5 Essential Beard Tips for Suave Facial Hair

So you think a little facial hair will impress the lads and have the ladies flocking like bees to honey? You may be right, but it’s going to take a little more than throwing out your razor to grow a serious beard, which is why we’re pointing you in the right direction with a few essential beard tips.

Whether you’ve always sported a bit of facial hair or are seeking to grow a full beard for the first time, it’s important that you know how to properly care for and maintain your beard. If we’re being frank, beards aren’t for everyone – this isn’t a set-and-forget proposition. A dashing beard requires patience, commitment and the iron will to stoically brave the inevitable rough patches.

And even if you have all of that, you’ll need to give a little more. You’ll need to invest in the right tools and products, spend a little time every day on maintenance, and perhaps even suffer through some trial and error to find exactly what products, routines and shapes work best for you.

But never fear. You’re a gent on a mission, right? So roll up your sleeves and get to work – it’s time to get that perfect beard you’ve always dreamed about.

Start with a good shave

Every piece of ground-breaking art was once a whole lot of nothing. The “Mona Lisa” was a plain white canvas before Leonardo da Vinci got his brushes on it, and “The Thinker” was just a huge slab of marble before Rodin took his chisel to it. Like these multimillion-dollar works of art, a great beard should begin with a blank canvas. This means whipping out a safety razor and swiping your face until you’ve got a smoother-than-silk clean shave – just remember to shave with the grain to avoid split or ingrown hairs and prevent irritation. Better yet, go to a professional barber and get a straight razor shave to make sure your epic beard gets off to the right start.

Care For It – Regularly

You wouldn’t spend all that money on an Aston Martin and then forget to take it for regular servicing, right? Just like your car, your beard needs constant maintenance to make sure it stays in tip-top shape. Giorgio Bagisha, BRUNEBLONDE’s resident barber, recommends a three-step maintenance strategy. “Use a fairly rich beard oil such as castor oil, sweet fine or coconut oil, brush at least 2-3 times a day, and only use a beard shampoo. These are the three most important steps to know.”

Use The Right Products

Having the right tools is just as important as a regular maintenance schedule. If you want to keep your beard sexy and not straggly, you’ll need to have the right products on your bathroom counter. It sounds simple, but it does require a little research and trial and error to find the products that work best for you. But whatever version you buy, Bagisha says there are a few products all bearded dudes should have on hand. “The essential products for maintaining a beard is a serum to smooth the hair, a beautiful beard gel that will act as a wax to plaster undisciplined hair, and a good beard shampoo to avoid the hair becoming dried out from regular facial soap.”

Make Friends with a Trimmer

It may seem counterintuitive if you’re trying to get some length on your beard, but regular trimming can make the difference between a suave bearded look and being mistaken for Cousin It. You’ll need the right tools, so make sure you have a good beard comb, clippers or scissors. Ideally, you’ll put them to use once a week – the regular trims will get rid of dead or split ends which are not only ugly, but can ruin your beard and stunt its growth. If you really want to lavish some TLC on your mug, you could also head to a barbershop for a regular professional job. Just remember that if you’re starting from scratch, you’ll want to let your beard grow for about four to six weeks before you start trimming. This will allow all the hair to grown in properly and soften to a point where you can shape it into a lady-slaying masterpiece.

Nourish from Within

You probably know by now that eating high-quality, wholesome food does great things for your body. The same applies to your facial hair. For your beard to grow well, it needs all the right vitamins and nutrients. Since hair is primarily made of keratin – a type of protein – it’s crucial that you eat a lot of protein like meat, fish and beans. Vitamin B is also useful – get it from leafy greens, fruits and whole grains (or perhaps a Vitamin B complex supplement).

If all else fails, this is Bagisha’s fail-proof beard strategy:

1. Use a serum once a day.
2. Brush the beard regularly.
3. Use a good beard shampoo.
4. Have your beard trimmed regularly by a barber.
5. Use a scrub once a week to remove all dead skin.

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