5 Beard Care Tips

Whether you’re in the process of growing your facial hair or are already the proud owner of a fully grown beard, beard care is an important part of personal grooming. Check out the following tips to help you maintain a healthy, well-groomed beard.

1. Commit to the Process

Growing a beard takes time, and caring for your beard doesn’t end with shampooing and combing. Keeping your beard healthy starts with maintaining your overall health. To grow a healthy beard, you should:‌

• Get plenty of sleep
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, caffeine, and other unhealthy habits
• Eat a well-balanced diet containing all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs
• Consider taking a vitamin supplement‌

When you first grow your beard, stubble may lead to ingrown hairs.  Exfoliate several times a week to prevent ingrown hairs, and keep your pores clear. This lays a good foundation for beard growth.

2. Choose the Right Beard Care Tools

Just as you choose special products for your skin and hair, you should have the right tools for beard care. You’ll need to invest in the following:

• Skin cleanser or shampoo tailored to your skin type
• Clean, dry towel
• Exfoliating scrub
• A moisturizer that contains an SPF (while your beard grows in)
• Moisturizer without an SPF (after your beard has grown in)
• ‌Beard conditioner, oil, or moisturizer, depending on your skin type‌
• Beard comb and beard brush

3. Wash Your Beard

A gentle cleanser works well for your beard as well as your skin. If you need to treat dandruff, you might want to use a special shampoo. It’s important to wash your face and beard daily to remove:‌

• Dirt
• Oil
• Germs
• Pollution‌
• Dead skin‌

To shampoo or cleanse your beard, use lukewarm water for the best results. Apply your cleansing product, and massage it into your beard and skin. If you are using a medicated product, allow it to sit on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing. Be sure to rinse your beard thoroughly to remove all shampoo residue.