Fun fact: Men started wearing beards as early as prehistoric times as a source of protection from the elements, a sign of masculinity, and even as a symbol of honor — beards were only cut as a form of punishment. The modern-day beard is more about personal style than anything else, but whether it’s worn short or long, it’s got to be correctly looked after. Even if you’ve been rocking a beard for a while, it’s never too late to pick up a few tricks of the trade to keep it looking healthy and well-coiffed.
Clean and Shaven
Whether you’re not into facial hair or want to take a break from your beard, a clean shave is genuinely an art. It’s all about technique and using the right products — let’s get into it.
Tips for a Close Shave
- Before anything else, start with clean skin. Otherwise, dead skin cells, excess oil, and dirt will stand between you and a close shave, which can cause razor burn and ingrown hairs.
- It’s best if you shave immediately after showering. The steam opens up your pores, making it easier to achieve a clean, close, and comfortable shave without making several passes over the skin.
- To prevent razor burn, create a protective barrier between your skin and the blade with a pre-shave oil.
- Apply shaving cream evenly to areas that need to be shaved. Hold the razor of your choice at a 30° angle. Use long, even strokes toward hair growth — with the grain. For an extra close shave, apply more product and slowly and gently shave against the grain. Take your time, so you don’t experience razor burn, ingrown hairs, nicks, or cuts.
- Applying a finishing product such as an aftershave or cream to help close pores, soothe any irritation, and prevent ingrown hairs.
- Since shaving is a form of exfoliation, the skin is more susceptible to sun damage. Finish your face with a moisturizer containing an SPF.
Product Recommendations
Especially created for men, this gel cleanser leaves the skin soft, clean, and pleasing to the touch. It effectively eliminates excess sebum so that skin is no longer shiny or greasy. Good facial care begins with deep cleansing.
- Pre-Shave Oil: Suavecito Pre-Shave Oil
Formulated with 100% natural essential oils and plant ingredients, this pre-shave oil softens the skin, calms the beard, and prepares you for the closest shave you will ever experience. Your razor blade will glide effortlessly over your skin for a better and healthier shaving experience — no more razors tugging on your skin, which can cause rash, burns, and bumps.
This shaving cream is also pre-whipped for ease of use, so there’s no need to use a brush. Simply scoop our rich lathering cream onto your face and work it in — a little goes a long way. The formula's natural peppermint helps open your pores to ensure a clean and comfortable shave.
This menthol-infused aftershave repairs skin after a shave by banishing irritation and redness. Don’t be alarmed by the tingly sensation — that’s just the active ingredients doing their job.
- Protect: Byotea SUNtastic Sun Cream w/ SPF 30
Light texture, water resistant and rapidly absorbed, this sun protectant leaves no traces on the skin. It guarantees immediate, effective UVA/UVB protection. It’s suitable for pale skin and skin sensitive to the sun.
Short and Tight
Short and tight facial hair — with or without a mustache — requires a bit more beard maintenance than a clean shave. It all starts with growing a beard.
What Makes a Healthy Beard?
- Before we can get into beard health, first thing’s first: You have to grow out your facial hair! If you’re wondering how to grow a beard (assuming it’s a short one in this case), you’ve got to be patient until it grows to approximately two centimeters.
- Keep your beard clean with a beard wash. Unlike traditional shampoo, beard washes are specifically formulated to hydrate beard hair and skin without stripping either of their natural oils.
- Start getting into the habit of combing the hair downwards for a more polished appearance. A heated beard styling brush is your new secret weapon if you have a curly or unruly beard.
- Don’t neglect your neckline! The perfect short beard should extend about a finger’s width over your Adam’s apple — this helps a short beard appear fuller. While you can use a traditional razor to do the job, you may succeed more with an electric shaver.
- Keep the back of the neck clean with a good set of clippers or trimmers and your beard at a well-groomed length with a beard trimmer or clipper.
- Beard oil vs. balm? What does beard oil do, and do you need an oil and a balm? The latter is a popular question, and the short and easy answer is yes, you should use both — here’s why. A beard balm is considered more of a styling product. It’s typically a soft, pliable consistency that holds your beard and mustache hairs in place — say goodbye to unruly stragglers!
On the other hand, Beard oil is considered a conditioning product to help keep your beard and the skin underneath hydrated, nourished, and strong. It’s truly vital to achieving and maintaining a healthy beard!
Product Recommendations
This two-in-one formula doubles as a shaving cream and a beard wash. No matter which way you use it, the skin is left moisturized, refreshed, and free from irritation.
While it’s normal to have a wavy or curly beard, this heated styling brush is perfect for out-of-control hairs that won’t cooperate. It effectively tames, styles, and straightens even the most unruly hair or beard, which helps you drastically cut down on your styling time. It’s a go-to tool for keeping your facial hair neat and tidy.
Keep your neckline clean with this professional full-size metal foil shaver equipped with a powerful rotary motor. It’s an excellent tool for achieving an extra-close shave on the neck, face, and hairline.
- Maintain: Whal Professional Black Peanut Trimmer
Keep your beard at the right length with a regular trim. This lightweight, best-selling trimmer has a detachable blade for easy cleaning and maintenance. It’s a versatile, rotary motor-powered tool that can be used as both a clipper and a trimmer — especially when it comes to beards. Four attachment combs to keep your beard at its desired length.
- Style: Woody’s Beard Balm for Men
This beard and mustache wax controls and styles your beard stache without heavy stiff pastes or wax. Woody's blend of coconut oil, panthenol, and natural beeswax adds excellent shine as it controls frizz to keep your beard looking natural yet put together.
- Condition: Felps Men Poker Beard Oil
Give your beard some shine and luster with this powerful hair and beard moisturizer, formulated with a pump of vitamins that stimulate hair and beard growth. Hair is left noticeably softer, shiny, and stronger from root to tip.
Mid and Long Lengths
When taking care of a mid or long-length beard, you will follow the same rules above, but with a couple of extra steps to take care of your skin since the hair is longer.
Healthy Skin Equals a Healthy Beard
- Healthy skin requires hydration, but a long beard and a thick moisturizer don’t mix. Instead, reach for beard oil to nourish the skin and soften facial hair. Gently pat the product into your skin and beard and then comb it through to evenly distribute the oil.
- The longer the beard, the more susceptible your skin is to ingrown hairs, so it’s important to exfoliate regularly. There are a few options: using a specific beard exfoliator, a boar bristle brush (not ideal for sensitive skin, however), or washing your face with a product containing a chemical exfoliant such as lactic acid. Exfoliation helps keep the pores clean and unclogged so that beard hair can grow freely.
Product Recommendations
- Hydrate and Condition: L3VEL3 Argan Beard Oil
Healthy skin, healthy beard. Enriched with a unique blend of argan, almond, jojoba, and coconut oil, this top-notch formula moisturizes and softens beard hair, while detangling and preventing frizz. Additionally, it strengthens and nourishes hair to promote healthy beard growth while helping to reduce dry, irritated, itchy skin and unsightly, flaky beard dandruff.
This beard cleaner and exfoliator in one is suitable for all types of beards and hair. Microparticles work to gently cleanse and exfoliate the skin, activating blood circulation and preventing dandruff and ingrown hairs.