Washing Your Beard Properly
Wash your beard 3 to 5 times a week. Your beard needs as much or more washing than your regular hair. Your beard tends to pick up more debris from food and liquids, which can lead to a rougher beard. Therefore, it's a good idea to wash your beard at least 3 times a week to remove grime and food particles.
Use a mild shampoo to wash your beard. It's fine to use the same shampoo for your hair and your beard. However, keep in mind that milder is better, as the skin on your face is more sensitive to harsh soaps than your scalp. Suds up your beard when you do your hair, and then thoroughly rinse it out. Look for a mild shampoo made for sensitive skin. You can also find shampoos specifically for your beard if you prefer. Another option is a natural soap like castile soap. Rather than just washing the surface of your beard, you should massage the shampoo into the roots of your beard. Slide your fingers into the outer edges then work your way down toward the tips of your beard.
Try a shampoo and conditioner combo. For additional softness, consider using a beard product with a conditioner. You can also use a separate conditioner, but make sure it's a mild 1, as it may irritate your skin otherwise.
Comb or brush your beard into place. When you get out of the shower, dry off your beard by patting it with a towel. Use a beard comb or brush to detangle your beard and shape it before leaving it to dry. Try a boar-bristle brush, which can encourage blood flow to the follicles and distribute oils throughout.
Trimming Your Beard on a Regular Schedule
Trim your beard once a week. Trimming your beard once a week reduces the possibility of split hairs, which can make your beard rougher. If you have a very detailed beard, you may need to trim it more often to maintain the shape or design.
Begin with a clean, dry beard. Before trimming, start with a clean beard. However, you don't want to trim your beard while it's wet. After cleaning, let your beard dry out before attempting to trim it.
Trim your beard sparingly with scissors. Clippers may seem like the easier option, but when it comes to your beard, scissors are actually a better idea. Clippers are overkill for your beard, especially since you're just wanting to round out the edges, usually. Pull out the straggly bits you see and trim them off with sharp scissors. Trim a bit around the edges if you want to control growth and split hairs.
Clean up around your beard with clippers. While you don't want to use clippers on your actual beard, you can use them to define the edges of your beard. Shave around your beard on your neck and cheeks using a small clipper with a T-shaped blade, called an “edger.” This tool will allow you to create clean edges and is better for detail work than regular clippers.
Using Beard Oil
Pick a good beard oil. Applying oil to your beard will manage frizzy hairs and keep your beard soft and moisturized. You can buy oil mixes specifically for your beard, but it's not absolutely necessary. You can also just buy straight oil, such as jojoba oil, and use that by itself. However, the mixes will provide different nutrients, so for the maximum effect, try a beard oil mix. Look for mixes with jojoba oil, hemp seed oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, and rosemary oil.
Clean your beard in the morning with warm water. Splash your beard with warm water, and use it to gently massage out the dirt. Add a bit more water to rinse it out. Warm water is important because it helps open your pores.
Massage the oil into your beard. Put a drop or 2 of beard oil in your hand. Rub it gently into your hands, and then use your hands to massage the oil into your beard. Work the oil in well with your fingers, making sure to get it all through the hair and all the way down to the skin.
Use a beard balm for styling. If you want to create particular shapes with your beard, try using a beard balm. These balms often contain the same oils as beard oils, but they also have beeswax in them, which moisturizes your beard while maintaining the desired shape.
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