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A three-day stubble, a goatee, a brutal version of the “lumberjack” – no matter what shape of beard you choose, you will have to take care of facial hair. We’ll tell you how to do it right.
How to take care of your beard at home
So, the four main rules for caring for a beard.
the washing up
Due to its proximity to the mouth (and mainly the food we put in it), as well as the ability to absorb odors, including unpleasant ones, the beard must be washed frequently. It is important not to harm the hairs and the skin underneath. Here are some tips to help you manage your beard so it doesn’t stick out.
Wash short stubble and mustache daily along with facial skin, long beard – once every three days.
Use special products with mild surfactants, vitamins and moisturizers: glycerin, vitamin E.
With dandruff, products with zinc are suitable.
Do not blow-dry your beard, but gently pat dry with a soft towel.
After washing, gently pat your beard dry with a clean towel.
A haircut
The rapid growth of hairs (up to 1 mm per day) quickly affects the shape of the beard and the overall impression that it makes. The most difficult thing is for those who wear a short beard, that is, for beardless men.
It is better to decide on the form in the salon with the help of a master, and at home to maintain it yourself.
To maintain the effect of a three-day stubble, the beard needs to be trimmed daily. Longer options should be adjusted every three days or less.
Be prepared to invest in special tools to get a neat result.
A beautiful and well-groomed beard (and especially a beard) requires a whole arsenal. Check out the barbershop.
Stacking
A long beard needs styling, or grooming. The styling will fix the shape, give gloss and shine to the hairs.
Use special styling products based on waxes and oils with caring properties.
Apply wax with your hands, and for oil you will need a comb or a special brush.
With an unusual mustache shape, you may have to purchase special curling irons.
For short stubble, it is quite possible to use the same cream as for the face as a care.
Combing and drying
Jean Artignan wrote very well about combing and drying the beard in his book “Beard and Mustache”. Maintaining your beard is easier if you brush it daily. Hair is very sensitive to static electricity, so it can easily become electrified and frizzy. To prevent the beard from turning into wild thickets, it is better to get a good comb. No synthetic materials, a horn comb will do. Better yet, a natural bristle brush designed specifically for the beard. Barbers say that the best brushes are made from wild boar bristles, which have a number of advantages:
comb, smooth and smooth the beard, so it looks neat;
remove dead skin particles and promote its renewal, relieve impurities;
brushing stimulates the production of sebum, so the skin does not dry out.
Remember that regular brushing of the beard stimulates the hairs at the roots, accelerating their growth.
Brush only a dry beard, as wet hair is more brittle and easily damaged.
Always comb your beard in the direction of hair growth.
Massage with more or less pressure depending on the desired effect on the skin of the face.
Carry a small beard comb with you to tidy it up throughout the day.
Dry your beard properly by blotting it with a towel or using a hair dryer held at a great distance.
Coloration
This procedure not only hides gray hair, but also visually thickens the beard and refreshes the face.
Use gentle types of paint without ammonia, with vitamins and emollients.
Refresh color no more than once a month.
If you don’t want to impress others with creativity (for example, by painting your beard in an acid color), choose the paint according to the tone of your hair.
Review of the best beard and mustache care products
Modern beard care products at home are divided into categories.
Washing: shampoos, gels, foams for washing.
Caring: oils, balms.
Styling: foams, waxes, hair sprays.
Healthy-Food offers what the editors say is the best beard care product.
Styling cream for beard and hair of medium fixation Men Expert Barber Club, L’Oréal Paris gives a sleek look and shape to the beard, including due to wax and cedar tree oil. With a good degree of fixation, it does not make the hairs sticky. Does not contain parabens.
3-in-1 Cleansing Gel Men Expert Barber Club, L’Oréal Paris
It also contains cedarwood oil. The tool is a 3-in-1 product for the face, beard and hair. Cleans and eliminates bad odor. The skin breathes freshness, and the beard becomes soft and manageable.
Oil for a long beard Men Expert Barber Club, L’Oréal Paris
Specially formulated for long, unruly beards and deficient skin. After application, softness, shine and discipline to the hairs are provided. The product with cedar wood oil is well absorbed, leaving no greasy feeling.
Shaving foam for skin irritation Sensi Shave Gingham Men, Gingham
It contains mineralizing thermal water, calcium, glycerin and perfectly “calms” the most capricious skin.
Body Fuel All-in-One Energizing Wash, Kiehl’s
Successfully combines the properties of shampoo and shower gel. Menthol invigorates, zinc cares for oily skin, vitamins C and E, ceramide, caffeine and lipids take care of the beauty of the skin and hair. Suitable for daily use.
How to care for a beard of different lengths
There are rules for men with different lengths of beards. We enclose a brief instruction for beginners with beards and those who are already experienced.
short beard
A short beard is considered to be with hairs up to 5 mm long. Uniform length and a clear shape are your main guidelines.
Use your normal cleanser to wash. After blotting your beard with a towel, apply a moisturizer or a little nourishing oil to the hairs.
A hair clipper or trimmer is ideal for trimming to a well-defined length.
To maintain the shape of the mustache, you will need small scissors or an edging machine.
Separate areas – for example, the middle of the cheek – are shaved against hair growth.
It is better to entrust the formation of a beard to a professional barber, as in the good old days.
long beard
With a hair length of 5 mm or more, the flaws in the shape of the beard are not so visible. But without styling, they get out of order, the beard looks ragged and sloppy.
To preserve the natural lubrication of the hairs, wash them once every three days, not more often.
A sufficiently long and lush beard is difficult to dry quickly without the help of a hair dryer. Are you in a hurry? Use the device not in hot, but slightly warm mode, stepping back from the hair by 20-25 cm and directing the air stream from top to bottom.
Do not cut wet hair. When dry, they will become shorter, and you risk missing the shape.
For cutting a long beard, scissors or a straight razor are ideal. For edging – a machine.
They always cut from top to bottom: first they make out the mustache and hairs on the cheeks, then the stubble in the chin area.
Styling products are applied by hand (wax) or brush (oil) after washing. Varnish will help fix the complex shape of the beard and mustache.
It is very useful once a week to apply a nourishing balm with various oils: burdock, tea tree, jojoba. Hair will shine, become obedient.
growing beard
Penetration of hairs through the skin is often accompanied by irritation, the young growth is prickly, and the skin itches. During this period, you can use oils or products with soothing ingredients (panthenol, allantoin).
The first 7-10 days, until a certain length is reached, the hairs should not be cut. You will have to put up with an untidy appearance.
Start working on the shape with a hair length of 1 cm, removing the length on the cheeks and leaving it on the chin.
What tools for beard and mustache care will come in handy
Proper technical equipment is the key to the beauty of the beard. The minimum list approved by bearded men includes:
a mirror on a bracket or flexible mount with a magnifying effect, which will allow you to see every hair, remove the necessary and not cut off the excess;
special comb with wide and rare teeth;
massage brush with natural bristles for applying cosmetics;
hairdressing scissors for shaping a long beard (although it’s better not to experiment – sign up for a session with a barber, a specialist will do better);
a machine or trimmer for cutting short hair with removable nozzles that adjust the length – even the most complex and unusual shapes are subject to them.
For artistic natures who create masterpieces on the face, the list can be expanded to include curling irons, special edging scissors, hairpins, elastic bands, etc.
Tips & Hacks
A common misconception is that the more you shave your stubble, the faster and thicker your hair will grow. This is not true!
The density and length of the beard depend, among other things, on the level of the male hormone testosterone. In the average man, it reaches peak stable values by the age of 25. Therefore, if the beard does not want to grow, it is worth making an appointment with an andrologist.
Hair growth, unfortunately, depends little on external influences. The beard grows at about 1 mm per day – it will not work faster. However, if the process is clearly slower, it makes sense to consult a doctor, since the slowdown in hair growth may be associated with hormonal deficiency, a deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals.
Trends are trends, but when choosing a haircut, first of all, focus on the shape of the face and hair structure. It is better to entrust a haircut to a professional, the task of home procedures is only to maintain the result obtained in the barbershop and take care of the beard.
The experience of barbers shows: if the shape of the beard is tired, it makes no sense to correct it. Be patient, grow enough length and cut your hair in a new way.