Proper beard care is unfortunately not as common as it should be. While men take pride in having a forest of fur on their face, too few take steps to actually groom or nurture it. Facial hair is naturally more wiry and unruly than hair on the top of the head. Because of this, it takes a good amount of intentional care to keep a beard at the optimal shape and level of softness.
Cleaning the Beard
Anyone’s hair would get flaky, itchy, and overly oily if it wasn’t washed. This is even more true for beard hair. A beard needs to be washed on a regular basis to keep the hair, and skin below it, looking and feeling healthy. Special beard cleansers are not hard to find, and are designed to make a beard pleasant to touch, along with smelling amazing. Once it has been scrubbed and rinsed, a beard should be gently pat dried to avoid increased wiriness or split ends. For even more softness and healthier skin, use a special beard conditioner after washing.
Oil It Up
Once the beard is clean and dry, brushing it with beard oil is a perfect next step. Beard oils keep beard hair soft and give it a shimmering finish. The oil also significantly reduces any flakiness by moisturizing and nurturing facial skin. Beard oils come in many awesome manly scents as well, which is perfect since the beard does in fact live right below the nose.
A Good Trimmer Is a Wise Investment
Anyone with a beard will ideally have an adjustable trimmer to even out the beard at different stages in length. Even if the plan is to grow it long, it’s best to be able to even things out since the hairs won’t all grow out at exactly the same pace. A good beard trimmer is the key to keeping the beard looking chiseled and classy. Also, let’s not let the mustache get neglected. A pair of sharpened scissors should be used to shape it to a desired style and to prevent it from taking over the upper lip.
How to Train a Beard
A good beard brush or comb is a great tool to make those wiry beard hairs straighten out instead of getting tangled and mangy. This can help prevent ingrown hairs and makes the beard easier to clean.
Add Vitamins
Just like the rest of the body needs the right nutrients to stay healthy, beards need the right stuff to grow in the best way and stay in shape. Vitamins B3, B5, and B9 are essential nutrients to help make beard hairs grow strong, stay soft, and shine with confidence. The best foods for these vitamins are lean proteins and leafy greens. Other minerals that are beneficial for beards are L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, L-Glutamine, and copper. You can even find specially formulated supplements designed just for beard care.
To learn more about beard care and barbering, cosmetologists can attend one of Patrick Hill’s workshops by registering here!
