If you have a beard, you probably already know that it takes a little effort to keep your beard in good condition. To keep your beard looking its best, you must maintain a routine for the upkeep of your beard. Just like how washing your face is beneficial to keeping your skin healthy and clean, washing your beard also helps you achieve a proper-looking beard.
Washing your beard will help remove dust particles and dirt that may have settled on your beard throughout the day. If not taken care of, all these buildups can cause skin irritation and itchiness, among other problems for your beard. This article will talk about the benefits of beard washing, how to wash your beard, and what products you should use.
How to Wash Your Beard
Unlike your face, you shouldn’t wash your beard every single day, and it can lead to dryness and itchiness when you wash out all the natural oils in your beard. The recommended times you should wash your beard is 2-4 times a week. However, if you are an active or athletic person or work outdoors throughout the day, you may have to wash your beard every day.
For the most part, the steps to washing your beard are simple and easy.
Wet Your Beard with Water:
It is recommended that you use lukewarm water to wet your beard. Whether it’s your beard or your face, lukewarm water is the best option since it does not strip your face or beard off its natural oils and takes away moisture. Wetting your beard thoroughly is also an important step to allow any beard wash or shampoo you are using to form sufficient lather.
Apply the Beard Wash or Beard Shampoo:
In this step, you can apply beard wash or shampoo of your choice. Typically half to one pump of the product is enough to cover your whole beard. However, it also depends on the length of your beard and the thickness.
Massage the Product onto Your Beard:
Start to gently massage your beard, starting from the chin area up to the top of your beard. Massage the product in gentle circular motions with your fingertips working upwards. Do this for at least 30 seconds to let the product sink into your skin.
Rinse the Beard:
After massaging your beard, use the same lukewarm water to rinse your beard as thoroughly as possible. Ensure that it is squeaky clean and that no product is left behind.
Apply Conditioner (optional)
This step is entirely optional. You can choose a conditioner of your choice and apply it to your beard. The conditioner should complement the type of skin you have under your beard. If you suffer from a dry or flaky, itchy beard, use a conditioner that will add moisture to your beard.
Likewise, if you have sensitive skin and sore skin under your beard, use a conditioner that does not aggravate your skin. Massage the product on your beard in the same way you applied the shampoo but leave this product in for at least 1 minute before rinsing it off thoroughly.
Dry Your Beard:
It is essential to dry your beard properly with a soft towel. Try to be as gentle as you can when you dry your beard. Do not rub the towel on your beard, but pat dry. Ensure that you get all the water particles out of your beard.
Apply Aftercare:
Some people prefer to use the cream, while others use beard oils. You can apply either to your beard to keep it moisturized and soft to the touch. It is best to choose a lightweight and nongreasy product not to leave an oily residue on your skin.
How Often Should You Wash Your Beard?
The answer to this depends on a wide range of factors such as:
Type of Beard:
Like with the hair on your head, the beard on your face also has a wide variety. Some are thick and coarse, while some are thin. Typically, thick and coarse beards are drier than thin beards. Some have curly hair for the beard, which can be even drier.
The best solution for these beards would be to wash them every 3 days. If your beard is thin, it has the chance to get oiler faster. You can wash your beard every day, which will help reduce sebum and make your beard seem thicker too.
Your Skin Type:
Whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin plays a significant role in deciding how many times you should wash your beard. If you have oily skin, You should wash your beard more often than someone who has dry skin.
Oily skin tends to produce more sebum and can cause buildup in your pores, leading to acne or ingrown hairs. Conversely, for people with dry skin, the goal should be to add more moisture to the skin’s surface to avoid making the skin drier. If you have combination skin, it means that your skin is both oily and dry on certain parts. It is best for this type of skin to wash the beard on alternate days.
Your Everyday Life:
If you are an active person who sweats a lot, you may have to wash your beard more often, even if you have dry skin. Or, if you work in an environment that requires you to do a lot of heavy lifting or break a sweat now and then throughout the day, you will have to wash your beard almost every day, and this will prevent excess oil and grime from clogging your pores.
The Environment You Live In:
If you live in a place where the climate is dry, the moisture level of your beard will also be dry and Bose versa for wet climates. A dry climate can be hot and dry or cold and cry. It is best to reduce the number of times you wash your beard to about once every 3-4 days in both cases.
The less you wash your beard; the more moisture buildup will be. In wet climates, the high humidity levels make your skin produce more sebum. Therefore you will have to wash your beard more often, perhaps even every day.
Best Products to Use:
Beard Wash or Shampoo
A beard shampoo or wash is one of the most critical elements in your beard washing regime. Even if you are using the best beard oils and balms, if you don’t have a clean surface to apply them on, it won’t work. Beard wash or shampoo is spiritually made to tackle any issues with your facial hair and works to remove all the dirt, grease, and grime that have collected in the beard.
Beard Comb
This product comes as no surprise. Especially if you like to sport long beards, investing in a good beard comb is necessary. Grooming is made much easier with a beard comb because it can help get the product into your beard more thoroughly, and it also helps to detangle your beard.
Beard Oil
Most beard oils come with many rich nutrients that can keep your beard moisturized and healthy. You can use beard oil regardless of dry or oily skin. Especially if you want to keep your beard prim and proper, using the right beard oil can benefit you.
Beard Conditioner
Beard conditioners lock in moisture in your beard and keep your beard feeling soft and supple. It also helps make your beard look much healthier.
Beard Balm
Typically, beard balms have a lot of natural wax and nutrients that work to bring style and care together for your beard. The balm is moisturizing for your beard because of the nutrients while also giving you the weight of the wax for sculpting or styling your beard.
Small Hair Scissors
If you feel like your beard is getting a little unruly, or if a few strands of hair stand out, you can trim them with the scissor.
Benefits of Washing Your Beard
The key takeaway is that you find a routine that suits your lifestyle and place of residence. Additionally, the products you use on your bread should also be suitable to the type of beard you have to get the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does washing your face help grow a beard?
No, washing your face will not help you grow a beard. Facial hair must be taken care of for it to look presentable and healthy. Washing the beard regularly may help prevent dirt and grease from getting into the facial hair, but this does not change anything else.
Does Washing your face prevent ingrown hairs?
Yes, Washing your face often can help to prevent ingrown hairs by removing dirt and excess oil from the beard. These elements could get into the facial hair and irritate the skin underneath. This is a common problem faced by men with long beards because they don’t wash them to avoid cutting off the length.
Can I use hair shampoo on my beard?
Yes, you can use regular hair shampoo, however, the issue is that not all shampoos are made for both facial hair and head hair so it might be a problem if you have sensitive skin underneath the beard. It’s best to wash your beard with products intended specifically for facial hair because they contain fewer chemicals.
When to start washing your beard?
You should start washing your beard right away. This is not necessarily for hair growth purposes but just to maintain healthy facial hair.
Can you wash your beard with head and shoulders?
Yes, you can wash your beard with head & shoulders shampoo. It is made for both facial hair and head hair so it won’t cause irritation to the skin underneath your beard or damage your hair.
How often should I wash my beard?
You should wash your beard every other day because washing more than needed will strip off essential oils from the hair and cause it to dry out. You don’t need to wash your beard daily but regular washing will help prevent dirt and grime from getting into the beard.
