Top 9 Beard Grooming Tips
My father always took time to groom himself properly, and he taught me to do the same. He would wake up every single morning and shave with a proper safety razor and splash on aftershave. I can still smell the scent. Every first sunday of the month, my father would go down to Marc Weiss’s barbershop to get a proper trim. My father was a man of few words, but he left me with his one crucial beard grooming tip: A shave is only as good as the aftershave you use. Since I was 16 and my first whiskers started sprouting up, I’ve been faithfully using Lather & Wood from Amazon.com. My father was, indeed, a wise man, and to this day I appreciate the value of aftershave. However, grooming a beard properly requires more than just aftershave. Your manly mane won’t just take care of itself. Neglecting to shave is not equivalent to growing a beard. If you really want to grow a full beard, you need to give it some tender loving care. You’ll need to wash, groom, and trim it on a regular basis to keep it in tip top shape. You could just let it grow out, but you’ll be left with split ends, rough chin and necklines, and dry, frizzy, uncontrollable facial hair. No thank you. If you’ve ever looked at a perfect beard in envy and wondered why his looks so good and yours looks like a wild animal, it’s because he grooms his beard and you don’t. It isn’t hard to do as you will see when you read on, but it is super important to take a few minutes out of your day to keep your beard groomed and looking good. I’m no longer 16, and I’ve been shaving quite a while. Over the years, I’ve picked up a few tricks of my own beard grooming tips and the overall art of shaving that I’d like to share with you. So, without further ado, here are my top 9 beard grooming tips–the tricks of the trade, so to speak.
#1: Use the Proper
Shaving Cream
Sure, you can pick up an aerosol can at your local drug store, but a true beardsman uses a brush and an old-fashioned cream. Creams tend to be richer, and if you apply them with a brush, the razor will cut through them more easily.
The cheap cans of shaving cream you pick up at the corner store are also loaded with chemicals like parabens, SLS, and artificial fragrances. Believe it or not, some of the chemicals you find in cosmetics are actually potentially carcinogenic. When you apply these creams to your face, they absorb into your blood stream. You don’t want to put toxins and harsh chemicals on your skin let alone your face. It’s better to stick with the old-fashioned, organic creams you’ll find in barbershops.
Shaving creams come in different shapes and sizes, and not every style suits every beard. Some are thicker and meant for those with dryer skin, while some will lather up well but are more of a soap than a cream. If I had to pick my overall favorite, I’d have to go with Taylor’s Sandalwood Shaving Cream from Amazon.com. Not only is the scent fantastic, but Jeremiah Taylor’s barbershop has been around forever. As far as I’m concerned, it’s stood the test of time.
There are plenty of options though if that doesn’t suit your fancy. Pacific Shaving Cream on Amazon.com is completely organic and perfect for anyone with sensitive skin.
#2: Lather up With Beard Shampoo
You definitely don’t want to be shampooing it every day, however. Twice a week is more than enough to clean it and leave it in good shape until the next cleaning session. When you shampoo your beard, you strip the hair and skin of the natural oils. That oil is called sebum and it is crucial for keeping your skin hydrated, elastic and healthy and this then needs to coat your hair to do the same.
The nice thing about Polished Gentleman shampoo is that it adds moisture back into the skin and follicle and repairs any damage done to the hair from exposure to the sun, hard water, other soaps and pollutants in general.
One of the best beard grooming tips that I have learned is that you don’t have to wash your beard every single day, but if you have a medium to long beard, you should be shampooing at least twice a week. We prefer to use beard shampoos because they’re slightly gentler than shampoos for your hair. Far more oil collects in the glands on your head, and your typical shampoo is designed to strip hair of even its natural oils. If you use these harsh chemicals on your chin, you’ll find yourself with beardruff and itchy, dry hair.
Currently, I’m using the Polished Gentleman Shampoo, which is pictured above. Truth be told, I purchased it because the description on the back is absolutely hilarious. However, it does help thicken my beard and keep it full and healthy. I’ve used a few beard shampoos in the past as well though, some of them mentioned in this beard grooming tips writeup. Professor Fuzzworthy’s on Amazon.comproducts are always a safe bet. I particularly like their shampoo because it’s nourishing enough that I can sometimes get away without any conditioning balm.
And it doesn’t just clean up your beard. It has a lot of different essential oils that treat your beard from the skin to the follicle.
Tea tree oil will act as an antibacterial so you can prevent acne. It also clears your pores so your hair follicle can grow properly which will speed up your beard growth. Tea tree oil is a great way to stimulate the skin to increase the blood flow to the root of your facial hair. This also adds nutrients to your beard to grow the hair stronger and fuller for a much fuller looking beard that is less prone to split ends. It’s like a positive domino effect that starts with your skin and makes its way to your beard.
It will also moisturize your hair and lock that moisture in. Your beard will be softer as a result and also look thicker and fuller. If you have a thin or patchy beard, this is a great first step in getting it to look thicker.
If you want an entire grooming kit, check out the Fulllight Tech Beard Grooming Kit from Amazon.com. It comes with conditioning balm, beard oil, and a wooden comb–pretty much everything you could possibly need!
#3: Beard Balm is Your Best Friend
Beard balm is a relatively simple product typically with beeswax, shea or cocoa butter, carrier oils, and essential oils, but a little bit a few times a week can go a long way. Honest Amish beard balm, the one pictured above, is probably one of my favorites.
After all, if you’re going to trust your beard care to anybody, who better than the Amish? Amirite?
Look, if your beard is long then it needs a beard balm that will get the right ingredients into your beard to make it healthy and look better.
This beard balm does a great job of conditioning your beard over the course of the day. The beeswax sticks to your beard and even helps lock in the moisture from the essential oils in the balm. It then acts as a barrier to beat back the effects of the sun, your water and prevents other dirt and grime from building up on your hair again.
You will be able to style your beard since the balm also helps keep the hairs in place. If that isn’t so important to you, you will at least see some improvement in how smooth the beard looks as there will be fewer fly away hairs and your beard won’t suffer from split ends.
A smoother beard looks healthier and gives the appearance that you are healthy and are active in maintaining your beard. When you have split ends it tells people that you are not very interested in your appearance or maybe even your hygiene.
If you’re crafty with your beard grooming tips, you might even try making your own beard balm. The recipe is relatively simple, and you can whip some together in a pot on the stovetop in only a matter of minutes. It will save you a chunk of change, and you’ll be able to choose which essential oils to use. Try sandalwood, peppermint, eucalyptus…whatever blend suits you. You can read more about the ingredients by clicking on our blog post here.
#4: Never Forget Beard Oil
I might go a bit overboard on the beard oil, but in my opinion, you can never have too much. I use a bit in the morning and before I go to bed. I’ll even use some beard balm in the late afternoon if it’s particularly humid. That being said, you can overuse it. You only need two to three drops to get the job done. It is oil after all, and if you use too much, your face will look like a greasy mess.
Simply overturn the bottle so that you have a tiny bit on the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together to coat them evenly and run your fingers gently through or over your whiskers. Your hair will instantly feel smoother, and it will smell incredible. Because it’s made from natural oils, you can rest assured that it’s nourishing your hair with the vitamins and nutrients it craves.
It really depends on how long your beard is as to how much you need. Though, if your beard is over 1.5 inches long then you should be thinking about a beard balm. You’ll end up wasting a lot of beard oil to try to coat the whole beard.
If your beard is under an inch or so then using beard oil is the right call.
Every experienced beardsman knows Honest Amish, pictured above. While I adore their beard balm, their oil is my all-time go-to beard product. Made with a blend of virgin pumpkin seed oil, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, golden jojoba oil, kukui oil, avocado oil, moringa oil, and virgin argan oil, you know it’s high-quality. Certainly no canola in sight!
There is no shortage of beard oils out there to choose from, but my opinion is that the natural ones like Honest Amish are best. Why load your skin and hair up with harsh chemicals when there are effective natural ingredients that can do the same job? In some cases they do it even better.
In fact, you may see some initial results from a beard oil loaded with synthetics, but the problem is that over time that same beard oil will end up drying out your beard and skin and leave you wondering what happened. Instead of blaming your beard or genetics, try out a natural beard oil for a change and you’ll never deal with a brittle beard or itchy skin again.
#5: Your Shave Is Only As Good As Your Aftershave
There really are two different kinds of aftershaves you should know about. There are creams and gels meant to moisturize and hydrate irritated skin, and there are aftershave splashes, like bay rum aftershaves, that are made from alcohol or witch hazel. These washes clean out dirt and bacteria from your pores to prevent infections. They are also anti-inflammatory, so they also help reduce post-shave irritation.
Some men find the splashes a bit harsh, but they will cool your skin quickly. Plus, they typically smell delicious. However, if you find your skin drying out, you may want to switch to an oil-based aftershave balm like Lather & Wood, an aftershave lotion that smells of sandalwood. You’ll only need a couple of pumps to cover your whole face, and it does wonders for sensitive skin.
#6: Comb Out the Curls
1. Distribute Natural Oils-
By brushing or combing your whiskers, you’re helping to distribute the sebum from the follicle to all parts of your beard. This is especially important if you have a longer beard because the oils won’t necessarily get to the ends of the hair otherwise. By distributing these oils, you also help to prevent the ends of the hair from dying and splitting.
If you’re using a beard shampoo and need to replace the oils that you washed away, then using a beard brush or comb with a beard oil or balm will also distribute the oils evenly. I wouldn’t use a beard oil without the use of a comb or brush.
2. Exfoliate the skin-
As you brush out your mane, you’ll also be exfoliating the skin underneath. You should ideally exfoliate your skin with a face wash as well, but either way, you’ll be removing dead skin cells. If you don’t properly remove dead skin, your skin won’t be able to absorb any of the moisturizers you use on it afterward. Remove all of that build-up to help rejuvenate the skin underneath.
By clearing out your pores and removing the dead skin, you will also be speeding up the growth process. Since that dead skin and clogged pores block the absorption of the nutrient from the skin, then opening that up clears the way for thin wispy hair to get the boost needed to come back as strong, healthy hair.
3. Detangles Hair-
This should probably be an obvious one, but perhaps it’s not for everyone. If you have a medium to long beard, you need to brush and comb your facial hair regularly. No one wants a beard full of tangles and knots. It looks like a birds nest for heaven’s sake. Take a few seconds to go through the hair to tidy up your appearance and set all the hairs going in the same direction.
4. Stimulates Hair Growth-
By brushing your beard you bring blood to the surface of the skin. With blood comes the vitamins and minerals your hair needs to grow. So, beard grooming tips dictate that regularly brushing your beard will naturally stimulate hair growth.
It also helps to grow your hair stronger. The increased blood flow to your hair follicle will bring those nutrients in while the hair is in its growth phase and will lead to a smoother cuticle.
Whether you use a comb or a brush is really up to personal preference. A comb generally works better on longer beards because it’s easier to get all the way through the hair with the teeth of the comb then with the softer bristles of a brush. I also generally tend to use a comb on wet hair and a brush on dry hair, but as long as you’re using one regularly, you should be fine.
If you are using a brush though, you’ll want to use one with natural boar bristles. They are coated with sebum that helps to condition the hair, and they will improve the texture of your beard. Synthetic ones are, admittedly, slightly easier to clean, but they are not as good for your hair.
In fact, the plastic bristles will tear up your beard since the edges of the bristles are rough. In addition, you’re creating static electricity so it will be impossible to get your beard to cooperate and take the shape you want. You’re effectively undoing everything you’ve gained by using better beard products like oil and shampoo.
The brush or comb you have on your vanity at home will probably do the trick, but if you want a nice, sandalwood set and a brush with proper boar bristles, then I highly recommend Smooth Viking’s brush and comb set. The double-edged comb has teeth that are both set widely and narrowly to suit your hair’s texture, and the brush is thick and full. Plus, it makes a great gift set!
#7: Trim Your Beard Regularly
Even if you’re growing your beard out, you need to trim it regularly not only to cut off dead ends, but also to shave off straggling hairs. You want to shave off the hair on your neck and shave along your cheek line from your ear to your lip to keep the whole look neat and trim. in this beard grooming tips writeup, you will learn that a great, long beard should still be shapely and orderly, so make sure to shave along nice, clean lines.
Though using beard oils and balms will keep split ends at bay for a while, eventually they will happen. When your beard is long, it has more time exposed to the elements which will damage your hair. There is no way around trimming the beard occasionally even if you plan on growing it out as long as possible.
You should always shave off your neck beard. Unless you want to pull off a viking look, neck beards don’t really look that great on anyone. You also want to shave along your cheek line. It’s best to go for a natural line from your ear to your lip that will flatter your cheek bones rather than emphasizing the curve of your cheek.
Check out this helpful video with more beard grooming tips to learn how to find the appropriate markers on your face.
Lastly, you’re going to need the right tools of the trade. These home clippers will help you trim up your beard in no time. You might also want to pick up a pair of barber’s shears to snip off the ends.
#8: Take a Trip to the Barber Shop
As this wonderful article in the Federalist states so aptly, “Men don’t go to salons. They go to barber shops.” Well, real men that is. While they may seem old fashioned, there is nothing that will have your beard looking better than a Sunday morning trip down to the barber shop.
A barber is trained to pick up the best beard grooming tips, to cut men’s hair and facial hair, and he has professional trimmers and products that will make your skin look and feel amazing. From the shaving cream to the razor to the aftershave, a barber will touch up your beard the right way to get you in tip-top shape.
You don’t have to go to the barber every week, especially since it does get expensive, just get the best beard grooming tips and you are good to go. Aim to go at least once a month though, maybe the first or last weekend of the month.
Our Favorite Grooming Tips
A beard is difficult to maintain, but with the right beard grooming tips, you can still hack it. There’s prepping, trimming, washing, and moisturizing to do day in and day out. If you want a truly handsome beard, you’ve simply got to put in the effort. However, if I had to choose my three top beard grooming tips, I would probably say trimming, washing, and applying beard oil. If you can’t make the time for all of these steps, at least try to get in these three.
Though these beard grooming tips might be difficult to implement at first, if you take your time and introduce them into your daily routine bit by bit, your beard will start looking better in no time.
Comment below to tell us if these beard grooming tips have worked for you and if you have any of your own tips to add.
Amazing Post!!
I have read many blogs about beards but I really appreciate your efforts put in this blog post. You have shared the useable tips for beards grooming. Keep it up!!
Thanks, Alex! Glad to be able to help!