How to Care and Maintain Your Beard

Beauty / Grooming
MD Alexandra Dorobantu
Dermatologist
On Nov 10th, 2020
Beard Playbook
Episode 2

Growing a neat-looking beard has become a must-have style – and rightly so. A good beard will look exceptionally well with the proper treatment and styling. There is a misconception that beards are hard to maintain. With our care and maintenance guide, your beard will look flawless all the time.

Share

The Beard Playbook mini-series takes you through the essential stages during your beard growth journey, from the very first days to continuous maintenance. In our first episode, you have learned about the three stages of beard growth and how you can help your beard grow healthy. In this second episode, we consolidate your knowledge about the right products and explain how to create a cleansing routine to maintain your beard healthy long-term.

According to experts in the hair industry, growing a beard is correlated with age and manhood. It is a sign of physical maturity that undoubtedly adds sexiness. The good news is that it only takes a few steps to keep your beard in excellent shape, such as brushing, conditioning, trimming and washing it. This is a comprehensive guide on how to maintain your beard in perfect condition.

Each man's hair grows at a different speed. Do not trim or style when you first start growing your beard, and leave it untouched for 4-6 weeks. This technique will help grow facial hair uniformly. Therefore, you can choose whatever beard style you want according to your beard's length and texture to compliment your face shape.

Healthy Lifestyle

A good lifestyle, balanced nutrition, and exercise will help speed up the process of growing your beautiful beard. Without the right amount of nutrients in the body, it is challenging to develop a healthy, thick beard. If you don't eat the rainbow already, you should start including fruits and vegetables in your diet—vitamins C, E, biotin, inositol, and niacin help and support hair growth. Eating right, getting enough sleep and having a balanced lifestyle encourages healthy hair and skin.

If you struggle to incorporate enough fruits and vegetables in your meals, try one of our energy boosters for breakfasts from the Monday Smoothie mini-series. Our recipes use a combination of fruits and vegetables to fuel your body with much-needed vitamins and nutrients.

The Ritual of Cleansing Your Beard

A growing beard can be a challenge sometimes. Your skin can start to itch and irritate. Only because it begins to get itchy do not give up and shave. Be patient while growing your beard.

Wash it 2 or 3 times a week with a natural beard shampoo. It will keep your beard clean and smelling fantastic and avoid any dryness. Besides, proper cleansing is essential since trapped food and skin cells may worsen the itchiness. Another vital step in caring for your beard is to use the right conditioner to make it soft and easy to comb. Only use products specially made for beard care.

Step 1: Exfoliate to remove dead skin cells using a soft bristle beard brush. Do not scrub too hard, as it can worsen the itch and dandruff.

Step 2: Use water to clean the bearded area and then apply a small amount of beard shampoo. Massage it properly and rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Make sure there is no residue of shampoo in the beard. Remember to cleanse the skin underneath the beard as well!

Step 3: Apply a coin-size amount of conditioner and leave it for one minute on your beard’s hair. Rinse the product thoroughly.

Step 4: After a shower, make sure to brush your beard with a small comb to keep it soft and easier to manage.

Step 5: Apply a pea-sized amount of moisturiser. This step is essential in removing dandruff and rehydrating the skin after the cleansing. However, remember that a conventional moisturiser can leave a white residue on your beard. Hence, the best thing to apply is non-comedogenic beard oils.

Your Essential Beard Products

Beard Shampoo

Just as you don't use soap for washing your hair, you cannot use soap to wash your beard. Your hair requires special treatment, and for that, it is best to use a suitable shampoo and conditioner. Luckily there are plenty of options available on the market with a wide range of beard care shampoos and conditioners.

Invest in a good shampoo to avoid dandruff or, in medical terms, seborrheic dermatitis. What causes beard dandruff? We all have a fungus on our skin called Malassezia globosa. It usually grows in oily areas full of sebaceous glands like the scalp and face. If you have flaky, itchy skin, this is the probable cause. So, you need a step-by-step routine to get rid of it.

Beard Oil

Barbers and dermatologists recommend beard oils to keep your beard and skin underneath hydrated and soft. Washing and rubbing can make your beard dry and also remove some of the skin's natural oils. Consequently, beard oils were formulated as a leave-in conditioning product to complement your beard's natural oils.

If you have acne-prone skin, you must use a non-comedogenic oil to prevent dandruff and keep your beard smooth, shiny and healthy. The best beard oil options are the ones made with high-quality natural ingredients and essential oils and extracts. A good beard oil further moisturises the skin, avoiding irritation, flakiness, itching and dryness.

Tip: Take a few drops of beard oil in your hands and massage it gently through your dry or damp beard — massage it with the tip of your fingers. Apply once a day or 3-4 times per week.

Beard Balms

Beard balms are also known as beard butter, beard cream, or beard wax. It's all pretty recent, so many people may not have heard of beard balms before. You can use beard balm for two primary things: conditioning and styling.

Balms have a thicker consistency than beard oil, and due to their denser texture, they will have a longer-lasting conditioning effect. You should apply it once daily, about the same time as using the beard oil.

It is better to use moisturising products immediately after a shower since your skin and hair are more sensitive to nutrients. The hot steam from your shower opens the pores, and all the good ingredients from your creams will penetrate deeper into the skin.

Trim your beard daily and keep a pocket comb with you to maintain your beard neat and clean. Use beard oils and antibacterial balms to keep your skin and beard hydrated and fresh. With these simple care steps, you'll have a great-looking beard that will give you confidence! In our next episode of the Beard Playbook mini-series, we will expose nine myths about beards so that you never doubt your approach. Use the #DHBeardPlaybook for more tips and products for your beard journey.

Share

Did you enjoy this article? Join our newsletter by typing your email down below to receive the latest Dorian House Magazine publications directly into your inbox.