Now is a pretty good time to be in possession of a beard. Beards of all lengths and styles are widely accepted in the workplace and elsewhere, and with the beard boom of recent years, there is an abundance of beard products on offer to take optimal care of your facial hair. In this blog post, we run you through the 7 beardcare essentials that every man with facial hair needs to have in their routine.
The 7 Beard Products every man needs in their routine
- Beard trimmer - perfect for creating shape and style, as well as detailing
- Beard shampoos - gentle cleansers to clear sebum and dirt without disrupting the balance of your skin
- Beard brush - ideal for taming shorter beards
- Beard combs - absolutely crucial for mid-length beards and longer
- Beard balm/moisturiser - used to hydrate the skin under the beard and soften beard fibres
- Beard oil - the quintessential beardcare product, used to soften, de-tangle, and fragrance the facial hair.
- Beard/face scrub - used to slough away dead skin and deep lying dirt from the skin under the facial hair, important in all skincare routines, but especially so for those with beards.
1. Beard Trimmer
One of the most common reasons that men's early experiments with beards fail is the 'unkempt' look that virtually always results from natural beard growth. This is easily sidestepped, however, if you know the secrets of beard trimming.
Shaving a U-Shaped neckline somewhere just above your Adam's Apple is the first of these, reducing the 'fuzz' effect and giving shape to your jawline. The second is to use gradation to tailor your beard to your face. Tapering around the sideburns is advisable for most people, some may want to limit the length at the chin, and others may want to have shorter moustache hair to stop the 'droop' effect.
2. Beard Shampoo
Beard shampoo is specially designed to cleanse away dirt and grease without stripping too much moisture from the skin, and often contains conditioning agents to ensure your beard is not only clean, but remains soft and comfortable. An absolute must have for anyone who's serious about their beard.
3. Beard Brush
From a couple of weeks' worth of growth and beyond, your beard will begin to have a grain, or growing pattern. For most men, the natural pattern is less than ideal, and leaving it be will result in a scruffy look. Using a specially designed beard brush is the perfect solution when your beard is too short to comb. It effortlessly neatens the facial hair, as well as helping to clear away any debris or dead skin cells.
4. Beard Comb
Once your beard has around an inch of length, you can switch out your brush for a comb. For longer beards, this is an especially necessary step as it helps to de-tangle. If your beard is thick and knotty, combining with a beard oil (see below) will make combing a breeze.
5. Beard Balm or Moisturiser
Two further problems faced by first-time beard growers that deter them from trying again are beard-druff, and itchiness. Balms and beard moisturisers are two beard products that combat these issues with ease. Moisturising the skin under the beard to ensure you're never affected by dryness, as well as softening and hydrating the beard fibres, all itchiness and discomfort are done away with after only a handful of uses.
6. Beard Oil
Beard oils are usually a concentrated blend of emollients and natural oils that work wonders on facial hair. If your beard is lifeless and dry looking, a common problem for older men, or if it's excessively coarse and itchy, the beard oil is for you.
Making combing and brushing through extremely easy, it coats the facial hair, restoring a healthy gloss and imparting a masculine scent, while strengthening and softening the beard fibres.
If excessive oiliness is a concern for you, a rapid-drying beard oil such as the House 99 Softer Touch Beard Oil is a great option.
7. Beard Scrub or Face Scrub
If overlooked, the skin under the beard can become a problem. Regularly using a facial scrub or beard scrub to unblock pores and clear away dead skin cells is an absolutely vital step to maintaining a healthy, comfortable beard. Your skin and facial hair will be thankful for it.
