We frequently encounter men who have grown a beard for the first time and are disappointed with the grooming involved. Many men think that when they have finally grown a beard and no longer have to shave that they can let it go nicely. Unfortunately, that is disappointing. A beard really needs to be groomed. Fortunately, that grooming doesn't have to be very difficult.
What happens without beard care?
The beard gets dirty
When a beard is not cleaned, all the bacteria accumulate. All the dead skin cells remain in the beard. Therefore, it is important to wash the beard with a beard shampoo. Do not use a normal shampoo. These contain chemicals that will wash the oils and fats out of the beard hairs giving you a dry beard. A beard shampoo contains natural ingredients that are kind to the beard hairs. Use a beard conditioner occasionally to restore the hairs after cleaning.
The beard and skin dry out
The skin under the beard dries out without moisturizing care. Even if you clean the beard regularly, the beard needs extra hydration. If you do nothing about beard care, all the essential oils of the skin will go to the beard hairs to nourish the hairs, causing your skin to dry out. You get flakes and the skin starts to itch tremendously. Eventually, the beard hairs will also become dried out. For this, it is important to use a beard oil. A beard oil contains the right oils and fats that can nourish the skin and beard. This will give the beard hairs more volume and soften them, resulting in a nicer beard that also smells good.
The beard becomes wild and ugly
Of course, you want a nice full beard that looks groomed. You can't achieve that without the above care. When the beard dries out, the hairs become unmanageable and start standing in all directions. With the use of a beard oil, the beard hairs will be soft and full. It will look a lot better right away. It is also advisable to comb the beard once every day. This will get rid of tangles and prevent the beard from becoming tangled. It also allows the beard to air better which is good for hygiene and hydration.
Finally, use a beard balm or beard wax to keep your beard in shape. These products give your beard a light hold but also contain nourishing ingredients.
Have a regular routine for grooming your beard.
The easiest way to care for your beard is to use a set routine. If you have the right products on hand, it's not much work at all. One routine we use at The Alpha Men is the clean/feed/control routine. A routine that can be used by any man and covers all the aforementioned points. We explain it.
Clean
Wash your beard with water every morning and use a beard shampoo or beard soap about 2-3 times a week. If your hair is extra dry, use another beard conditioner. During changing seasons when your skin does get dry, you can exfoliate the skin under the beard. This is an additional cleansing process similar to exfoliation that removes dead skin cells and allows better absorption of nourishing products. You have special paste for this. After washing, always make sure your beard dries thoroughly. It is important to do this gently. Gently with a towel or with a hair dryer on mild setting.
Feed
Use a beard oil three times a week. Less often or more often if it is more comfortable for you. Not every beard needs the same amount. You can put this in after washing when your beard is thoroughly dry. Above all, use a beard oil made from natural ingredients.
Control
Use a beard balm or wax in addition to the beard oil to keep the beard in shape or keep your beard from becoming wild. Comb the beard once during the day to air the beard and prevent the hair from going out of shape and getting tangles.
This routine is a good starting point if you are not already doing beard care. Experience it and adjust the frequency as needed until you find your optimal care.