Aside from keeping your skin warm and protected from harmful UV rays, growing a beard can amp up one’s look. Surely, acing out various beard styles can raise your confidence to the next level.
However, growing and maintaining a beard is not always a walk in the park. It comes with its own set of concerns, which includes getting dry and flaky skin, having dandruff, irritation, acne, and other skin problems. Now, what are the best practices to take care of your skin while keeping your beard in style?
Beard care tips to look and feel your best
One note to keep in mind is that taking care of your skin shouldn’t be complicated and a hassle, even with a beard. But how do we practice low maintenance yet efficient care for our skin and beard? Let’s read on!
- Shave responsibly
It’s crucial to use the correct shaving techniques whenever you trim your beard. If not, your skin may end up with red bumps, dry skin, and irritation.
To shave properly, make sure you start stroking your razor in the direction of hair growth.
As much as possible, keep also shaving light rather than rough, and slow instead of rushing. Going gentle and slow is important to avoid razor bumps. If you are to select blades, choose the ones that are not dull. In terms of usage, use a razor blade five to 10 times only before tossing it.
In case you have sensitive skin, you can consider using a soothing aftershave balm that has natural and harmful-chemical-free ingredients. By also choosing such ingredients, you get to promote sustainability. You take care of your skin while remaining compassionate to the environment.
- Brush properly
Brushing your beard offers multiple benefits. It cleans and neatens your beard, helps distribute nourishing skincare products, promotes blood flow, and encourages hair growth.
But remember, choosing a beard comb made for your beard is important as it can aid in spreading your skin’s natural oils and better shave off dead skin cells. So, if you have a fairly bushy beard, a beard comb is the way to go.
Consider also using a wooden beard comb to stimulate blood flow in your face and ensure healthy beard growth. Avoid using a cheap comb as it can damage your hair follicles.
- Choose a nourishing shampoo
Like most lads, you may probably clean your beard using the same shampoo for your hair. This is not a cause of concern though especially if your shampoo is not infused with moisture-stripping sulfates and other harsh ingredients.
Still, keep in mind to use shampoo for beard cleansing ideally once a week and a conditioner about three times weekly. This will still depend on your beard needs and its length.
- Exfoliate regularly
The key to warding off beard dandruff, ingrown hair, and dull skin is regular and consistent exfoliation. In the same way your scalp feels flaky and gets dandruff, so does your skin under your beard. Therefore, consider using facial scrub that can better remove dead skin cells and keep your skin moisturized.
Exfoliating can be done in two easy ways. First, you can comb your beard while whisking the brush across your skin with a boar brush. This way, you can stave off dead skin cells and flush them out in the shower. Aside from this, you can also detangle your beard. Secondly, apply an exfoliating serum to your skin under the beard after you cleanse and dry your face. Choose products that contain ingredients such as salicylic or glycolic acid to dissolve dead skin cells better.
For many, exfoliating twice a week is recommended.
- Keep your beard moisturized
Moisturizing your beard and skin day and night is crucial to keep your skin at its best. This is because it can help soften your skin and beard hairs. Without it, the skin under your beard can get dry, itchy, and flaky.
In addition to rubbing facial moisturizer into your beard, you can also try using beard oil as it is formulated to rejuvenate your hair shaft and skin given its ability to reach your deep hair follicle. It can also keep flyaway hairs at bay.
To know what moisturizer and beard oil work best for you, identify your skin type and assess your beard length. Choose only those with natural and synthetic-free ingredients to maximize their skin and hair benefits.
- Face masks should be beard-friendly
Using a face mask is already a huge part of one’s daily outdoor lifestyle. But did you know that a face mask can also affect your beard and skin health? There are protective face masks that wrap your beard instead of only compressing it.
Opt for a medical-grade sheet mask, the kind that does not stick to your facial hair. Make sure to also regularly replace it to avoid skin irritation.
- Use hydrating cleansers
Cleansers are generally easy to distribute throughout your beard since they build a lather and have less viscosity. However, remember to not use a cleanser with harmful chemical ingredients as it can dry out your skin even more and cause beard dandruff. Choose also products that have oil cleansing properties to ensure you strip off excess oil that may cause acne.
Instead, select a cleanser that both cleanses and nourishes. One that is gentle yet works powerfully on skin. Keep a pH-balanced cleanser (between 4.5 to 5.5) to ensure that your skin is being refreshed and protected from irritation at the same time.
The bottom line
Skincare and beard care can coexist. To make this possible, level up your skincare products by choosing those that are free from harmful chemicals and are pH balanced.
Also, consider the tips above and you’ll surely ensure your facial skin health and keep your beard in style in the healthiest possible way.
