It’s hard not to envy the bearded guy who pulls up on his Harley. His loud bike might be what catches your attention, but his badass beard keeps it. Who is that guy?
But that guy will tell you, growing a beard isn’t as simple as just forgetting to shave. There’s a big difference between the beard you wish was yours, and the beard you’ll forget.
Genetics obviously play a big part in your body’s ability to grow a beard, but there’s a bit more than that. You’ve got to learn the basics of proper beard care that always go into growing the beard you catch yourself staring at. So we strongly encourage you to get started on your beard journey, but keep these five beard care tips in mind.
- Eat and Be Healthy
First and foremost, pay attention to your health and nutrition. It’s vital to forming a strong foundation. Hair growth and follicle health depend on several essential vitamins and nutrients, such as Vitamins A, B6, C and D. Minerals like zinc and iron contribute to healthy skin and hair development, too.
While getting these nutrients through your diet seems like the most obvious solution, adding dietary supplements specific to beard growth can give you a huge advantage over the guys who are banking on their genetics. But don’t forget to read the ingredients and make sure you’re buying supplements with natural ingredients rather than fillers. Taking saw dust doesn’t help much…
- Wash Away the Day
Your beard will without a doubt be cleaned daily from your typical morning routine. But just like the lady you love, when it comes to how often should you wash your beard, you’ve got to give it the special attention it needs.
It’s best to use a beard shampoo at least two to three times a week because it’s specifically formulated to moisturize and condition the coarser hairs of your beard. Using any old shampoo can ultimately have little—or the opposite—effect on your beard hair.
Just remember, your beard hair is coarser than the hair on your head, and that means beard specific products are what you need for an awesome (and healthy) beard.
- Moisturize and Condition
Facial hair in its natural state is coarse. Plenty of guys don't mind a rough beard. But most guys wouldn’t mind a softer, more manageable beard. And trust us—women prefer a softer beard that they can run their hands through. Something that won’t scratch their faces when they’re trying to get close to you.
The best way to get rid of your beard’s rougher edges is to moisturize and condition your face and beard. There are products, like beard balms and conditioners, that can be used to help condition the hair, but beard oil is always a crowd favorite.
Beard oil seems to have an endless list of beard health benefits. For starters, it naturally weighs less than most balms or other products. And when you’re wearing it on your face, weight matters. It also mimics the skin's natural oils, which help moisturize your skin while cleaning and conditioning your hair. And finally, scented oils help eliminate beard odors that can seem somewhat unavoidable throughout the day and as time goes on. You don’t want a beard that makes someone feel the need to plug their nose when they’re around you.
- Trim, But Not Too Much
Some guys grow beards because they’re too lazy to shave, and growing a beard seems like a simple solution. But, while growing a beard does free up some time in your morning routine, it’s also a commitment that calls for a whole new set of grooming skills and rituals that are pretty different from what you might be used to.
For example, growing a beard means that you’ll need to focus more on trimming to keep your face looking attractive and not like a caveman’s. While you won’t need to trim your beard daily, you will need to do it weekly, or even more frequently depending on how quickly your facial hair usually grows.
When you trim, focus on creating a discernable boundary around the outer edges of your beard. Don't neglect your neck. Try to keep your beard trimmed tight because letting it grow on your neck can be uncomfortable and unattractive, meaning you won’t want it and neither will she. If you need help to understand where to cut, consult a professional.
- Brush and Comb
And last but not least, facial hair—like the hair on your head and the dog in your living room—needs to be trained. If you let facial hair grow without taming it, you’ll have hairs growing in every direction. Conditioning and moisturizing are only one part of the training process. The second part is combing and brushing your beard from early on in the growth process.
Combing and brushing should be combined with applying beard oil. Start by applying oil to your beard. Then use the comb to help move the oil throughout the beard, spreading it out as evenly as possible. Now you’re finally ready to use your brush and push the oil deep into your beard and down to the roots. Most people prefer to use a boar bristle brush because it’s strong and coarse enough to brush through rougher, more stubborn beard hair.
Keep in mind that brushing your beard will pull hair out. But it’ll also remove dead skin and other debris, meaning that you’ll need to clean the brush regularly. At least once a week, dry clean the brush by pulling any loose hairs from the bristles. Over a trashcan, work your hand through the bristles to loosen and remove any debris. Then, at least once a month, soak the brush and use a gentle soap to wash the bristles thoroughly, letting it air dry after.
Proper beard care is a commitment. You don’t just sit back and watch while an attention worthy beard magically appears. Nothing in life really works that way. You need to establish a routine with reliable beard care products like those found at Wild-Willies.com. Keep learning and keep exploring how to grow the beard you’ve always wanted today!
