Top tips to care for and groom your facial hair.

There’s more to having facial hair than just waking up and going. It’s completely different to the hair that grows from your head so of course it requires a completely different set of rules and products, not only if you want it to grow, but if you want it to look as good as it can - because why wouldn’t you. Since i’m not exactly the bearded lady, I’ve recruited a highly experienced beard expert to ensure you know how to care for your facial hair.

Step 1: Wash and Cleanse

Regardless of the length or size of your beard, you need to wash it everyday. This removes dirt, germs and dead skin cells that builds up throughout the day, and ensures your pores aren’t clogged. Remember that the hair on your chin is different to that on your head, so DO NOT use the same products. Even if it states to be a 3in1, 9in1, whatever…AVOID because the chemicals used simply can’t target everything, and instead will be extremely harsh and drying to your skin and facial hair. Instead, use a specialised beard wash as this will clean and treat your beard, and targets the skin underneath too. A great option is Percy Nobleman's Beard Wash.

Now we know what you’re thinking, and honestly we’re surprised it’s not questioned more often…”how do I wash my face properly with my beard in the way"and the answers simpler than it seems. For shorter beard or stubble, you don’t really need a beard wash as there’s really more skin than hair. Instead, focus on the skin underneath the beard and use your regular face cleanser all over your face. For those with longer beards, wash your face fully, including your beard but finish with you beard wash on your facial hair alone. Again, you’re targeting the skin underneath but still treating and conditioning the hair you have. In both these cases, you need to ensure you’re using a quality cleanser (not a bar of soap) that works well with your skin and it’s “type”. Remember to always PAT DRY, not rub!

Exfoliation

Like the rest of your body and your face, exfoliation is very important. It’s especially important when it comes to areas involving hair as it will prevent ingrown hairs which can not only be painful, but ruin the potential of a beautiful beard. Exfoliation also prevents white flakes or “beardruff” by removing the buildup of dead skin cells under the hair. Physical exfoliating is best and a scalp massage brush is perfect to use whilst washing your beard, or if you’re willing to splurge, an electronic facial brush is fantastic; especially for short beards and stubble. Typically I would not recommend a scrub anywhere near your face, but the skin underneath your beard is a little more resistant, so for those with stubble who may be prone to ingrowns, a facial scrub is okay. For longer beards this is an absolute no no as the tiny bits can get stuck in your beard causing irritation, dryness and are really just annoying.

Only exfoliate twice a week to avoid damaging your skin or hair and do so during the “wash and cleanse” step - Cleaning once, then exfoliating and then cleaning again.

Step 2: Moisturise

Moisturising looks different depending on the length of your beard, but regardless it’s extremely important! A moisturised beard looks and feels healthy, but is also very soothing to the skin underneath. It means your beard won’t be dry or brittle and you will not or less likely suffer from “beardruff”. It’ll also give you a nice glossy look/sheen!

Stubble - Your regular face moisturiser is fine as in this case there’s more skin than there is hair, so your main focus is the skin underneath. Once your hair has grown more, switch to the tips below:

Acne-prone skin - Even with acne prone or oily skin you still need to moisturise. In fact it’s even more important you do! For your beard you’re a little special than everyone else as you need a beard conditioner. This is thinner than moisturisers so it will not clog your pores or cause break outs, but it’ll still soften and moisturise your beard.

Normal to Dry skin - Beard oil is crucial because it hydrates and moisturises. Apply this to the ends of your beard, and massage it in; up to the roots. Yes your skin naturally produces oils, but due to the hair it needs some extra help. Remember not to over do it as although you want shine, you don’t want it to look greasy. So start with a little and add more if necessary!

For a longer beard, beard oils are great but consider a beard balm too. The waxy consistency allows you to style but also moisturises due to the oils in the ingredients! Apply this to the ends of your beard and again massage in. For those with oily/acne prone skin, we recommend to stick with a beard conditioner in the roots, but use this on your ends for styling purposes only, as the waxy texture has the potential to cause a break out.

Brushing vs Combing

Like the hair on your head, you need to regularly comb and brush your facial hair. Not just so it looks nice, but brushing evenly distributes the products used in the “moisturise step”, whilst combing detangles the hair which minimises friction and breakage. For those looking for a fuller; longer beard, combing specifically stimulates the blood flow to your hair follicles which encourages growth. Do this after the moisturising step; starting with combing and finishing with brushing, and for extra results comb between each step to prevent tangles. Remember to brush down from root to tip (from your face downwards), and up from under your chin or neck. When combing always comb out from tip to root (from the ends to your face), and find great beard combs and brushes here.

Grooming

Whilst you have no control over hair literally growing out of your face, what you do with it and how you want it to look is totally up to you. Grooming is especially important because it sets the look for the rest of your face. Whilst we recognise that everyone has different preferences regarding style and cut, for those who a prefer clean; put together look, a good trim will get you what you’re looking for. Frequent trips to the barber can be quite spenny and time consuming, so if you’d rather maintain your cuts at home, a good quality trimmer is what you need and the Philips Series 9000 Prestige Beard Trimmer is perfect! If you’re still getting the hang of things: whenever you are able to visit your barber, use his work as guidelines for your DIY job.

For those who only have the odd stand or patch here and there, don’t be afraid to cut it all off! It’s normal to want to hold on especially when everyone else around you is apparently half werewolf, but let it go. Constantly trimming you hair with encourage it to grow 1 and 2, you honestly look so much better!

No one really tells you how to look after your facial hair. Since it grows by itself, you’re kind of expected to just know and get on with it but it’s not that simple. There’s a right way and the 3in1 is definitely not it! Happy bearding xx

Esele xox

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