Beard Maintenance Essentials

Beard Maintenance Essentials

There was a time when there were only a few who commanded respect for sporting a beard – Santa Claus, Mr.T and Gilius Thunderhead were my particular favourites from that bygone era. For years clean shaven was the only look that was deemed acceptable! From the catwalk to the high street, society had decided that your face had to be baby bottom smooth. Then suddenly there was a dramatic change which swept across the nation. Beards were now the epitome of cool, from the stubble style to the full blown garibaldi, facial hair was now back in fashion and here to stay! But of course, it’s one thing to grow a beard, it’s another entirely to look after and maintain it to ensure it stays in check. So, without further a do, allow me the opportunity to feature my top beard maintenance essentials!

Beard Oil

Once you’ve finally managed to grow that substantial face fuzz, it needs to be treated well. One of the top products you need is beard oil, its primary function is to hydrate the bristles of your beard, nourishing them as they grow and ensuring they are soft to the touch. For their secondary action, the oil will help to moisturise the skin beneath, helping to fight against any unwanted dandruff build up. As a bonus, if you are sporting a longer beard, it will help you fashion and style it easily into place.

My recommended product for this important task is the organic vanilla beard oil which will guarantee your designer whiskers look sparkly and smell divine!

When applying the oil it is suggested to use straight after you exit the shower, dry the beard off before you begin (oil and water do not make for the best friends!) Place a small portion in your palm, rubbing both hands together and gently running your hands through your beard, beginning at the base of your neck and ending at your cheeks, once the oil has been dispensed evenly, your task is nearly completed. All that is left to do is to style it back into the desired shape.

The alternative is to use organic beard balm, it is very similar to its oil based brother, but has some unique benefits depending on your type of beard. For example, if you have somewhat of an unruly difficult beard, the balm can be used to give yourself some control back and give it some much needed hold!

Washing Your Beard

Next on the list, is pretty much common sense yet quite often is neglected. The important need to wash your beard, if anything it is probably more important than washing the hair on your head. After all, your beard is in close proximity to any stray food debris multiple times a day, so, stay ahead of the game and have a beard washing plan in operation. It is advisable to use shampoos specifically endorsed for the task, your face has much more delicate skin and hair shampoos contain numerous harsher chemicals which you will want to avoid!

It is suggested to wash your beard every other day, cleaning too frequently can risk damaging your hairs own natural oil build up. During the process of washing, don’t be shy with the shampoo! Lather it on thickly and scrub deeply, pressing your fingertips through the hair to reach the skin below. Make sure to apply the product in the directions of the protruding hair to make sure every inch is cleaned. When it comes to washing the chemical away, make sure every ounce is eliminated and no trace is left. Finally, when drying your beard, make sure it is totally dry by gently rubbing your towel back and forth through the bristles.

Beard Trimming

For the actual cutting of your facial hair, you need to have the correct weapon in your arsenal. Luckily, there is a vast amount of options readily available on the market! From beard cutters to stubble trimmers, there is certainly something for all beard types. My own personal favourite brand is BaByliss, they have one of the best selection of gadgets in their collection when it comes to beard length control. I actually use their stubble trimmer for my own facial hair, it boasts a clean cut and also you can increase the length in minute increments to achieve the exact length you desire. You can check out their latest products here!

Hopefully my tips for beard maintenance on my men’s fashion blog have helped, please let me know what you think in the comments below.

Photo Credits: beard.org.in & dmarge

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