Almost every man has been curious about growing a beard at one point or another. After all, facial hair is only the result of not deciding to be clean shaven in the first place! But, not every man has had great experiences when growing their beards due to a variety of factors that may inhibit beard growth from the start. So, today we at Volt want to give you some cheat codes for growing an awesome beard that every man can implement!
Before we dive into our 3 keys for growing a beard you can be proud of, check out this video on the exact same topic where we have our good friend Dan Command explaining the keys in his own words.
And don’t forget to subscribe to Volt Grooming’s YouTube Channel for more awesome videos on men’s grooming subjects and beard tips and tricks.
How To Optimize Your Beard Growth
The largest factor in your beard-growth potential is your genetic code which, unfortunately, we cannot easily alter with today’s technology. That being said, there are other large inhibitors to those who want to start their own bearded journey which we will be discussing (and overcoming) today with these 3 keys.
3 Keys of Beard Growth
Key 1: Stop Shaving
Although it should come as no surprise, shaving is your beard’s worst enemy (and worst nightmare). So, it would be worth clearing up one of the most common myths about shaving and beard growth so you don’t fall into this trap!
Myth: Shaving makes your beard grow back quicker.
The idea that your beard hair grows back thicker after shaving is simply not true. It’s easy to assume that your hair will grow back thicker after you shave because your hair appears thicker. This is because shaving often bends the hair before slicing it, causing a larger surface area on the top of the hair stem making the hair appear thicker.
But keep in mind that shaving changes absolutely no information that your hair follicle uses to produce hair in the first place. Meaning that there is no meaningful change to the thickness, density, or color of your hair simply by shaving it.
Alot of people will say that after shaving for a few years, they can now experience fuller beards than they have in the past, but this makes sense for an entirely different set of reasons than shaving presents. Beards can typically grow better and more full with age. In fact, beard growth peaks out in your late 30s and early 40s. This goes to show that, just like fine wine, your beard gets better with age. This brings us to tip #2!
Key 2: Beards Require Patience
Unlike mistakenly believing that you can’t grow a beard like we talked about in key #1, the other main problem is that people simply shave far too early. Patience, then becomes the problem.
Most men see a patch or two in their beards and assume they simply cannot grow a beard forevermore, but this is a debilitating mindset to have! By shaving too early, you won’t know how workable those patches or thin areas are! It may just mean that those patchy areas of your beard grow slower, but will still fill in over time if you have patience.
It’s hard to have patience when you are busy searching high and low for that masculine and full-bearded look. But, give your beard growing journey at least 1-2 months of solid growth before making the decision to keep the beard or shave it off for now.
Key 3: Healthy Beard Habits
The last and final key we have for you today is this: You have to employ healthy beard habits or else your beard is going to be more of a bother than a pleasure to you. Beards inherently come with their own set of problems and required maintenance, just like being clean-shaven does. Therefore, practicing healthy beard habits is going to ensure your beard-growing experience is pleasing enough to continue through to the end!
Healthy beard habits include things like washing, oiling, trimming, and maintaining your beard’s overall health and style properly. After all, why would you want an uncomfortable beard? Or even worse, a beard that looks scraggly and unkempt? Beards will definitely add an edge to any style, but can seriously hinder your style if your beard is not maintained and clean.
One of the reasons most men decide not to grow a beard is because their beards are uncomfortable. Often, beard hair causes redness, irritation, and itching, and often a beard can be rough to the touch and uncomfortably long or irritating in other ways.
Here’s the trick for keeping your beard comfortable and healthy: Use Beard Oil or Beard Balm/Butter. Beard oil is the most popular men’s beard product, and for good reason. It not only hydrates your beard, but also keeps your beard soft and reduces irritation, redness, and skin flaking. Beard balm/butter is very similar to beard oil but is mixed with extra ingredients like cupuacu butter and shea butter for a thicker consistency and some styling hold!
Here’s a daily beard maintenance routine you can stick to for your overall beard health and wellness!
- Wash your beard with a dedicated beard wash
- Dry your beard
- Apply beard oil and/or beard balm
- Use a boar bristle brush to spread oils evenly and lightly exfoliate the skin/reduce flaking
- Enjoy!
Overall, there are three main keys for growing a good beard and reducing frustration. 1) Stop shaving so you can realistically see your beard growth potential. 2) Have patience. And 3) Employ healthy beard habits that make your beard more comfortable, softer, and more enjoyable overall.
You May Also Enjoy
