Men, the trend of having beautiful luscious beards is going nowhere and if you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, it’s time that you switch sides. Ditch that clean-shaven look and grow out your facial hair!
If you are a newbie in the beard business, we must warn you that it’s no easy task to maintain that full-grown beard. Hygiene is your first priority and if you haven’t heard an unkempt beard is your biggest enemy. So, we will be your best friend and give you 8 tried and tested ways of keeping your facial hair in prime condition.
- Wash Your Beard: A dirty beard is a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria. So, washing your beard religiously is an absolute must. While you can use a specially designed beard wash and conditioner, a good shampoo and conditioner should also do the trick.
Get a beard balm to moisturize and smoothen your beard if you feel it getting dry and wiry. A dry beard can lead to itchiness and discomfort, so keep your beard clean and hydrated. This is especially necessary when you are growing your beard.
- Find your Beard Style: Your face shape is a major determinant for what kind of beard will suit you. Depending on the angles of your face, you must narrow in on a style and then ensure that you groom your beard accordingly.
For someone with a rounder face shape, well-defined beard lines work the best while if you have a longer face, a full beard makes you stand out and even out your face, proportionately.
While you can choose your style, for a lot of men your beard often has a mind of its own and all you need to do is, keep it trimmed and in control!
- Give it Time: Growing a beard is a task that you must undertake and commit to. Beard care is not dispensable, so make sure you have enough time to take care of your new-found style statement.
Allot a certain amount of time every day for grooming and care which will definitely take more time and effort than just quickly washing your face. If you feel that you do not have this liberty, a simpler and more controllable shorter beard would be ideal for you.
- Your new toolbox: Having the tools for your beard care at home not only reduces your expenses of visiting a salon but it also lets you control the fate of your facial hair. A simple beard trimmer and a pair of scissors should be enough for you to keep your beautiful beard well-groomed. In most cases, a beard trimmer should do the job but if you are a stickler for precision, pick up a pair of scissors and have your way with the unruly excess hair. However, make sure you don’t overdo it, or you might end up with a lopsided beard and we know that is not pretty!
- Don’t trim a wet beard: The rule for the wet beard is not the same as wet hair! Your wet beard is generally longer than your dry beard. If you end up cutting your wet beard, the chances are that you will end up cutting off more than you should make your beard look uneven and excessively short. Always keep your beard dry before you whip out your beard trimmer so that you can be sure that you are maintaining your desired length!
- Eat right & hydrate: While we are definitely your best cheerleader when it comes to eating healthy and drinking enough water, there is a direct correlation between your diet and hydration and the health of your beard. A diet that is rich in Omega-3 and Vitamin A is perfect for growing a healthy beard. Similarly, a healthy intake of water keeps your beard hydrated as well. Drinking too much alcohol leads to dehydration, so don’t forget to drink lots of water whenever you have that beer! If your meals are rich in protein and saturated fats, it also keeps your beard looking great. Working out at the gym and sweating it out keeps your pores clean therefore ensures that not only does your beard look great but your skin glows as well!
- Keep that comb handy: Just like you never forget your little hair comb when you step out, never forget your handy little beard comb! For your grooming your full-beard, we suggest that you get 3 combs – the wide-toothed comb for getting all those tangles out of your beard, the fine-toothed comb for giving it shape and the beard brush to give your beard the volume it needs. Keep your fine comb handy when you head out but use all three to groom your facial hair right after you wash it. This way your beard will retain moisture and it will prevent it from getting too dry.
- Beard Oil is new bestie: If you have a full beard, chances are that your beard hair is sucking all the nutrients from your skin and nourishing itself making your facial skin dry and itchy in turn. An itchy beard can be very annoying, so a little grooming with the beard oil is your best bet. This way your beard receives all the nutrients it needs from the oil and the oil, in turn, helps keep the beard in control and prevents it from getting frizzy and unruly.
Conclusion
Caring for your brand-new beard can be a full-time job. So, before you embark on this journey of keeping a filled-out glamorous beard, make sure you have 3 things – the time to care for it, the right tools and the correct grooming agents. Remember that every beard (like types of hair) is unique. And hence, you must find out what works out for yours and accordingly find the right way to keep it looking great. In addition, all you need is the confidence to carry it off!
