Having a beard is not just about growing a beard. The key to good facial hair is good maintenance. But how do you do that, exactly? No one goes around teaching us how to look after our beards. But that’s why we’re here.
If you have decided to jump in full force for the cause, you’re going to need some tools to help you along the way. Maybe you’re starting from scratch with a nice, smooth face, or maybe you’re a few steps ahead with a full-blown beard. Whatever you’re working with, we can help.

A beard takes time to fully develop and a lot of men just give up too early in the process. Sometimes this is due to itchiness and other beard obstacles, but you really do have to just give it time. If you find there are a few patches, that’s ok, just persevere and see if your patchy beard progress improves. Men can often be their own worst critics, focusing on the bad areas and comparing their beards with other beards, which have had time to fully grow.
Set yourself a goal if you wish. Tell yourself you will at least grow without touching for three months. If it still doesn’t look right to you after the three months, then you have our blessing to shave it off. But please, just give it a chance. Give beard a chance! 

LET IT GROW!

Growing a mustache or a full beard does take some perseverance and patience, especially since the growth rate will depend on your individual testosterone level and genetics.
It takes time, effort and restraint to grow out your beard. Your best bet is to leave it alone for 4 – 6 weeks because some hairs grow faster than others, this allows enough time for a good length to grow all over.

The reason why it is so important to take care of the body is because your facial hair condition is in direct relation to the health of the body.
Start by eating more foods that are rich in proteins like beans, eggs, and fish.
Drink plenty of water. Then when you’re done with that, drink more water!
Stress is a killer when it comes to hair growth, leading to hair loss in many men. Reduce the stress in your life by exercising more and getting a full night’s sleep each night.
Exercising will improve the circulation of the blood in the body, which will help to promote facial hair growth.

As difficult as it will be during these first few weeks, you must resist the urge to do any grooming whatsoever of the hair. 

WASHING AND EXFOLIATING

Always wash and condition your beard every three days to keep the hair clean and healthy.
It’s also important to exfoliate or scrub once a week to remove the dead cells on the face. This will help stimulate the growth of new hair, help prevent any dreaded ingrown hairs and stave off irritation and redness.
 
As far as a beard wash, you cannot use the same product you use for your head hair. Beard hair is thicker, coarser and curlier than the average head hair. It also tends to be dryer. Most shampoos for head hair have sulfates and other aggressive surfactants because head hair tends to be oilier. Beard hair needs a gentler, more conditioning treatment to help prevent beard breakage and beard dryness.
Beard conditioner and shampoo go hand in hand. The best way to combine them is to wash your beard with a beard shampoo first. We recommend any beard shampoo made with tea tree oil because it is proven that tea tree oil removes dead skin and oil buildups and prevents ingrown facial hairs and dandruff.
When drying your beard, towel dry so it’s just slightly damp. Also, try not to rub too vigorously as this can lead to knots and tangles, which are never ideal. 

CONDITIONING

After shampoo, it’s time to apply some good beard conditioner. Using only the shampoo can make your beard more prone to breaking. A conditioner will help your facial hair be softer and healthier, helping your beard grow faster.

We recommend any one of Beardologist’s Craft Beard Balms. Our Beard Balms are formulated with sunflower, sweet almond and coconut oils to hydrate, soften and strengthen your beard and moisturize the skin underneath. As well as Beeswax, which is rich in Vitamin A and not only hydrates the skin, but creates a barrier that locks in the benefits from all the ingredients in this balm for the whole day. This barrier also helps protect the skin from environmental toxins and irritants, all while allowing the skin to breathe.

Scoop out a small amount of balm with the back of your thumb. Scoop past your cuticle for longer, godlier beard lengths. Rub the balm between your hands until it softens and then run your fingers and hands through your beard. Massage it into your beard starting at the hair follicles and working towards the ends. After you've evenly distributed it throughout your beard, use a beard comb or beard brush to spread more evenly. This will make sure the balm is evenly distributed and get any snags out, giving your hair a straight look. 

BEARD COMB vs BRUSH

Some beards can get particularly stubborn, with hairs shooting off in every direction as they grow. Combing or brushing your beard will train those unruly hairs to grow in the same direction. Brushing your beard also helps soften the hair and stimulate blood flow to the facial hair follicles.

Beard combs also come in handy for styling, assisting in detangling during blow drying, and offering control while cutting and trimming your beard. Beard combs can be used in the shower and help with the detangle process.

Rubber combs are smooth, easy to use, and easy to clean. Wooden combs are just as smooth to use, but it’s important to make sure they’re smoothly cut to avoid beard damage.
Check out any of the Kent combs. All hand made with varying tooth widths. Each tooth is cut by special circular saws, profiled, beveled and hand-polished on pumice wheels to ensure perfect hair penetration without scratching the scalp.
 
If you want to go with a wooden comb it should also be saw-cut. In this production method, each tooth is cut into the comb. Then, the teeth and ends are polished. For best results, choose a rubber or wooden saw-cut comb.
Beard brushes are quite different from the standard hair brush you might be accustomed to. They’re made with natural boar bristle hair. This is the same hair used for shaving brushes. These bristles are gentle on your hair and skin. On the flip side, metal and plastic bristles can cause split ends.

It’s important to note that you will need both a brush and a comb. The beard brush is your best ally in the early months. The beard comb will take over after month five. While it may seem a little more complicated once you dig beneath the surface, deciding on this step of your beard care is one of the most important grooming decisions you’ll make.