Post date: February 5, 2024 | Adventure
2024 Beard Care Guide | Everything You Need To Know
Beards have been rising in popularity for the last five or six decades at this point. More people are exploring and experimenting with different beard styles, shapes, and sizes, looking for the right one for them, and that’s something we applaud! We want all the men out there to feel awesome and be confident with their beards. And that’s why, today, we’re going to explore the ins and outs of beard care and grooming to the fullest.
You see, most men can grow some kind of beard or facial hair style with patience, persistence, and proper grooming. But, not everybody knows where to start, what products they might need, or how to make the most of the beard they’ve got now. That’s where we come in.
In this handy beard care guide, we’re going to answer the following questions. If you’ve asked one of these when stumbling across this post, then this is the article for you and you’re going to want to keep reading.
We’re going to answer:
- How You Should Start Growing A Beard (if you don’t have one already)
- How You Can Choose The Best Products For Your Beard (If you have one already)
- How You Can Use Those Products In The Most Useful Ways
So, let’s dive into it, shall we?
How To Grow A Beard In 2024
Growing a beard, and general beard care, nowadays is quite the different venture than it was even just a decade ago. Now, due to the increased popularity of facial hair in general, products exist on the market that make growing a beard easier.
Let’s explore the steps to growing the right beard for you so you’ll have the easiest time starting. Here are the steps:
Remember, patience is key, and every man goes through the dreaded “awkward beard phase” at some point on their journey, but, with these tips, you can minimize if not mitigate that awkward stage completely.
Step 1: Choosing A Beard Style
Step 2: The First Month of Beard Growth
Step 3: Trimming and Shaping
Remember, patience is key, and every man goes through the dreaded “awkward beard phase” at some point on their journey, but, with these tips, you can minimize if not mitigate that awkward stage completely. let’s get into step #1.
Step 1: Choosing A Beard Style
This step may not be as difficult as you may think. But actually, it will make a huge difference in terms of the vision you have for your beard, and making your beard look as good as possible from the get go, as you’re growing it out.
Firstly, you’ll want to consider your face shape. Beards are magical in the way that they add masculinity and symmetry to a mans face, so you’ll want to consider your face shape to find the best beard style and length for you. Check out Austin’s handy guide on this topic below if you’re curious.
Once you’ve found your face shape, and you have a good idea of your beard style and how to add that symmetry to your face, we’re ready to move on to step #2.
Step 2: The First Month
The first month of growing your beard is the toughest. It will likely be the itchiest, most uncomfortable part of your journey. This is for a few reasons. Mainly, because all of the hair follicles are going to start pushing out the skin without being cut or shaved like usual, and secondly, because the hair, as it grows, can either curl back in on itself or poke the skin.
Don’t be afraid if your beard or face feels slightly itchy or irritated, as this is a pretty normal sign. And that is something we’ll begin to work on later anyways when it comes to maintaining a beard.
However, to reduce the itchiness, stiffness, irritation, or dryness that often occurs, feel free to use some light (NOT thick) beard oil to soften things up and reduce the irritation. Something like Volt’s Beard Oil will work wonders.
The reason you want to grow the beard out for the first month without touching it, shaving it, or shaping it is because it will give you a great idea of your beards strengths and weaknesses. As well as any areas there is thin or little to no growth.
This may alter the plan or change your mind on what beard style you want to rock, but leave it for a month, and let the hair grow out so you’ll know if any patchy or thin areas can be easily concealable as the hair grows over them.
Step 3: Trimming and Shaping
After the first month of growing out your facial hair, it’s time for the initial trim. There are two different ways to go about this: Short beard trims and long beard trims.
Short Beard Trims:
If you know you are going to keep your beard shorter. We’re talking maybe stubble territory to short/medium length beards (roughly 1.5″ or about 40mm) then you’re going to have some work to do.
The first thing you should do is use an electric trimmer or shaver (with adjustable guards) to trim the whole beard down to an even length that you’re happy with.
Next, you’re going to want to trim the 3 “beard lines” that will make all the difference in shaping your beard. 1. The neckline 2. the cheekline, and 3. the lip line.
Here’s a cool video on how to do these things:
Long Beard Trims:
If, after a month of growth you can see the potential in your beard and your plans don’t change to have a longer beard, then you get a break when it comes to trimming.
If you’re planning on a longer beard, you can avoid trimming your neckline, because if you do, you won’t have the backing behind your beard to give it structure when it grows out. However, you should still trim your cheekline at the very least. reference the video above.
PRO TIP:
Whether you’re growing a short beard or medium beard, here’s an awesome tip on how to avoid the awkward growth phase at any point in the process. This tip will elongate the growing time, but greatly reduce the “disheveled” look that plagues the awkward growth phase.
All you have to do is trim the longer areas of your beard hair to match the shorter areas without trimming down the shorter areas. This effective gives you an “even” beard growth look while still giving the shorter areas of the beard time to grow out further. Eventually, you can trim less and less, and the beard will grow, without you having to look like a mess.
Choosing The Best Products For Your Beard
When it comes to choosing the best products for your beard, here’s something to keep in mind. All beard products can be lumped into 1 of two categories with very few exceptions: Beard health products, and beard styling products. What you need depends on your beard.
Beard Health Products Include:
- Beard Oil
- Beard Balm/Butter
- Beard Wash
- Beard Brushes
Beard Styling Products Include:
- Beard Color
- Beard and Mustache Wax
- Beard Balm
- Beard Combs
There are more, of course, but these categories make up 99% of beard products out there. Let’s dive into each of them.
Beard Health Products
These products usually help either clean or hydrate and condition the beard hair and skin underneath. Using these will often reduce itchiness, irritation, redness, or other maladies.
Beard and Face Wash
A beard wash is absolutely necessary for any beard care routine. Not only does it help strip excess oils and debris from the beard but it primes the beard for hydration and conditioner like beard oil or beard balm. Check out Volt’s refillable beard wash for the best deal on quality beard wash out there. Beard wash should only be used up to 3 times a week.
And NO, you can’t just use shampoo. Shampoos are designed for primary use on the scalp, which tends to be tougher and less sensitive than the skin on our faces around our eyes, nose, and mouth. Beard wash is a gentler more natural product than shampoos typically are, and don’t strip away as many oils or contain harsh ingredients like shampoos do.
All beards (and even bare faces) should be using a wash like this. No matter what.
Beard Oil/Balm
Almost EVERYONE who has a beard should be using beard oil of some kind for their personal beard care. If not beard oil, then another beard hydrating product like beard balm or beard butter should be in use. But ultimately, there has to be some hydration otherwise your beard will suffer. Hydrating products should be used every day.
Beard balm tends to be a mixture of beard oils and butters like shea butter and mango butter, etc. Beard balm combines the hydration of beard oil with some light styling of beard wax. Perfect for beards of all shapes and sizes. You can’t go wrong.
Beard Brushes
A beard brush, while not completely necessary for everyone’s beard care routine is still a great addition. It digs through the beard to help exfoliate the skin, reduce flaking, and evenly spread oils throughout the beard. A natural boar bristles brush is most effective and your beard will thank you for it. All beards can use a good beard brush.
A beard brush should be used every day.
Beard Styling Products
Beard styling products help you shape, adjust, or correct the way your beard hair looks and lays. They will help you manage flyaway hairs, and correct tangles or nots for a smooth and professional barber shop look. These products should be used at your discretion whenever you want!
Beard Color
Let’s be honest, up until now, most beard colors on the market used to suck. They’d be made of harsh chemicals like ammonia and PPD and they required mixing, gloves, and gave you permanent results. Well, not anymore.
The newer, safer, beard colors out there don’t stain the beard, they tint it. They use a color pigment that coats the hair where you want it and how dark you want it to create the “color”. and they are completely customizable.
Have patches and thin areas? Brush the color on those areas to darken them up. Have grays? Brush the color on lightly for the salt and pepper look or heavily for the full-colored look. It’s up to you. Brush on temporary beard colors are a safer, faster, more natural-looking, more customizable alternative for styling a beard and filling patchy areas. This is beard care at it’s finest!
Beard and Mustache Wax
Beard and mustache wax is a thick styling product meant to help you really get your beard into shape. Ever see those crazy huge handlebar mustaches or beard shape competitions? Yeah, wax does that. It provides little hydration or health benefits, but all hold and style. I mean, c’mon. You have to have at least one styling product in your beard care routine!
Beard Balm
You may have noticed that one product breached both of these lists, mainly beard balm. Beard balm, like I mentioned before is a combination of hydrating beard oils and thicker butters and waxes that help you style your beard.
It won’t hold as strong as beard wax, but it will make your beard feel softer and provide a light hold. Perfect for short-medium length beards who don’t need overkill or two unique products.
Beard Combs
Beard combs don’t provide as much exfoliation or health benefits that beard brushes do, they do, however, help style and shape a beard when it conjunction with beard wax or beard balm. These combs help line up the hairs and reduce tangles or knots.
A beard comb should be made of wood to reduce and eliminate static, and is perfect for medium to long beards that are prone to tangles and need serious styling products to keep flyaways from going crazy. Shorter beards can get away with a beard brush alone.
How To Use Beard Products To The Fullest
Believe it or not, there is an order in which you should be using beard products to make the most of them. Let’s go through our recommendations of the best beard products and the order in which you should use them based on the length of your beard.
Here are the three categories. Find yours and we’ll talk about our recommended grooming routine!
Stubble/Short Beard: (up to 1″, 25mm)
- Beard Wash: (3 times weekly)
- Beard Oil: 2-4 drops should be plenty (daily)
- Beard Brush: For exfoliation/spreading the oil (daily)
- (Optional) Beard Balm: for longer lasting hydration/styling (daily)
- (Optional) Beard Color: To color grays or fill patchy areas. (daily)
Medium Beard: (1″-3″, 25mm-75mm)
- Beard Wash: (3 times weekly)
- Beard Balm: For hydration/styling (daily)
- Beard Comb: To eliminate tangles and shape beard (daily)
- (Optional) Beard Wax: To reduce flyaways and add shape/hold.
- (Optional) Beard Color: To color grays
Long Beard: (3″+, 75mm+)
- Beard Wash: (3 times weekly)
- Beard Oil: To fully hydrate beard
- Beard Comb: To eliminate tangles and shape beard (daily)
- Beard Balm: For hydration/styling (daily)
- (Optional) Beard Wax: To reduce flyaways and add shape/hold
- (Optional) Beard Color: To color grays
Ultimately, that’s it. by now, you should know what beard style to go for, the process when growing your beard out, the best beard products for your beard care routine, and how to use those products in the right order to optimize each of them! Now go out there and beard on!
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