The Ultimate Guide To Growing & Maintaining The Perfect Beard

The Ultimate Guide To Growing & Maintaining The Perfect Beard

Throughout 2011, leading cat walks showcased the latest male clothing trends accompanied by heavy facial hair. During the past 2 years, the trend for such facial furniture has grown, and continues to do so. And as the trend grows the beards get bushier, bigger and more difficult to maintain.

We've enlisted the help of our resident male grooming expert, Steven O'Neill, to piece-together the ultimate guide for growing and maintaining the perfect beard.

Growing a beard doesn't give you carte blanche to down shaving tools and leave your facial hair to grow into a wilderness of epic proportions. Growing the perfect beard takes time, care and lots of TLC.

Step 1 - Decide What Shape You Would Like Your Beard To Be; with clear defined edges, natural as-it-grows edges, shaped edges or rough and ready. 

Use your razor to trim the edges of your beard in to your desired shape. I recommend using as cut throat razor as it achieves clear more defined edges. Try Men Rock Cut Throat Shavette or Men Rock Straight Razor.

Step 2 - Stay Clean & Knot-Free.

Buy yourself a beard comb to keep the hair knot & debris free -  the key here is to start combing your beard as soon as you start to grow it. Use your beard comb daily; gently stroke it through your beard starting from the sideburns down, not forgetting to tend to the hair on the neck. Try Baxter of California Beard Comb.

Step 3 - Condition The Growth As It Grows

Facial hair tends to be more coarse than the hair that grows elsewhere on the body so it needs lot of conditioning to keep it soft and in perfect form. Beard Conditioning is best appraoched with a super-hydrating beard oil. Using an oil rather than a cream means the hairs will relax, absorb more hydartion and ultimately end up in better condition. Don't be concerned about an oil or a conditioner relaxing the growth the the extend where it interferes with your desired 'volume', you will still keep the fuller, bushy look but with added shine and panache.

Step 4 - How To Apply Your Beard Oil

Dispense a couple of drops of beard oil into the palms of your hands and work it between the fingertips. Starting from the neck working upwards, stroke the beard oil through the growth using gentle strokes, taking extra care not to pull on knotted hair or debris. Apply more beard oil as required until your beard in completely covered and has a subtle shine. The shine will fade slightly as the beard oil is absorbed by the hair but the lasting effects will showcase a subtle, healthy glow. Try Men Rock Beard Oil or Hip Face Facial Grade Rosehip Oil. The latter is a universal skincare oil that works wonders on areas of skin or hair that require intense hydration or conditioning.

Step 5 - After Applying Your Beard Oil, Run Your Comb Through The Growth Again

Once your beard is suitably conditioned, run your beard comb through the growth again to ensure that the lower layers also reap the benefits of the oil.

Trouble Shooting!

A knot in the beard is not easy nor pain-free to deal with. Rub the knots between the finger to flatten it out and then try to unpick the knot with your fingers. Do not pull the knot away from the face, instead relax the hair and reduce tension by pushing it back towards the beard whilst attempting to untanglle it. To help you to access the knot, use your beard comb to seperate the knot from the rest of your beard by leaving the comb in the growth whilst it seperates the hairs.

What To Do If You Can't Dislodge A Knot In Your Beard:

If you've tried all of the above and are still struggling you may need to cut the knot out. To do so, hold the knot between two fingertips and cut it out with a cut-throat razor or a small set of nail scissors. If using a cut-throat razor, gently stoke the razor over the knotted hair and try to cut it in short strokes; this will leave a better, more natural-looking finish. Try Men Rock Cut Throat Shavette or Anthony Logistics Tool Kit. (Take extra care not to make contact with the fingers)

What To Do If Your Beard Is Becoming To Rough Or Coarse:

This is fairly simple to tackle. See General Beard Maintenance guide below. If your beard is still too coarse, use a shave cream as a beard mask to give it a moisture / conditioning injection. Also increase the frequency of beard oil application; apply it twice daily.

General Beard Maintenance