How to grow a beard, the right way!

I'm often asked about growing a beard and more often I am asked about patches (not just any old patches, but patches where beard hair doesn't grow). The dilemma is that most men get to the itchy stage of growing a beard and then shave it off, or if their partner complains of a rashy face the beard will be hacked off, never to be seen again. But there are lots of things you can do to make the whole process much easier to cope with.

Stubble & Short Stage

TOOLS: Your beard growing friends at this stage are Beard Comb, Beard Brush and Beard Oil

When you first grow a beard, things get itchy. Why?

Because as each hair shaft grows it draws moisture away from the follicle, making it dry and itchy. Sometimes this can develop into dry, flaky skin and as this causes an irritating itch or "beard itch". As is nature's way there is a tendency to scratch your beard itch, which can lead to follicle infection. Despite it's short hairy stature it is at this stubble stage that it's vital to treat your beard right if you want to succeed in growing a it into a mighty bush.

So where to start...

Beard Oil is perfect for the stubble and short beard stage because it replaces the oil which is being drawn away from your skin buy the beard hair growing. Using beard oil will prevent the itch which means you are less likely to get irritated by it and shave it off. Using the right beard oil (i.e. ours!) means your stubble will be softer too because our oil is made from grapeseed oil which is readily absorbed by the hair shaft which means it will soften and condition it from within. And what does soft, conditioned stubble mean? A happier, rash-free partner!

Another thing essential for growing your beard is a decent comb or preferably a brush, because brushing and combing helps stimulate the natural sebum in your hair follicle. Ideally you would use a multi-filament brush, like a bamboo bristle brush, on stubble or a short beard to distribute your beard oil evenly AND help produce your own sebum. Brushing a beard regularly will also help soften it and exfoliate away any dry skin.

Mid Length Beard

 TOOLS: Your beard growing friends at this stage are Beard Wash, Beard Balm and a Beard Brush

So you have overcome the itchy, stubbly stage and you have a mid-length beard. But what do you do now?

Often at this stage there is a tendency for the beard to look straggly and a bit unkempt and this is when some men make the mistake of going to a barber to tidy it up. But avoid this at this stage if you can because your barber will need all they can get hold of to style your beard - too little and they'll be limited on what styles they can create. Also at this stage you may be aware of patches of your skin where your beard doesn't grow as quickly as the rest (or at all?!) and you need to deal with this before you go for your first cut.

A number of men do get areas of their beard that doesn't grow well and there are a number of reasons for this. Sometimes follicles get infected (itchy, scratchy as above causes infection) and you can easily treat this by regularly cleansing your skin with our face wash and by using a brush and not your fingers to brush the dry skin away. Our Bristling Beard oil contains essential oils that are antiviral, antiseptic and anti-bacterial which will help prevent and treat follicle infection. So keeping it clean, oiling and brushing/combing will keep the conditions right for growing hair in those patchy areas and there's another surprising fact too, our oil helps to promote beard growth too. Grapeseed oil is a great choice for hair care because it contains a lot of vitamin E, which is necessary for hair growth, and health. The extensive proteins, minerals, and the linoleic acid it contains also offer lots of benefits for hair. We also add lashings of natural vitamin E from soya to our beard oils as a double benefit to help growth.

Whilst you are growing your beard style it with beard balm or wax, comb it and clean it and don't be tempted to trim it yourself or cut it at this stage. Using a balm or a wax will help it look presentable during this 'caveman' stage.

 

Big Beard

TOOLS: Your beard maintenance friends at this stage are Beard and Moustache Scissors, Beard Brush The Woodyhog, Beard Balm Balm and a Razor

Now you've got past the first two stages and it's time for your first beard cut.

Choose a barber wisely, one who knows how to cut and style a beard and not just a jobbing barber. Often you can tell a good barber by the beards he produces (check the customers out who've been there) and if they have trained as a hair dresser through an academy they will know much more about how hair grows, how to cut and style and even how to colour a beard. Make sure you have given the barber a good length or beard (2-3 inches) to work with because that way they can give you a range of style to choose from and the longer the beard is, the more there is to cover any slow growing patches you may still have.

Once you have chosen a decent barber, try and stick with the same person because they will eventually get to know all the subtle nuances of your particular beard growth and your face shape. A decent beard cut is very easy to maintain at home too and there some vital pieces of kit you'll need. The most important product for a nicely cut beard is a balm or wax to maintain and hold the style. Our most popular styling product is the beard balm which you will apply on a dry beard after showing. Just a small amount with keep your beard hydrated and prevent it from looking dry and it will also help you style it; massage a small amount into your beard, brush it through and it will then semi set, like a light hairspray, and your beard style will be maintained for the day. Use a strong wax to twiddle your 'tache away from your mouth (if your barber hasn't cut it short) for 'tache-free sandwich eating!

As your beard grows between cuts use a decent pair of hairdressing scissors to trim wild and wiry errant hairs and to keep the beard looking tip-top. More importantly you need to maintain the shape between cuts by shaving the cheek and neck line. Ideal for this is a shavette because you can see exactly where you are shaving and you can get perfectly straight lines. They take a bit of getting used to, but there are lots of YouTube videos on how to do this. If that's too much effect you can use a double edged safety razor which is quicker, easier and you get a great result. Even if you don't want to trim your beard between cuts, simply keeping the cheek and neck lines shaved will make it look sharper that if you had not bothered at all.

So there you are - a complete guide to building a brilliant bush!

All our beard care products are handmade in small batches. Our superior quality range of beard and moustache grooming range is specifically designed for use on your beard and facial hair. Keeping your beard soft, shiny, smooth and healthy.

Take a look around at our collections of Beard care and grooming [products for every stage of your beard growing journey. 

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