Beard Grooming Tips - Here Are 10 Things You Need To Know
If you’ve managed to grow a beard, then knowing all the best beard grooming tips is essential. Beard grooming goes beyond just giving it a comb every now and then and trimming off the raggedy edges.
Men with the best beards don’t just have them by accident. From using a variety of speciality beard products, to knowing the right ways to trim and style, the most awesome beards you see are the result of some grooming know-how mixed with discipline and follow-through.
So if you’re looking to take your beard to the next level, set some time aside each day (we’re talking 10-15 minutes max), and get into the habit of grooming your beard.
To make looking after your beard as easy as can be, we’ve rounded up all the most important beard grooming tips you need to know.
Beard Grooming Tip #1 - Keep it clean
Keeping your beard clean might sound like an additional hassle, but it does need to be done. Washing and conditioning your beard every second day (or approximately 3 times a week) will help stop itchiness, it gets rid of gunk and debris, and it keeps it smelling clean and fresh.
BUT - Remember to ONLY use special beard shampoo and beard conditioner!
Using the ordinary store-bought stuff will rip and tear through your beard hair and skin, causing excessive dryness, itching and breakage.
Buy our tried and tested Beard Shampoo + Beard Conditioner here.
Beard Grooming Tip #2 - Have a style and stick to it
Unfortunately, not everybody can grow a full beard. You can’t get blood out of a stone, so figure out how to make what facial hair you DO have, work for you.
With that in mind, take a look at how your facial hair grows, and come up with a beard style that fits in around it. You may find that anything past the stubble phase looks patchy and wispy, in which case the stubble style beard is what you should go with. Or perhaps you’d be better off with a neat and tidy goatee rather than a handlebar moustache?
Just work with what nature intended - and emphasise the best bits.
Your face shape will also help you decide what beard style you should go for. For example: If you have a round face, try growing a beard with strong lines and borders. This will add angles to your face and make you look more chiselled.
On the other hand, if you have an angular face, then you’ll probably suit a longer beard because they add wideness and softness.
For those with long faces, consider growing a full beard with thicker sides to balance out the length.
Need some ideas on beard styles? Check out this post
Beard Grooming Tip #3 - Get a solid routine
As we said earlier, having a great looking beard takes time and effort, and it’s going to be a bit of a commitment to fit into your routine.
There’s only so many corners you can cut, and if you start to get lazy, it won’t take too long before the lack of grooming will show.
Figure out what you need to do to groom and style your beard properly, and set aside some time each day to do it. 5-10 minutes is enough time for most beards to be looked after properly, but if you’re a bit more fastidious, then allow up to 15.
This beard grooming guide will give you a good idea of the basics you should be doing to take care of your beard throughout the week. Bookmark this page to keep a reminder!
Beard Grooming Tip #4 - Get the Right Tools
If going to a professional barber each week isn’t an option, then equip yourself with the tools and equipment you need to do the job yourself at home.
For most beard styles, and for those who want an easier solution, then the first thing you need to get yourself is a beard trimmer.
However if you don’t mind going the manual route, then professional scissors + comb will work as well. (Scissors also tend to be better for those with longer beards as they are perfect for shaping and can be more precise.)
Every man with a beard must also buy a Beard Comb. Forget plastic combs or regular brushes, beard combs are are designed to comb your facial hair without damage. We’ll explain more on combing your beard later on.
Need a Beard Comb? Get our one here.
Beard Grooming Tip #5 - Never trim a wet beard
A rookie mistake many men make when trying to groom their beard in the early stages, is cutting it wet. A wet beard after all, hangs longer.
So if you try to trim it when it’s wet, you’ll probably end up cutting off more than you planned to.
Trimming it dry is also better for getting the style just right. When your beard is dry, you can see exactly how the beard sits naturally, and it’ll be much easier to know where to cut it.
Beard Grooming Tip #5 - Learn your best “beard line”
According to experts, your beard line has the power to completely change your appearance. Your beard line can be the difference between looking wider or looking sharper. For example, if you cut it too close to the neck, your weight can look amplified.
We recommend going to an experienced barber when you’re ready to do your first trimming who’ll work out where your ideal beard line should be. Then all you need to do is follow the guide when you do it yourself.
Beard Grooming Tip #6 - Invest in yourself
Cheesy as that sounds, one of the most important beard grooming tips actually comes down to your general health. Nutrition plays an important role in how fast your beard grows and how great it looks.
All the beard grooming tips in the world won’t help you if your health and diet is average. Eating plenty of Omega-3 and vitamins (particularly vitamin A) will help condition your beard and make it grow faster and thicker.
For more information on what you should be eating and drinking for optimal beard growth, read: What Will Make My Beard Grow Faster?
Beard Grooming Tip #7 - Comb it properly
If you’ve managed to grow a beard past around the 4 week mark, then it’s time to start combing it.
For the same reasons that you comb the hair on your head, you need to remove any knots and tangles from your facial hair. Combing your beard also removes food particles, dust and pollution, while making it easier to apply beard conditioning products such as Beard Oil and Beard Balm.
To comb your beard the RIGHT way, remember to start at the bottom and work upwards toward the neck and chin. Then, comb it downwards.
Beard Grooming Tip # 8 - Apply Beard Oil
One of the most annoying problems of growing a beard is the inevitable itchiness that comes with it. Itchiness is the cause of many men just shaving their beards off altogether. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
The solution? Using Beard Oil.
Beard Oil works in two ways: it softens and conditions the beard hair itself, meaning that it’s not as itchy and scratchy against your skin.
But more importantly, beard oil conditions the actual skin itself underneath the beard, which goes a long way toward getting rid of dryness and discomfort.
To not apply beard oil is kind of like breaking the rules of having a beard!
To use it: Apply 5-6 drops of beard oil to your beard after having a shower. Just rub the oil between your hands first, then massage the oil into the skin and beard hair. Thank us later.
Beard Grooming Tip # 9 - Apply Beard Balm
Similar to the above, no beard grooming guide is complete without mentioning the use of Beard Balm.
Beard balm is key for shaping and styling your beard into the design you want it in. A small scoop of beard balm warmed up in the hands, then smoothed all over the beard is all that’s needed to gently mould and shape the beard for the whole day.
It’s also important for slow-release moisture into the facial hair so that it stays supple and hydrated for longer.
Beard Grooming Tip # 10 - Get yourself a bigger one
It’s that age old question again: Does size really matter? If you’d like to make your beard look bigger, fuller and thicker, then there’s a few simple tricks you can try.
Besides eating well and staying hydrated (which helps you grow a bigger beard naturally), you can borrow from the ladies here and get yourself a blow dryer.
Simply blow dry a damp beard on a warm setting, and the beard will fluff up in a few seconds. Make sure to blow dry upwards and INTO the beard (not downward) to add volume.
Applying beard wax and beard balm are also easy ways to boost up the size of your beard. These products add texture and allow you to shape and style your beard in a way that makes it appear a bit bigger than nature intended.