Growing your beard is one thing. Most guys can do that. But how to take care of a beard… that’s a whole different matter.

It takes consistent, proper beard maintenance to keep your facial hair healthy, manageable, and looking its best.

Beard care is important – but it doesn’t have to be complicated. We’ll make it easy for you by drilling down to just 5 key steps you need to maintain an enviable beard – including how to groom a beard and how to clean up a beard if it’s a little out of hand.

Follow these beard maintenance tips and you’ll have a healthy, awesome looking beard for life (or however long you decide to keep it).

1. Wash Your Beard Regularly

Let’s be honest – your beard can get pretty gross if you don’t make a concerted effort to keep that thing clean. Crumbs and other leftovers of the day can get stuck in there, especially if you’ve got a long, thick beard. Beards are great, but if you don’t wash yours 2-3 times each week, you’re not doing yourself any favors.

You’ll find beard specific cleansing products from some brands, but the truth is your shampoo will do just fine. Our Daily Strengthening Shampoo uses gentle cleansers, contains zero sulphates or phthalates, and will keep your beard clean and smelling great. It will also prevent any gross buildup (caused by sweat, excess oil, and other debris) from accumulating in your beard.

2. Keep Your Beard Hydrated and Conditioned

Wondering how to maintain your beard soft and shiny with proper beard grooming techniques? Simple – condition it regularly with beard oil. It moisturizes the skin underneath your facial hair to prevent itchiness, control flakes, and maintain follicle health.

Never used beard oil before? No worries – it’s easy:

How often should you apply beard oil?

• If you live in a dry climate or have dry skin/hair, apply it daily or every other day.

• If you have oily skin/hair or live in a humid climate, apply it 2-3 times per week.

• If you notice oily buildup or your beard gets greasy, apply less often.

3. Trim Your Beard

Trimming is essential part of proper beard grooming. You can use scissors for a more precise trim that is less likely to damage your facial hair. Beard trimmers are easy to use and make the process quick with their measured length guards, but they can also cause split ends and may damage your hair. (Another reason why using beard oil is part of good beard maintenance.)

How often should you trim your beard?

Every few weeks, grab a pair of scissors or beard trimmer and take a close look at your beard in the mirror. Are there uneven patches, long spots, or split ends? If so, even things out and remove the damaged hair – that’s how to clean up a beard and stay looking your best.

As you’re trimming your beard, make sure you’re following the natural contour of your face. Keep a rounded shape with all the hairs at a uniform length for the best look. In general, less is more when it comes to trimming. If you get too overzealous with your trimming you might end up having to take the length down everywhere just to maintain a balanced look. Easy does it.

Even when you’re still growing out your beard, a slight trim from time to time is a smart idea. That will keep your beard under control and not turn the growing-out process into “that few months where I hate every picture of myself”.

Out of control facial hair is never good, whether you’re growing it out or not. So use these proper beard grooming tips to trim up those rebellious whiskers on your way to a stellar beard.

Worried about over trimming or ending up with uneven beard length?

You can avoid this by brushing your beard with a small comb as you trim. That will show you which hairs are loose, which are uniform, and which still need to be trimmed. Comb down your beard after each cut so you can see the length and trim in the all the right spots without overdoing it. 

Give your mustache extra attention.

Your mustache may be a minor part of your overall beard, but it’s a major part of how good your beard looks. Nail the trim of your mustache and you’ll always look great. Get it wrong and it will throw off your facial expressions and give you an unbalanced, unflattering look.

Give your mustache a little extra TLC. Invest in facial hair scissors that give you a natural result each time you trim up the ‘stache. A small comb is another critical tool. Use it to brush all your mustache hairs straight down to properly assess its length and bulk.

Should you trim/pluck gray hairs?

Yes, you’re getting older. Yes, your beard may be getting a bit more salt and pepper than you like. But no, the answer is not plucking out individual gray hairs. Many experts say that plucking out grays will only make more come back. But it’s a fool’s errand – you can’t stop the aging process. Embrace the salt and pepper beard – it’s masculine, distinguished, and attractive. Using our science-backed anti-aging products is a much smarter way to fight the aging process while looking your best.

4. Clean Up Your Neckline

Your trimmer is an essential beard maintenance tool – it’s critical to cleaning up your neck line. For most guys doing this every two weeks is plenty. Here’s how to do it:

• Stack your index and middle fingers just above your Adam’s apple.

• Trim your beard to where your top finger is.

• Trim a U-shape from your side burns down to meet this point.

• Do not just follow your jaw line. That will result in an awkwardly shaped beard. 

Your mirror is your friend when learning to trim your neckline. It can be scary – you don’t want to go too far and mess up your beard. So take it slow and easy, especially when you’re first gaining experience with your trimmer. 

5. Stay Healthy

Your beard is an outer reflection of your inner health. If you want a thick, healthy beard, make it a part of your overall healthy lifestyle. That includes eating a balanced diet that includes these vitamins, all of which contribute to having a healthy beard:

• Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – This nutrient keeps your skin healthy, promotes healthy blood circulation, and contributes to proper hair growth. Get it from legumes, salmon, and chicken breast.

• Vitamin B7 (Biotin) – Biotin helps increase your body’s production of keratin, the protein that makes up the structure of your skin, hair, and nails. That ensures your hair stays healthy, strong, and undamaged. You can get vitamin B7 from eggs, salmon, avocado, sweet potato, and other natural sources.

• Vitamin D – Vitamin D balances hormones, supports testosterone production, and contributes to healthy hair follicles. Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but you can also get it from nuts, dairy, and supplements.

• Vitamin E – A powerful antioxidant and moisturizer, vitamin E strengthens and hydrates your hair to protect it from damage and ensure healthy growth. You can get vitamin E in your diet through spinach and other leafy greens, beans, avocados, and soybeans. 

Apart from a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrients, getting plenty of sleep each night and quitting smoking will also help you take care of your beard.

Remember, the way your beard grows is mostly dictated by genetics. So while you can’t control some aspects of your facial hair, you can maintain your beard well and ensure that it looks great everyday.