beard while it’s dry, before getting into the shower. A boar bristle brush can exfoliate your skin and bring any beard dandruff to the surface so you can wash it out in the shower. It’s best to brush against the grain for maximum exfoliation. This step is especially important if you have dry skin. After using the bristle brush, use a softer brush to avoid irritating your skin. Brush in a circular motion to stimulate hair growth, circulation and prep your skin for the shower.
Trim Your Beard
You don’t have to trim your beard every day, but you should take a look at it and decide how often to trim it. You may not need to trim your whole beard, but it’s important to keep your beard neat by trimming your mustache line and shaving your upper cheeks and neck. If you’re nervous about trimming your beard yourself, you should make an appointment with your barber until you get the hang of it. If you know how to trim your facial hair, complete this step before getting in the shower since your wet hair is longer than your dry hair and you don’t want to over-trim your hair when it’s wet. Your trimming tools should be sharp and clean; you don’t want to cut your beard hair with blunt scissors or trimmers since this can cause uneven beard lines and split ends.
Cleanse Your Beard
Keep in mind that your beard is prone to getting dirtier than other parts of your body so you’ll need to make sure you give your facial hair lots of attention. You’re likely to touch your face several times a day, and if your significant other loves your beard, they may touch it during the day as well. This means that your facial hair will be exposed to germs from items you’ve touched with your hands like door handles and keyboards. You may also get small particles of food and beverages in your beard when you consume food and drinks during the day.
Use a natural, mild shampoo for your beard and cover your entire beard with lather. Cool the water down to keep your skin from becoming too dry, which can lead to dandruff. After washing, pat your beard dry to keep your hair intact and prevent redness and irritation.
If you blow-dry your beard, use cool air to keep your beard from becoming too brittle. Pat your beard dry with a towel to complete the cleansing process.
Moisturize Your Beard
Once you shower, use your favorite beard balm or oil and massage it into your beard thoroughly. Beard oil is light enough to go through all your hair strands and coat your skin to protect the skin under your beard and reduce dandruff. The balm is ideal for coarser hair and helps to lock moisture into your facial hair. Use less moisturizer than you think to prevent buildup and apply the balm or oil to your index, middle, and ring fingers to massage it into your beard. Be sure that the moisturizer reaches your skin while you’re moisturizing your beard to make sure that your facial skin is just as healthy as your beard. You can also use a derma roller for beard growth and to make sure your skin and facial hair are nourished.
Style Your Beard
Now that your beard is clean and moisturized, use your boar brush to style your beard. Brushing also ensures that the product is evenly distributed in your facial hair. If necessary, add a little mustache wax to keep the hair above your lips intact throughout the day.
It’s important to care for your beard just like you would tend to the hair on your hair to keep it looking great. Taking some extra steps to moisturize and condition your beard can make a huge difference and give you the boost of confidence that makes a fashionable finishing touch to any outfit you wear.
McKenzie is your typical Midwestern gal. When she is not writing or reading, she can be found training for her next half-marathon, baking something sweet, playing her guitar, or cuddled up with her golden retriever, Cooper. She loves watching football, fall weather, and long road trips.
