Every beardsman experiences it at least once: a dry, scratchy beard that our partners recoil from. No one wants a rough-feeling beard as nothing repels a warm hug or passionate kiss with more ease.

If your beard is scratchy and brittle and you’re tired of how dull and unhealthy it appears, we’ll explain the best methods for softening beards.

But first, a little background information...

What causes a dry, brittle beard?

• Poor diet choices
• Washing with hair products
• Washing with hot water
• Failing to “feed” your beard
• Lack of protection

As is the case with so many common ailments today, a poor diet can dry your beard out, leave it dull and lifeless, and feeling like a scouring pad your Gran uses on her cast iron cookware.

Foods to look out for are the usual suspects: fast food, greasy food, high-sodium content foods are all really, exceptionally bad for your mane and your body, Kingsman.

Make sure you’re getting your fill of green stuff, and fruits, veggies, and lean proteins to give your whiskers a healthy shine that comes from within.

Never, ever wash your beautiful beard with hair shampoo, fellas. We urge you to start using a proper beard wash formulated especially for your mane. You see, shampoo is created for the thicker, tougher skin on your head and the hair follicles on your dome, which produce more natural oils.

Your face is unlike your head in that the skin is far more sensitive and fragile, even if you’re a guy who’s a little rough around the edges. Shampoo contains harsh detergents that are going to strip your beard of its natural oils and irritate the skin underneath.

A beard wash, on the other hand, is perfectly balanced for delicate facial skin and less oily follicles.

You also want to make sure you’re washing your whiskers with lukewarm water rather than hot for the same reasons. Hot water is too harsh for the sensitive skin on your face and can strip more natural oil than you want it to.

You have to feed your beard, too, Kingsman! It needs nutrients just like the rest of your body and you can find all that good stuff in clean, natural beard care products like beard balm, beard butter, beard oil, and beard conditioner.

Finally, when you’re out in the harsh sun, or at work in a dirty or dusty environment, protect your beard. Wear a hat in the sun and seek shade where you can. You can protect your beard from dust and dirt with beard balm or wax, or a beard net or bandana over your facial hair.

If that’s not possible, make sure you give your mane a nice, gentle wash after work and follow it up with Kingmen’s beard oil and maybe a little beard butter for deep-conditioning.

Why should I soften my beard?

• Prevents itchy skin
• Prevents dandruff
• Prevents patchy growth
• Inviting to touch
• Looks healthier
• Looks more full

A softer beard is a healthier beard and healthy bears prevent itchy flaky skin. If everything is moisturized properly, there is significantly less chance that you’ll experience itchiness or dandruff.

As such, there will be less dead skin built up around the base of your follicles, and less inflammation as well, leaving each hair free to grow at a normal rate and reducing the appearance of patchiness.

This can make your mane look fuller and a well-cared-for beard will have a healthy, inviting shine that leads to the number one reason you want to have a soft beard and that is that people will find it more inviting to touch.

This is great if you’re in a relationship. It means more hugs, more kisses, and more intimacy.

How do I soften my beard?

Now, we get to the good stuff. Here’s the cheat sheet for achieving a soft, healthy beard. All you have to do is follow our recommended beard routine and you’ll have a soft, touchable mane in no time. Here are the steps:

1. Always wash with a beard wash and limit washes to 3–4 times per week...
2. Follow up all washes with a beard conditioner...
3. Apply beard oil every day without fail and always to a damp beard...
4. Wait five minutes before using beard butter, balm, or mustache wax...
5. If your beard needs extra moisture, apply beard butter before bed...

Outside of your beard care routine, make sure you’re drinking at least eight glasses of water per day and avoiding fast food, greasy food, and salty food. Don’t forget to eat your veggies, Kingsman, and in no time, your beard will be irresistibly soft and touchable.

Have you ever struggled with softening your beard?

Let us know what you did in the comments and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more beard care tips!