Beard is an extremely effective tool in a man’s arsenal. A well-kept beard can make you look rugged, dangerous but at the same time, hygienic and professional! When cared for and kept correctly, a beard will make people around you respect you and admire your manly mane, not to mention the attention you will be demanding from the ladies.
However, the same beard, if it is not cared for, can instantly make you look unprofessional and unhygienic. Why waste a gift given by God? Possessing a Beard like the Vikings is not as difficult as it sounds and only requires a small amount of time. In this blog, I will share the steps that I have personally adopted and implemented in my daily routine whether or not I am going to work, meeting up with friends, or doing some work around the house.
There are two parts of the day where I give my beard a bit of TLC. Morning, after waking up, and Night, before going to bed. I have found that in the morning and at night, these are the best times to apply the products as the products can work their magic and make the beard soft and smooth. Not to mention it will also reduce the annoying beard itch. Washing your beard with a Beard Wash and Beard Conditioner will clean your beard without stripping the oils your skin produces thus giving it the texture, shine, and volume. This step can be done once or twice a week, in the shower, morning or night time depending on your routine.
Morning Beard Care Routine
Morning, immediately after you wake up, has been scientifically proven to be the best time to take care of your beard as well as your face. The reason is that during sleep, your body is secreting a lot of oils, especially your face. If you do not wash off these oils, they can cause you to break out and cause permanent scarring which is not something you would want on your face.
- Wash your face with a mild face wash and your beard with a Beard wash and Conditioner
This is an effective step and the reason you would want to wash your face in the morning after you wake up is that the face wash will remove all the excess oils without making your skin overly dry. Wash your face and apply the face wash, you can also choose to lather the face wash in your beard but you will be using the Wash and Conditioner for your beard. Wash your face and then apply the beard wash and wash it out. Then apply the conditioner. Leaving the conditioner in the beard for 3-5 minutes is a practice that I do and I have found extra moisture, strength, and softness. Then wash the conditioner out.
2. Dry your face and beard
This is a self-explanatory step. Make sure you pat dry and do not rub the towel on your face and beard. It should be done in a manner that is enough to remove the water. Excessive rubbing can result in damage to the skin and the hair follicles.
3. Apply your moisturiser on your face
Applying a moisturizer will help give your skin the nutrients it needs along with giving it a hydration boost. Make sure you apply the moisturizer to your face and neck. Try avoiding the beard, you will be giving what your beard needs later on. Apply a small amount of moisturizer focusing on the face and neck.
4. Apply Beard Oil
This is an important step. Just as you applied moisturizer to your face, think of beard oil as a moisturizer for your beard. The right beard oil will give your beard added strength, volume, and shine. It will give your Beard the tools to take on the day. Apply about 8-10 drops of beard oil focusing on the roots.
5. Apply Beard Balm (Optional)
This is an optional step mainly focused on those looking for a bit more control, shine, and moisture. Beard balm is in the form of solid allowing it to slowly release its benefits over a couple of hours. Apply a small amount, about a pea-sized, of beard balm, focusing on the hair and then style.
6. Comb the beard
Combing the beard is extremely beneficial as it will equally distribute the oil and balm. Using a wooden comb than a plastic one will eliminate split-ends and tugging and pulling of the hair. However, do not over comb the beard it will cause pulling of the hair resulting in thinning or bald spots. The reason a wooden comb is better because plastic combs have microspikes on their teeth that cause tear on the skin and pulling on the hair along with causing split-ends.
Evening/Night Beard Care Routine
Evening or Night, just before you go to bed, has been scientifically proven to be a good time to apply products to your skin and face because when a person sleeps, their body starts a regenerative procedure that heals damaged parts of the body. Having a night/evening routine will give your body the tools to heal itself and the products to work their magic. During the day your face and beard are exposed to the elements so not having a nighttime routine will result in your face and beard looking damaged and dull.
- Wash your face with a mild face wash and your beard with a Beard wash and Conditioner
Just as you did in the morning, after you come from work etc, wash your face to remove all the debris and dirt from your face and beard. Apply the face wash to your face and lightly massage your face and neck. You can also choose to lather the face wash in your beard but you will be applying the beard wash and Conditioner next if you skipped this step in the morning. Wash your face and then apply the beard wash to your beard but remember to be gentle as the beard will be dry and brittle especially if you have been touching your beard during the day. Then wash out the Beard wash and apply the conditioner. Leaving it on the beard for 5-7 minutes will give the conditioner a chance to soften the beard and give it the nutrients it needs. After 5-7 minutes, wash the conditioner out.
2. Dry your face and beard
When drying your face and beard, be gentle and do not rub the towel on your face. This is a practice that will cause pulling and wear and tear on the beard and your face as well. Use a pat drying technique that will remove water without causing wear and tear on the beard.
3. Apply your moisturiser on your face
This is an important step as applying a moisturizer at night is beneficial as during the night, you won’t be wearing a face mask or touching your face. This will give the moisturizer a chance to lock in moisture and reduce breakouts. Apply a small amount of moisturizer to the face and neck.
4. Apply Beard oil
This step is similar to step 3. The only difference is that you will be applying beard oil to your beard. This is beneficial as during your sleep it will help give your beard strength, prevent spilt-ends and moisture eliminating the beard itch. Apply about 8-10 drops to your beard making sure to get the oil on the roots.
5. Apply Beard Balm (Optional)
This is an optional step that is geared towards those looking for more moisture and who want to soften their beard. Applying Beard Balm at night will bring benefits quickly such as increase strength, moisture and prevent beard-druff. Apply a pea-sized amount of beard balm onto your beard and style as you want.
6. Comb the beard
If you want the two products that you have applied to be evenly distributed, combing the beard is a healthy practice that you can adapt. Not only will it stop the accumulation of products in one place but it will also prevent beard-druff and frizz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apart from the Morning and Night Routine, what else can I do to enhance my beard?
Apart from having a Morning and Night Routine, you can use Beard Masks approximately 20-30 minutes before you take a shower. Beard Masks can be clay masks or oils mixed such as Coconut Oil along with Essential Oils. An example of a Beard Msk can be a teaspoon of Coconut Oil mixed with 10 drops of Rosemary, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oil.
What kind of clay is the most beneficial to be used in masks?
The best clay(s) to be used in masks are French Green clay and the Dead Sea clay. These have been proven to be the most beneficial at absorbing oil and remove radicals from the skin. Clay masks also help brighten and hydrate the skin by removing the buildup of products.
How to eat and drink with a beard?
Beard with its huge array of benefits still comes with a huge drawback that is that it is extremely difficult to eat and drink without it coming on the beard. However, there are some ways that you can use that can reduce the food coming off your beard and it looking unhygienic. The two main pieces of cutlery that you can use are, forks and spoons for eating and drinking, a straw would be a good option.
Conclusion
Having a Beard Care Routine is a good way to enhance the gift given to you by God. It also makes you feel responsible in the way that if you want to achieve something, only you have the power to do that. Confidence will be a by-product that will come as you start caring for your beard.
