Beard care

• Products for the care and maintenance of a beard
• Beard care routine
• FAQ
• Summary

You’re probably at that stage where your beard is noticeably growing at a successful rate.

You have been on this journey for several weeks now, the visual change of your growing beard is becoming more prominent, you have chosen a beard style that suits your face type, and trimming the beard is no longer something new to you.

→ Must read: The beard styles guide with all growth periods and lengths

You are well on your way, but one more crucial point is missing from your routine: beard grooming and most importantly, maintenance.

The 25,000 facial hairs that men have on average grow about half a millimeter per day. With such growth, it is important to know how to properly care for both the hair and underlying skin.

Many men give up growing a beard because of several reasons such as irritation, dry skin, split hair, or simply an unsanitary appearance.

This results in an uncomfortable beard, while these issues are easily resolved if you take the time and effort to apply a number of products and stick to a routine.

Recent years have also seen a change in the field of beard care products. This market has grown enormously and it is the first time that men spend more on shaving products than on other care products.

This has to do with the fact that men are becoming (more) vain and of course because beards are very popular at the moment.

Beard care products

Because grooming/manscaping/personal care for men is very popular, it goes without saying that many brands are responding to this trend, resulting in a wide range of beard care products.

But you don’t need all the products, ointments, and creams that are promoted. What you need is to know which products would cater to your needs. Below you can read the essentials that you absolutely need in your beard care routine.

Beard shampoo

Whether your goal is a long, full, or short beard, washing your beard regularly is recommended anyway.

You will notice that your hair will get dirty rather quickly and probably also greasy. Therefore, wash your beard twice a week with a natural and nourishing beard soap.

Know that the hairs on your chin are different from the hairs on your head. Therefore, do not use the same shampoo for your beard that you use for your scalp hair!

Most of the shampoos for your scalp hair contain chemicals that wash out the natural oils from your hair, resulting in dry and dull beard hair.

Special beard shampoos have nourishing properties and are now available for every budget, so ideally suited to include in your range of beard care.

→ Read more: All about beard shampoo and why it is indispensable for a healthy beard

How do I use soap?

We recommend using beard soap once or twice a week.

Depending on what type of beard soap you have (liquid shampoo or a bar of soap), foam the beard soap and spread it evenly over the beard, preferably on wet hair.

Although some men also swear by applying it to dry hair, that is a personal preference.

Let the beard soap soak for a while and then rinse thoroughly. You will notice that the mild formula of the beard soap makes your hair softer and smells good, of course.

Beard shampoo also ensures that beard oil, beard balm, or beard wax can absorb better on clean hair, with a better effect as a result.

For example, if you use beard oil because of the active ingredients, you will notice that the oil is better absorbed on a beard that has just been washed.

Beard Oil

Even though most beard shampoos are nourishing, your beard hair will dry out with regular washing.

You notice this because your hair is less greasy, which means that the shampoo has washed the natural oil from the hair.

To counter this, it is best to use beard oil. Make sure you don’t use this too liberally. Otherwise, you run the risk of your beard looking greasy again.

Beard oil is also used to quickly get the shine back in your hair. However, this is temporary because the oil is automatically absorbed by your beard hair again.

If you want a long-lasting shine, it is best to include a good conditioner in your routine or use beard oil several times a day.

Beard oil is intended to nourish the hair and also care for the skin under the beard.

Quality beard oil makes the beard hair softer, reduces itching and irritation, and stimulates healthy beard growth.

It also counteracts ‘dandruff’, which can occur between the beard hairs.

We recommend that you certainly use beard oil in the initial growth period to combat itching. When using beard oil, look out for ingredients such as jojoba and argan oil. Beard oil should not be missing in your beard care routine.

→ Read more: The best beard oil top 5 at the moment based on natural ingredients.

How do I use beard oil?

Beard oil can be used together with beard balm or on its own. Beard oil is best used on dry beard hair after you have washed your beard with a natural soap.

To distribute the oil fairly, it is best to use a beard brush. You can use beard oil a few times a day, depending on your goal.

You do not have to rinse beard oil because your hair will absorb it automatically.

Nowadays you can also use beard oil as a fragrance. In that case, you have to look for a ‘scented’ variety.

This oil gets its scent from a natural process instead of synthetically added fragrances (which are worse chemicals).

Beard balm and beard wax

Just like the hairs on your head, your facial hair grows and falls in its natural way.

This is especially noticeable during the growth of the beard and during the period of trimming your beard.

Unless you are going for a sprawling look, you can therefore use beard balm or beard wax to style, thicken and nourish your beard hair.

The nourishing properties of beard balm is due to the oils and beeswax that are present in almost all beard balms.

These ingredients ensure a shiny beard and a healthy look.

Because beard balm and beard wax also contain shea butter, you can also use it to style your beard, but the hold is minimal and will only give a few hours of hold.

As with beard oil, beard balm and beard wax - with natural jojoba and argan oil - is best for your skin and hair.

Avoid beard balms that contain petroleum. You can get skin irritations from this (just like wax with petroleum).

How do I use beard balm?

Start with a moderate amount of beard balm and warm up in the palm of your hand.

Then rub the balm fairly over your dry beard (if necessary, use a beard brush again) and work from top to bottom.

Make sure that the beard balm also comes into contact with the skin, and does not only reach the visible hair.

Use more where necessary, but don’t get your beard too greasy. The end result is a healthy and shiny beard and skin.

Beard conditioner and softener

Beard conditioner is the solution to nourish and care for damaged hair, making the hair softer.

In addition, a good conditioner also ensures that your skin becomes less itchy and red, provided you use it regularly.

Beard conditioner also provides a healthy glow while soothing the skin.

When buying a beard conditioner, look out for natural ingredients such as aloe vera, green tea extracts, and/or vitamin B5.

How do I use a beard conditioner?

Depending on the length of your beard, you choose to use a conditioner or balm. You usually use a conditioner after washing the beard with shampoo.

Some men choose to use conditioners on a daily basis for maximum effect of nourishment and shine.

Aftershave

Aftershave can be used after you have updated your neckline or if you have shaved your cheeks.

Avoid brands with a high alcohol content that cause a burning sensation.

An aftershave with too strong of a scent in the case of a beard is also just optimal because the beard balm or conditioner probably already has a pleasant, masculine scent.

Perhaps a surprise, but aftershave is part of proper beard care in our opinion.

Beard care routine

You made the commitment to yourself to grow a beard. That also means that you should make time in your diary to give the beard the best possible care.

However, you don’t have to use every possible product every day to maintain your beard.

Diet

A healthy and balanced diet is important for beard growth. You can read more about this in accelerating beard growth.

• Use: daily.

Cleaning

To clean your beard it is best to use a natural beard shampoo.

• Use: at least twice a week.

Exfoliate

As the seasons go by and the weather gets colder or warmer, you will find that your skin has a hard time adjusting.

This produces dryness and sometimes also dandruff.

As part of the complete beard care, you should exfoliate every now and then to remove the dead skin flakes.

This is best done by using an electric cleaning brush.

• Use: In moderation. Depending on the extent to which you suffer from dry skin. Give your skin enough time to absorb the nourishing ingredients of the conditioner or balm.

Nourish

It is important to nourish and moisturize both your beard hair and the underlying skin. Use a beard conditioner or beard balm for this.

If you have been in the growth process for several months and have longer hair, a beard balm is useful as it allows you to style the hair.

To make sure your skin is well-hydrated, you can also use your normal skin cream as a supplement.

• Use: daily.

Combing

Combing your beard hair regularly stimulates the hair follicles, which has a positive effect on blood flow and therefore also beard growth. Combing also helps distribute beard conditioner or beard oil.

• Use: daily.

Beard scissors for trimming

If you are confident enough to trim your beard at home, then you have to make a one-time investment in quality equipment such as beard scissors.

Beard scissors help you achieve hard-to-reach contours such as around the mouth and cut protruding hairs.

You will find yourself wanting to trim the beard every few days because it grows so quickly. Trimming protruding hair will become a standard part of your grooming routine.

• Use: depending on your goal, but almost daily

→ Read more: The best beard scissors of the moment

Summary

Taking care of and maintaining your beard requires a combination of quality products and a regular routine.

Keeping your beard clean, conditioning, and combing your beard should be done daily and requires patience. Now with all that gained knowledge, you will get a radiant beard, for sure!