A beard is the epitome of manliness for many men. However, most beards are high maintenance and require more care than most men are willing to provide, which is why you see so many guys walking around with wild, bushy looking beards. Growing a beard takes more maintenance than most men expect. Of course, if you don’t mind a frizzy, matted beard, then you don’t have much to worry about. But if you want to properly style your beard, then you’ll need to be prepared to take care of it by trimming it and using a variety of products. My guide on how to tame a wild and bushy beard will go over what you need to do to achieve that well-groomed look, the right types of styling and care products to use, and how to keep your beard healthy and looking great.
Table of Contents
The Full Beard
Many men will shave off their beards during the first month of the growing phase because growing a beard can be an irritating, itchy process and one that seems to take forever. Once your beard begins to come in, you may notice some patchy areas, or you may have a beard that’s very wiry and frizzy. Using the right styling tools and products that are specifically designed for beards can change everything if you know which products to use and when. As an example, you can’t use the same shampoo that’s designed for hair on your heard, on your beard. Facial hair and the skin on your face are very delicate. You also shouldn’t use the same balms and sprays on your face that you use to style the hair on your head. Since beards are so popular these days, you should have no trouble finding a wide selection of beard care products to choose from.
A full beard is much trickier to care for compared to a fine beard, since the thickness of the beard, in addition to flyaways, tangles, and mats, can make you look unkempt. The styling and care techniques that I’ve included here will turn that beard around, helping to tame the flyaways and frizz, giving you a more professional look that can make your beard more office-friendly.
The Importance of Washing Your Beard
A beard will get dirty and oily, just like the hair on your head. If you have a beard that’s matted, tangled, or frizzy, before you can style it, you need to wash it. This is an important part of routine beard maintenance. Cleaning your beard regularly will remove grime, oil buildup and any type of debris that’s managed to get trapped in your beard. Washing your beard will remove dead skin cell build-up and can also significantly improve skin health, fight itch, and irritation, and can help prevent breakouts. Use the best beard shampoos, such as the Viking Revolution shampoo, which is loaded with important nutrients that will keep your beard healthy and looking and smelling good.
Conditioners
The best beard conditioner can also do wonders for a beard that’s frizzy and unmanageable. I recommend the Art of Shaving conditioner. Conditioner should always be used after you shampoo your beard. Beard oil should be applied after a shower, once your beard is slightly damp. Do not apply the oil to a wet beard. Instead, towel dry your beard, then add a few drops of the oil, working it in evenly throughout your beard.
Comb
After you’ve washed and conditioned your hair, then applied a beard oil, it’s time to style it. While you can choose a boar bristle brush to style your beard, using a comb is often a better choice since it can reach deep down right to your skin and will do a much better job of removing dead skin cells, any trapped debris, and helping to work through mats and tangles. Most new beard wearers don’t know the importance of combing a beard, but combing your beard daily will help to train the hairs in a downward direction. When you comb out your beard it helps to evenly distribute the natural oils and does a much better job of it than conditioning alone.
Shaping
Combing your beard can have a major impact on how tame your bead looks, but if you have flyaways or scraggly hair then you’ll need to use a special beard care product that can help you sculpt your beard and minimize frizz. You can use a beard wax, beard butter, or a balm. These products will help to shape your beard and give it that well-groomed look that most beard wearers love.
Trimming
If you want a full beard, then allow it to grow out before the first trim. You can use a beard trimmer, which will come with multiple attachments that are designed to prevent you from accidentally taking too much off. Carefully trimming your beard will also allow you to take care of any scraggly hairs and flyaways. If you’re worried that you’ll trim too much off, then go to your local barbershop and pay for a trim. Pay close attention to the techniques the barber uses, in addition to the types of products they have in the shop. You can even ask them what type of products they would recommend. Most barbers are very knowledgeable about beard care products and can tell you which products work, which ones don’t, and what type of styling products will work for you, based on beard length and facial hair thickness and texture.
Heated Styling Brush
For those with thicker beards, taming it can be a big job and one that’s pretty time-consuming. If you’ve read this far, then you know that you first need to take a shower, then apply a beard oil. Some men will also blow-dry their hair and comb it during in order to straighten the hair. While this process works, it can be a pain if you’re in a rush, you overslept, and you simply don’t have the time to go through the entire process. Fortunately, there’s a solution in the form of a beard straightening brush. These brushes are based on similar hot hair styling tools that women use.
If you want to give one of these heated straightening brushes a shot, then the first step is plugging it in, switching it on, and waiting for it to heat up. Low-priced brushes can take as long as five minutes to heat up, while a higher priced model can take as little as a minute. Choose the heat setting you need, then take the brush to your beard and use downward strokes. Styling your beard using this tool can take just five minutes. Because these brushes don’t use high temperatures like a traditional hair straightener or a curling iron, using it regularly will not damage your beard.
Styling Your Beard with Wax
As I mentioned earlier, there are many different types of styling products for beard care to choose from. If you’re struggling to tame your thick beard, then a styling wax may be your best bet. Wax is similar to beard balm but it also contains lanolin and beeswax. Products that have a higher wax content will offer a much stronger hold, which is exactly what you need if you’re having a hard time taming your facial hair.
To use beard wax you’ll begin by scooping out a small amount. Warm the wax between your fingers until it melts slightly. Next, you’ll spread the wax all throughout your beard, but avoid touching the tender skin beneath it. Wait for the wax to begin hardening then start styling your beard. Even if you’ve used a heated beard brush, you should still use wax since it will keep your beard in place.
Brushing
Brushing is another great way to distribute the oils evenly throughout the beard, reaching every strand. Daily brushing can also remove dead skin cells and dirt from under the beard. But more importantly, it will stimulate the release of natural oils, which will help to keep your beard moisturized, preventing a dry brittle beard that’s full of split ends.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to tame a wild and bushy beard is a must if you’re hoping to achieve a well-groomed look. A full and thick beard is the goal of most beard wearers, but for many, it’s simply not possible, since patchiness is a common problem. But if you’re one of the lucky ones that are able to grow a luscious, thick beard, then you need to learn how to properly take care of it. The tips and techniques that I’ve included here can help you style and shape your beard, easily and quickly. Just remember the importance of brushing or combing out your beard regularly, why you need to use styling products to tame your beard, and how shampooing and conditioning your beard can go a long way toward taming it.
