The Ultimate Guide To Beard Care

Beards and beard care seem pretty straightforward. If you want a beard, just stop shaving, right? Technically, this is true. However, things can get complicated pretty quickly after your whiskers start to sprout. 

Maybe your beard is growing in patches or it’s just not as thick as you like. Perhaps it’s dry and brittle. How is a beardsman to navigate the world of beard products, which seems to be growing exponentially every day? 

In this beard care and facial hair grooming guide, we’ll cover all of these topics and more. You’ll learn how to properly wash and dry your beard. We’ll jump into the best methods and tools for trimming your whiskers. 

You’re also going to learn about feeding your beard the nourishment it needs. You’ll pick up some tips on styling and which brushes to use and finally, we’ll finish up with some troubleshooting. 

By the end of this guide, you’ll come to realize what we already have: There is so much more to your beard than just not shaving. 

So, without wasting any more time, let’s just hop right in! 

Tips to Growing a Healthy Beard

Believe it or not, for many Kingsmen the world over, growing a beard is just not as simple as putting down the razor. One of the most common complaints we hear from Kingsmen is that their beard is patchy or isn’t growing evenly. 

Some may blame it on their genetics and others blame it on their age, and while both of these factors do significantly impact the growth of your facial hair, there are ways to encourage as much growth as possible.

Vitamins

Multivitamins with biotin will encourage your hair to grow and you’ll get the added bonus of strengthening your nails as well. 

Biotin is more commonly known as vitamin B7 and it encourages keratin production in hair. This can increase the rate of growth. Seek out a multivitamin with vitamins A, C, D and E as well as each of these give different benefits for hair growth.  

Diet

Your beard growth can become patchy from a poor diet as well. Processed foods, overly greasy foods, and high-sugar foods can all slow hair growth. A diet rich in whole foods and lots of greens is going to keep your skin clear of any blockages that can result in slow hair growth. 

Skip the drive-through and cook yourself some healthy proteins and fats to ensure your beard is given the best chance of growing luscious and full.  

Stress

While many scoff at meditation, it's becoming increasingly clear that it provides many benefits, not the least of which is reducing our stress. 

Stress is a huge factor in stunting hair growth and even in hair loss. Finding a way to manage your stress is going to be a game-changer when it comes to your beard. Meditation is a quick and easy way to reduce the stress in your life. 

Other options include regular exercise, therapy, making time for leisure activities you enjoy, reducing your screen time, and knowing when to rest. Stress management can have a huge impact on our hair growth, leading to a fuller, bushier beard.

Exfoliate

Beard growth can be halted by blockages at the root end. Such blockages can be caused by a buildup of excess product or dry skin around the hair follicle. The best way to deal with this is to exfoliate regularly. Ensure you’re washing your beard thoroughly first and then find yourself a facial exfoliator. 

This will clear any debris away from your hair follicles and allow your beard to grow. Using a beard brush will also act as an exfoliating step, providing you’re getting that brush down to the roots. 

Moisturize

The best way to prevent that build-up of dead skin around the base of your hairs is to moisturize both your beard hair and the skin underneath regularly. Daily use of a beard oil can accomplish this. Avoid using harsh cleaners on your beard, such as regular shampoo, shower gel, or bar soap. 

When you do wash that glorious main, use a beard wash and always follow up with a beard conditioner and then beard oil once you’re out of the shower. For extreme cases of dryness, use beard butter before bed every night for a deep conditioning treatment. 

Sometimes, we just have to be patient. Age is a significant factor in the fullness of your beard. You will find that the older you get, the bushier your beard becomes. That’s because your facial hair follicles all come to life at different times. 

You’re pretty much born with all the follicles you’ll ever have but they’re all dormant. Puberty is what starts to wake them up and some stubborn hairs take longer than others. If your young age is the cause of your patchy beard, the answer is as simple as waiting. 

Eating For Your Beard

Like every other facet of life, your beard is going to be improved with a healthy diet. A poor diet can rob that magnificent mane of its shine. It can slow hair growth, cause increased breakage, and even hair loss. If you want to keep those whiskers looking full and healthy, you’re going to want to make sure you’re feeding them well. 

Foods to Avoid Eating

Refined Sugar

In a roundabout way, foods that are high in refined sugar cause an increase in a male hormone that can shrink your hair follicles and slow the growth of your hair. This can happen in patches, causing a spotty beard. 

Bad Carbs

We’re talking about pastries and donuts, french fries, pastas, cakes, and excessive amounts of white rice. When these foods break down, they turn to sugar fast, causing the same issues for your hair that sugar does. 

Seafood with Mercury

While seafood doesn’t often contain enough mercury to make you sick, if you eat enough high-mercury seafood, you can jeopardize your hair. Fish like mackerel and swordfish are often the culprits here, and can actually cause hair loss.  

Alcohol

Alcohol is very dehydrating and can cause your beard to dry out and become brittle. It breaks down into sugar as well, so you can experience the same damage to your hair that excessive sugar causes. You’ll also find alcohol attacks and depletes your zinc levels, which your beard needs.

Too Much Vitamin A

Vitamin A can be great to bring shine to your beard and protect against it drying out. However, in doses that are too high, it can lead to hair loss. Regulate your intake of Vitamin A for healthy, shiny hair. 

Salt

Salt is very dehydrating, especially in high doses. A high salt diet can keep your beard dull and dry. Cutting down on your salt intake can make your whiskers very happy!

Aspartame

Aspartame is in more foods than you might realize. This artificial sweetener can cause toxins that attack hair follicles. While much about how and why is still unknown, be nice to your beard, Kingsman, and avoid this ingredient. 

Greasy Food

That greasy bacon double-cheeseburger may taste great at the moment, but the grease sticks around. If you make a habit of eating this way, you’re going to be a greasy dude with a greasy beard and clogged follicles. So, forget the drive-through, for your mane’s sake!

Foods to Eat

Fish with No Mercury

Salmon and tuna are great for your beard and have very low mercury levels. Plus, they taste great!

Oats

Oats are packed with fatty acids that promote beard growth! Your hair loves this stuff, so go grab some oatmeal, Kingsmen!

Spinach

Turns out, spinach is good for everything. Yeah, even your whiskers, Kingsman! It’s packed with iron and that beautiful beard of yours loves that stuff. Get some green stuff in you! 

Eggs

There are so many good things packed inside just one egg, from almost all the vitamins to fatty acids and carotenoids. Incorporating eggs into your diet is fantastic for your body, your skin, the hair on your head, and of course, those lovely locks on your chin. Kingsmen, get cracking!

Yogurt

The creamy tang of yogurt makes it a great addition to any meal, but it’s also great for your hair. It’s loaded with the B vitamins your facial hair loves. Keep your beard happy easily by eating loads of this good stuff. 

Almonds

Your whiskers love Vitamin E. Almonds are packed with it. Almonds are also delicious. It’s a win-win!

Lentils

Lentils are bursting with folic acid which is a nutrient with well-known benefits for your hair and your skin. These are also some of the most affordable little bites on the planet, and with the right recipe, they can become something delicious.  

Avocados

All-natural and luxuriously creamy, avocados are also packed with biotin. Biotin is going to help your beard grow, fellas. Always make sure to order the extra guac!

Pumpkin

Before you carve a scary face into this orange gourd, why not eat it instead? Pumpkin has loads of beta-carotene which can provide conditioning from within for your facial hair, leaving your beard hydrated, soft, and looking amazing. 

Chickpeas

Folate is the key nutrient in chickpeas that your beard wants. Incorporate some hummus into your life (flavor tip: add hot sauce!) and you’re going to have a happy beard. 

That’s a lot to think about when you're shopping, but the pattern is pretty easy to recall: stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible and your beard will love you. When you eat like a king, you’re going to look like a king.

How to Wash Your Beard

One of the biggest mistakes beardsmen make with their mane is washing it too often and not using the right product for the job. In many cases, just changing these things can make all the difference in the world, so let’s take a closer look. 

Don’t Wash Every Day

There are very few beardsmen who need to wash their beard daily. The exceptions are, of course, occupational and extremely oily skin. Some of us have dirty jobs and we don’t have much of a choice but to come home and wash all that grime out of our whiskers. 

Some beardsmen have extremely oily skin and the grease can become apparent after a single day without a wash. But for most of us, washing daily is unnecessary. We recommend washing your beard about 2 or 3 times per week. 

Use Beard Wash

Kingsmen from across the globe have given us their testimony: switching from regular hair shampoo to beard wash has been the single most transformative step they’ve taken with their beard. 

Shampoo is specifically developed for the skin and follicles on your head. The skin up there is thicker and it can take a beating far better than the delicate skin on your face. Shampoo for your hair often contains harsh detergents and it can strip far more of your natural oils than you want stripped from your beard. 

The same goes for body wash and bar soap. Beard wash has been developed to be gentler with the skin on your face. This means it’s not going to wash away all those natural oils your beard needs to be healthy. You’ll be amazed at the difference when you switch from regular shampoo to beard wash. 

 

Use Beard Conditioner

Whenever we wash our beards, we are taking some of those good oils away. A superior beard wash will minimize the stripping of natural oils, but you will never escape it completely. It’s with this in mind that we recommend using a good beard conditioner after each wash. 

Adding this step to your beard care routine will ensure that any of the good stuff that was lost during the washing process will be replaced by deep conditioning. Your beard will come out soft to the touch and healthier than ever before.  

Trimming Your Beard

Our beards can become pretty unruly in-between visits to the barber’s chair. For some, it happens faster than others. The answer can’t always be to increase the frequency of your routine trims at the shop because that can get way too expensive. The best solution is to find yourself a beard trimmer and give it a go yourself. 

What is a Beard Trimmer? 

A beard trimmer is not the same as a tool you might use on your hair. Hair clippers are designed for larger areas and often when we’re trimming our beards, we need to get into smaller spaces and create more precise shapes and lines. Hair clippers are just too big and bulky to get those tidy lines and structured shapes you want for your facial hair. 

What Makes a Good Beard Trimmer? 

Blades

Your new beard trimmer should be made with stainless steel or titanium blades. This will ensure that your trimmer doesn’t rust and the blade stays sharp and efficient. Cheaper metals can be unreliable when it comes to precision trimming. 

You can also run the risk of caught hairs, rash, or skin irritation. Your trimmer just won’t do its job as long as you might want it to if it has a cheap blade. 

 

Grip

The grip on your trimmer is more about your own personal preferences. How does it feel in your hand? Do you feel you have a good handle on it, or does it feel like the slightest jarring might loosen your grip? Something that fits the size and shape of your hands is also going to be beneficial, especially if you’re using your beard trimmer for long beards, as you might have to do a bit of maneuvering to get that trim done. 

High-Quality Casing

Ensuring the case is made of higher quality, resin-based plastic will mean you get to hang onto your beard trimmer for much longer than one made with cheap plastic. Clipping tools made with lower quality plastic crack and chip faster and simply don’t stand up to the daily beating it’s going to take from the vibrations of the motor. 

Guarantees

Some beard trimmers guarantee that the blade on your trimmer will stay sharp. If you can get your hands on one with a guarantee like this, grab it. 

Multiple Guards

Kingsmen with longer beards should try to find a trimmer that comes with multiple guards so you can find the right length for your beard. These are also versatile options for those beardsmen who frequently change the length of their beard. It works whether you’re in need of a long beard trimmer or short. Some attachments may even allow you to trim your eyebrows or nose hairs.

Other features that are more about personal preference that you might find on a beard trimmer are: 

• Self-sharpening blades
• Corded or Cordless 
• Laser guiding lines
• Vacuum 
• Dock 

How to Trim Your Beard: Before You Trim

Wash and Dry Your Beard

You do not want to be trimming a greasy, dirty beard. Trust us. This is a recipe for pain, frustration, and very colorful language. Dirty hair runs a higher risk of getting caught in your trimmer blades and it could yank the entire follicle right out. On the flipside, greasy hair can also be so slick that it slips on the blade without getting cut at all. 

For best results when trimming your beard, use a proper beard wash with a thorough lather. Make sure you rinse it completely out and then dry your beard before heading in with your clippers.

Brush Your Beard

Brushing your beard is a crucial step in prepping it for a trim. This step will make sure all the hairs getting trimmed are where they are supposed to be. What you might discover if you trim before you brush is that you miss some hairs that may have been turned under or caught up with other whiskers. 

Run a brush through your mane beforehand to avoid having to go back numerous times to clean up strays.  

How to Trim Your Beard: Best Practices

Start Long

When you first go in with your clippers, use the longest guard attachment, so you’re only taking a little bit off in the beginning. This is going to help you ease into it and fix any mistakes. As you feel more comfortable, move up to the shorter guards until you’ve gotten your beard to the length you want it. 

Eventually, you’re going to become a pro at this, and this step may not be necessary any longer, but in the beginning, working your way down to a length you desire is going to help you get the hang of it. 

Think About the Direction of the Hair

If you’re looking to get at those pesky flyaways and trim down some of the bushiness of your beard, you want to go against the direction of the hair growth. If you’re wanting to hang onto any fullness you can, maybe if you have a patchy beard, then go with the direction of hair growth.  

Don’t Forget to Trim Your Mustache

It’s easy to overlook your mustache when you’re trimming your beard, so don’t forget it! A neatly trimmed ‘stache is going to add to the overall tidiness of your facial hair. We recommend using a pair of mustache scissors for this job. 

You’ll have more control and get more precision out of them. Where you trim your mustache is going to depend entirely on the shape you’re looking for, but a good rule of thumb is to follow your lip line and trim just slightly above. 

Define Your Neckline

Your neckline is, of course, a personal preference but if you’re looking to start somewhere, it’s generally acceptable to set it just above your Adam's apple, while the sides incline ever so slightly. 

Shave

After you’ve used your trimmers to trim your beard, shave the areas under your neckline and anywhere else you might find stray hairs growing. 

Taking a DIY approach to trimming your beard really isn’t that difficult but it’s best to give yourself a good window of time to do it the first few times. Be patient, take your time, and before you know it, you’ll be a pro. 

Brushing & Combing Your Beard

You’re still brushing your beard with that same old comb you use for your hair, aren’t you? It seems like a reasonable thing to do. A beard is a hair, after all, right? Did you know, though, that changing the tool you’re using to brush your whiskers can change everything about your beard care routine? It’s true! 

Why Choose a Beard Brush?

Your beard hair is more coarse than the hair on your head. To tame these whiskers, you need something that can match the weight of your facial hair.  Brushes specifically designed for your facial hair also have exfoliating properties. A good brushing with a beard brush can keep the skin underneath healthy and fight beardruff. 

Beard brushes also disperse product and natural oils more evenly throughout your mane, ensuring your skin and hair are both getting all the moisture they need. 

If you’re using a regular plastic comb in your facial hair, you might notice that it just slips through the coarse hair without really readjusting any single hair’s position. It doesn’t bring your mane together, it doesn’t make it very much neater. 

Choosing the right brush for your beard will tame the flyaways and neaten the final appearance of your whiskers whether you’re using the product or not. A good beard brush will last a lifetime, as well, so it’s not much of an investment for so much payoff.  

What to Look for in a Good Beard Brush

Brush Head Size

A smaller brush head is going to give you more precision when it comes to styling your whiskers. If you’re a Kingsmen who likes to put a lot of shape and styling into your mane, we recommend a beard brush with a smaller brush head. 

If you have a longer or more coarse beard, grab yourself a beard brush with a bigger head to bring all the hairs together in uniformity, because they cover more area at once. 

Firmness of the Bristles

The longer and coarser your beard is, the more firm you’re going to want your bristles and that’s because a firmer bristle is going to get more done at once. 

On the flip side, a softer bristle is great for precision. If you’ve got some intricate styling going on, or your beard is relatively short, grab yourself a softer bristle. 

Bristle Length

Longer bristles are the perfect match for a long beard, whereas a beard brush with shorter bristles is the right choice for a beardsman with a short mane. 

Handle vs. No Handle

This is more about comfort when brushing and personal preference, but brushes with handles tend to have less surface area. If you have a longer and fuller beard, you might opt for the military-style beard brush with no handle as it will get the job done faster. 

Material

A plastic comb or brush can have jagged edges from the production process that can damage your whiskers. These sorts of brushes also don’t absorb oils and can catch and pull on your hair more than wood or bamboo would. 

That’s because these natural materials absorb small amounts of oil as you use them, making them smoother and able to glide effortlessly through your facial hair.  

Product for Your Beard

New beard products are popping up constantly these days. We are definitely in the midst of a beard boom. In this sea of products, how do we decide what our beards need and what they may not? What is the difference between each product? Let’s take a look at some of the essentials. 

Beard Oil

 

Beard oil is the most essential beard product for healthy whiskers. It is a crucial step in a great beard maintenance routine. Often beard oil comes in a small bottle with a dropper. Just a few of these drops a day can transform your beard, giving it a fuller, softer look all while promoting growth. 

That’s because beard oil is packed with nutrients carefully chosen to boost the overall health and appearance of your facial hair through long-lasting, deep conditioning. Your beard can go from dull, brittle and dry, to luscious, soft, and voluminous while at the same time, benefiting the skin under your whiskers as well.

Beard oil is different from beard butter and beard balms or waxes in that it provides no styling or hold benefits. This stuff is purely for nourishment. 

When Should I Use Beard Oil?

Use beard oil immediately after you shower every day and reapply as needed. It should always be used after a beard wash and conditioning to ensure any oils lost in the cleansing process are replaced. 

Beard oil should always be used on a damp beard, so if you’re not planning on hopping in the shower, invest in a spray bottle to spritz your beard with water before the oil application. 

How Do I Use Beard Oil? 

Most beard oils come with a dropper in the lid. Using that dropper, you want to squeeze a couple of drops into your palm and then work it around your hands, focusing on the fingertips. 

This makes it easier to get that beard oil all the way back under the beard to help prevent dry, itchy, and flaky skin. It’s important to make sure you’re reaching your skin because that’s where beard health begins. 

Once you’ve started at the skin, comb your fingers back through your glorious mane, shaking them for ample coverage. Next, pull your fingers up from underneath your beard, again, combing them through and agitating the hair as you do. 

Don’t forget to get your mustache as well! Rub any excess oil that may still be on your palms onto the beard and then comb through your luscious locks with a good, wide-toothed beard comb. 

Sometimes, you might find specific areas of your skin or beard are extra dry, itchy, brittle, or flaky. It’s okay to take the dropper and directly apply oil to that spot. It’s important to be in tune with the unique needs of your beard. As you make use of beard oil regularly, you’ll get to know exactly what your one-of-a-kind beard needs and when. 

Choosing a Beard Oil

Our skin is already faced with a barrage of pollutants every day. The last thing we want to do is add more toxins to it during our beard care routine. That’s why reading the ingredients on all your beard care products is key. 

• Do you recognize each ingredient? 
• Are they all-natural or do they include known irritants and toxins?
• Can you pronounce everything on the ingredients list of your beard oil? 

You’re looking for clean beard oil, that is to say, a beard oil that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or pollutants. 

Kingsmen boasts a clean beard oil that packs a powerful punch when it comes to conditioning your beard. It’s bursting with nutrients your locks crave and the best part is that the list of ingredients is short and recognizable. 

Our beard oil contains sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba seed oil, essential oils, and fragrances.  That’s it! There’s nothing else to it. You know you’re getting a clean beard oil that promotes growth and healthy hair. 

Beard Butter 

The best way to describe beard butter is as a sort of lotion for your beard that benefits the hair as well as the skin underneath and at the same time offers a little bit of hold. While oil is used for pure nourishment, and balm is used mostly for styling, beard butter falls somewhere in between. 

Balms are usually made with wax, which means they’re harder and make them great for styling. Butters are made with shea butter, coconut butter, or cocoa butter, so they are softer to the touch and closer to a thick cream than they are wax or oil. 

You’re going to get more nutrients out of your beard butter than you will from your balm and it’s going to leave your facial hair healthier, fuller-looking, and softer to the touch than a balm would. 

When Should I Use Beard Butter? 

If you’re considering adding beard butter to your daily beard care routine, you need to know the best time to use it. This answer can vary from Kingsman to Kingsman, and there are several options. 

One practice is to use beard butter at night. If you shower before bed, work your favorite beard oil in, wait a few minutes and then massage the beard butter through before you hit the sack. If you don’t shower, skip the oil and just use the butter. In the morning, you’ll find your beard is soft and easy to work with. 

Another option is to use beard butter as a styling agent in the morning. If you’re looking for a light to medium hold, beard butter is perfect and your beard will be getting the nutrients it needs at the same time. 

Of course, use it after you let your beard oil absorb for a few minutes post-shower. With either of these methods or even both, you’re going to find your beard is softer to the touch than ever before!

How Do I Use Beard Butter?

Whether you’re using your Kingsmen beard butter after a shower or not, you’re going to use it the same way. First, take a dime-size amount and rub it between your hands. Starting from the oldest growth to the newest, work your hands through your beard to disperse the product. Use your fingertips to apply the butter to your mustache as well. 

Don’t forget to get the underside of your beard! Beard butter provides benefits to your skin too, so you can work that product right to the roots. Any excess can also be rubbed into your arms, your hands, or your elbows for a huge moisture boost! Once you’re done, use your beard comb to comb the product through. 

Choosing a Beard Butter

Choosing a beard butter that will yield the best results for your facial hair is important. You don’t want to be putting harsh chemicals near your face every day and every night. So, our best advice is the same as we gave for beard oil: pay attention to the ingredients. 

• Are they natural? 
• Do you recognize them? 
• Do they sound like lab-developed chemicals or do they sound like something that can be harvested? 

Stick with clean ingredients in your beard care routine and you’re going to get the best results with your beard oil. 

Kingsmen offers a powerful beard-nourishing butter with a clean, natural formula. The ingredients are simple: Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and essential oils and fragrances. It’s made to be fully absorbed by your beard with no need to wash it out.

Beard Balm

 

 

Like beard butter, beard balm has three different purposes: the first, of course, is nourishment and conditioning. A good beard balm is going to make your beard softer, more manageable, and healthy. The second purpose for beard balm is styling and hold. 

Beard balms are great for taming those flyaways and stray hairs and keep your mane under control. Last but not least, a great beard balm is going to help your beard look more full. This is especially useful for all of you Kingsmen out there who struggle with patchy areas in your facial hair. In short, beard balm is kind of a Swiss Army Knife for your beard. It conditions, it styles and it volumizes. 

Where it differs from beard butter is in the consistency. Because beard balm offers more style and holds than beard butter, the consistency is harder. Beard balm will often contain beeswax to keep your mane in place and control those pesky flyaways. 

When Do I Use Beard Balm? 

The best time to use beard balm is, to put it succinctly, whenever your beard needs it. As beard balm’s main purpose is for hold and styling, you want to use beard balm when you feel your beard needs some hold or control. This can be in the morning to shape your beard and control flyaways in preparation for your day. 

We recommend using it as the final step in your morning routine, that way, you won’t disturb the magnificent shape you created with your balm by using another product afterward. Reapply throughout the day as you need to control and shape your beard. Beard balm offers a strong level of hold for your beard, however, so you shouldn’t need to reapply too often. Once is often enough. 

There are a couple of things to keep in mind while using beard balm. First, make sure you’re using it on a dry beard. Beard oil works its best magic when your beard is damp, but beard balm won’t have its optimal strength unless you apply it to a dry beard. 

The best practice is to apply your beard oil to a damp beard right out of the shower, go through the rest of your grooming routine, and finish it up with your beard balm when your beard is dry. 

You also want to consider the fact that beard balm is going to deliver the best results on a clean beard. Use your favorite Kingsmen Beard Club Beard Wash, followed by beard conditioner, a few drops of beard oil, and once dry, your locks are ready for the balm.

How Do I Use Beard Balm? 

There are a couple of ways to approach this. The first way to use beard balm is to distribute it throughout your beard for deep-conditioning effects, and the other is to use it on the outer layer of hair to control the shape. 

If you’re using your beard balm in conjunction with a beard butter or beard oil, or even both, you don’t need to double up on the conditioning. Your oil or butter is going to do a great job of this. 

No matter how you want to use it, keep in mind that your beard should be completely dry and clean to get the results you’re after. 

To get the most out of your beard balm, start with a pea-sized amount and rub it in your hands until it emulsifies. If you want to distribute it throughout your beard, focus on your fingers and fingertips and then start at the roots. Get your fingertips right in there and work the balm through your hair while agitating it for maximum distribution. 

If you’re using your balm to shape your beard, keep the emulsified product on your palms and gently apply it to the outer layer of your beard with a wiping motion, paying attention to flyaways and any problem hairs. Use your mirror to create the shape you’re looking for and go about your day!

Mustache Wax

Like beard butter and beard balm, mustache wax provides hold and control for your facial hair. While the wax focuses on your upper lip whiskers, it can come in handy for your mane as well. 

If you’re looking for something with a stronghold for your beard, mustache wax can do the job. The wax allows you to style your mustache and beard for long-lasting control and shape while offering natural, moisturizing, and conditioning ingredients to keep those whiskers healthy at the same time. 

When Do I Use Mustache Wax? 

Maintaining your mustache’s shape and style can be a fight. Flyaways, hair in your mouth, and wild, out-of-control whiskers are all signs that you might want to include mustache wax in your daily grooming routine. 

But when should you incorporate this step? At what point in your daily routine should you introduce the wax? The answer is that mustache wax should be used whenever you’re styling your facial hair.

Reapplication is best when you feel your whiskers need renewed hold or control. Often, this means the best time to use mustache wax is in the morning, fresh out of the shower. It’s important to note, though, that you should not use wax after you’ve applied beard oil to your mustache. 

Doing so will reduce the effectiveness of the mustache wax, as the slick, moisturized hair will not allow the wax to truly grip. 

We recommend using it alone, right after you get out of the shower or at the start of your day. Apply to a clean mustache and don’t use any other products on it after you create the shape you want. 

How Do I Use Mustache Wax? 

Mustache wax has a hard, pomade-like consistency, so it’s going to be far easier to work with if you warm it up a little bit first. Just pop the mustache wax tin in your pocket for a minute or two and you should be good to go.

Alternative methods of warming are wrapping the tin in a warm washcloth or using a hairdryer for a few seconds. Once you’ve got your wax warmed up and easy to work with, grab a tiny amount, maybe the size of a sunflower seed. 

Work the product between your thumb and finger and apply it to your mustache. Shape your whiskers and when you have the style you want, stop working it though, and as soon as the wax hardens your style will be set for the day.  

Choosing a Mustache Wax

Choosing a mustache wax can be difficult with all the products on the market these days. However, if you pay attention to several important things, you’re going to narrow it down a lot.  

The first thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to be putting harsh chemicals near your face on a daily basis. Our best advice is to pay close attention to the ingredients in your mustache wax. 

• Are they natural? 
• Can you pronounce them? 
• Are they organic? 

“Clean” mustache care is going to be far better for you, your skin, and your ‘stache and less likely to cause any irritation.  The second thing you should pay attention to is the scent. You don’t want to be walking around with a scent you don’t like. 

Kingsmen Beard Club offers a mustache wax with a powerful hold and a clean, natural formula. Our wax contains beeswax, jojoba oil, coconut oil, vitamin E, and essential oils. It’s made for optimal hold and styling while ensuring the health and condition of your mustache. 

Troubleshooting Your Beard Care Routine

Beard care problems crop up all the time. You might be surprised just how many are struggling with the very same problem you are. Luckily there are solutions for the most common problem when it comes to beard care, so let’s tackle some of them. 

How Do I Know if I’m Using Too Much Product?

When you first begin using beard care products, it can be difficult to gauge just how much you should be using. There are telltale signs that you are using too much though:

Difficulty Washing Your Beard

Beard products are oil and wax-based. When you use too much, there can be a thick residue. A gentle beard wash may not be able to wash it all out effectively when you’re overusing your beard care products. 

You’ll need much harsher detergents for that. If you find that your normal beard wash isn’t cleaning out the residue of the beard products you used that day, then you’re probably using way too many beard products. 

Dial it back a little and try that out for a while. You’ll be surprised to see that your beard still gets all the great benefits of a good, organic beard butter or oil and your beard wash is going to effectively clean your mane as well. 

Your Pillowcase is Greasy

If you wake up every morning and your pillowcase looks like the bottom of a KFC bag, you might be using too much beard product. Of course, the best solution is to lower the amount of product you’re putting in your beard, but you can also switch to a silk pillowcase as well. This is going to absorb a lot less of the oil in your beard and hair, and it’s gentler on your whiskers, too!

Your Beard is Excessively Greasy To The Touch 

If you’re using the right amount of beard product, your hand should come away clean after stroking your beard. If you run your fingers through your beard and they come out with an oily film, you’re using way too much. 

You don’t want a greasy beard, you want hair that is soft and touchable. Trust us, your beard butter is going to deliver moisture, shine and hold perfectly even when you use less. 

Your Shirt is Greasy

If your beard reaches your shirt or you frequently wear collared shirts and other high-necked clothing, the state of that apparel at the end of the day is going to be a dead giveaway. 

If it’s greasy when you finally take it off, you’re probably using way too much beard product. The oil in these products should be mostly absorbed by the hair and skin. It shouldn’t leave a heavy residue that can transfer to your shirt. Save yourself some money on laundry costs and clothing replacements by reducing beard product usage. 

When used properly, beard products aren’t going to ruin your clothing or bedding. So, start with a small amount and add rather than using too much right off the bat. Remember, a little goes a long way!

I’ve Done Everything You’ve Said and My Beard is Still Dry and Brittle

There are a few things outside of the beard care tips you’ve already read in this ebook that can help you reduce dryness. 

The first of these is using lukewarm water to wash your beard. Water that is too hot or too cold can cause your beard to dry out. Water that is too cold will constrict your pores and reduce the effects of cleansing, leading to dead skin and product build-up and slowed hair growth and brittleness. Too much heat, whether from water, hairdryers, heated beard brushes, or even the sun, can dry out your hair and make it feel like straw. 

The second is, of course, the sun. If you find you’re in the sun too much, consider wearing a hat that shields your beard. Make sure you’re using sunscreen and seek out shade as often as possible. 

Finally, you need to keep yourself hydrated if you want your beard to be hydrated. Drink your recommended 8 glasses of water a day and you’ll find more than just your beard is transformed. 

How Do I Fix Beardruff?

There are three easy steps to eliminating beardruff. They are: 

1. Exfoliate - the more you exfoliate, the fewer flakes remain to fall into or out of your beard. A great beard brush can help accomplish daily exfoliation for you.
2. Cleanse - ensure you’re using your beard shampoo and getting those suds right in there, down to the root. You need to rinse it thoroughly so no wash residue is left behind and then make sure you condition your beard afterward. 
3. Moisturize - more than just dropping oil in your beard, you also need to hydrate with plenty of water, eat healthy fats and proteins and give your beard a deep conditioning treatment with some beard butter overnight a few days per week.

My Mask is Crimping My Beard

If your whiskers are like most, it doesn’t take long under that mask before your mane seems irreversibly misshapen. There are some tips and tricks to deal with mask-beard, though, so let’s take a look. 

Masks Designed For Beards

There are several different styles, shapes, and sizes of these types of masks, but they are specifically designed to leave your glorious mane be. Instead of pulling up under the chin, they lay down the length of your beard, like a bandana. 

They come with the same ear straps as a mask, but it looks more like you’re about to rob a train than pick up diapers at the Stop n. Shop. Search Amazon for “bandit mask” or “beard tarp” and that’ll bring up a fair number of options for you and your luscious locks

Style Away Mask Beard

Brush your beard upward. Bring your brush from under your chin and drag it up. Try to puff your beard up with continued vigorous brushing. Use your fingers to get your beard truly standing on end and expanded to its fullest. 

Now it’s time to brush it down but do it softly. Just barely enough to bring your beard back to the shape you want. Use your hands to shape as well. 

If you’ve completed all the previous steps, and there’s still a significant dip in your beard, repeat those steps but use beard balm or beard butter. 

If you’re still not happy with the outcome, use a spritzing bottle to dampen your beard, and then try the previous steps again. 

Use Heat

Heat for your beard can come in many forms. You can grab a heated beard brush on Amazon for a reasonable price or you can just use a rounded brush and a hairdryer. The idea here is to use the heat to style your beard in the opposite direction of your mask wave. It doesn’t take much heat to reverse the dip from your mask, even if you’ve been wearing it all day. 

Once you’ve added heat while brushing your beard up, reverse it and style your beard the way you want, while continuing to use your heat. This is, by far, the fastest way to reverse the dents your mask left in your mane. 

Wash Your Beard

Finally, if all else fails, just wash and dry your beard again. This isn’t the best choice, because you’re going to end up washing your beard way too often, and you may cause it to dry out and become brittle. Worse, you could end up with beard dandruff. 

This is the last resort choice, the option you take if you have to meet your girlfriend’s parents after a day of wearing a mask, or maybe you’re giving a talk or headed into your dream job interview on Zoom. Whatever the case, only use it once in a while to be kind to your beautiful beard. 

Your beard can suffer under your mask, so it’s important to consider its health just as much as its style. Ensure you’re replenishing your facial hair’s natural oils with premium beard care products. 

Beard oils, butters, balms, and conditioners are going to replace anything that gets stripped from your whiskers under that mask. Using a proper beard wash rather than harsh soaps or hair shampoos will also help ensure your beard is in tip-top shape under your mask. 

Final Thoughts on Beard Care

Caring for your beard is easy, but there is a lot to know. As the beard boom expands, there will be more to learn in the future as well. To stay up to date on beard products and beard care tips, make sure you’re subscribed to Kingsmen Beard Club’s newsletter.