#beearded men

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Brandon K. from SoCal and give him some advice and a few pointers on how to grow his first beard. True, he has been scruffy in the past, but he wants to go full-on balls-to-the-wall bearded and he had a few questions and concerns that we were more than happy to address. So without further adieu, here is Brandon’s question and our response. 

“Hey its Brandon K., I had a short chat with you on twitter the other day. Just looking for the rules and guidelines for a healthy beard. Like how often to wash, how often to apply oils, balms etc. I live out in socal (palm desert) area so it's nice dry and hot as hell. We have a pool. How does pool water affect the hair? Etc. Never had a beard, have always given up due to some patches near either side of my chin area. But I have let it grow for the first time and want a full, thick, decent length beard. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've reached out to some other places like the __________ company,  but they seem to be more interested in pics of themselves than the beard purity aspect. You guys have been the most helpful and very thankful for that.

Thanks Brandon K.”

               Hey Brandon, thanks for reaching out to us with your question! We have heard from (and seen) a lot of men who are trying for the first time to grow their beard and it can be a little daunting for a lot of them. Most men think that growing a beard is something that they can just “start”, and for some men it is that easy, however; for a lot of us growing a beard actually takes some cultivating and responsibility. That’s why we do what we do, to help advise men along their journey.

             From a few of our twitter interactions and email exchanges it sounds like you already have a start on your beard. What is your length now, around 1” or so? Now is a good time to start using some products.

            As soon as you start showing a 5 o’clock shadow (or even sooner) is a great time to start using your beard oil. If you pick up one that we have reviewed and recommend your beard will be well taken care of.

            All the beard oil’s that we have recommended are designed to promote a stronger, thicker, and healthier beards. The ingredients and essential oils work together to nourish your beard down to the roots and hydrate the skin below. They not only combat dry skin and acne, but also repair damaged hairs and follicles while promoting growth.

                        Start small, a lot of men over do it on the beard oil, your are not washing your face in it. Simply start with a drop or two in your palm, massage it in your hands, and then work it into your beard. As your beard grows longer and fuller you can up the drop amount. My beard is around 6” and I use 5 or 6 drops per application and I am all set.

            As for the frequency for applying beard oil, this varies from man to man. If I am up in the office all day for a few days in a row I only apply beard oil on one of those days, after a shower. If I am out in the yard chopping wood or doing landscaping for a few days in a row I apply a smaller amount more frequently.

            Let me explain the reasoning behind this. If I’m in the office I need less beard oil because I am doing less – sitting at a computer, while still hard work, doesn’t take much exertion. I am clean and presentable and in a climate controlled environment. I eat healthily and regularly and drink lots of water. I don’t sweat, get wood chips or dirt in my beard, and the sun’s harmful rays aren’t punishing my beard sucking out all of its nutrients as I labor outside. Make sense? Beard oil is designed to work with your natural and essential oils and some days you use and lose more of those oils than others.

            Because you are out in SoCal in the beautiful weather you may want to apply your beard oil a bit more frequently than I do. I know you mentioned you are in Med School? All of the oils we recommended are all natural and organic, some even vegan, so there shouldn’t be a problem about sterilization, contamination, reaction, or any other “t-i-o-n” words.

                        As for your swimming pool, the chlorine is terrible for your beard. Every time you submerge your beard you are exposing it to the chlorine and forcing a direct chemical reaction upon your beard. Chlorine actually changes the physical and mechanical properties of your beard because it changes the electrical charge of the minerals and proteins in your beard. It weakens the chemical bonds between the hair follicles and the shaft or root of your beard hairs. When the structural integrity of the fiber of your beard is compromised it results in brittle, unhealthy, damaged hair and split ends. This, over time and with excessive exposure, can result in hair loss.

            Longer explanation short, limit your beards exposure to chlorine. However; everyone enjoys a dip in the pool, especially on hot SoCal days, so don’t be too paranoid about your pool. As long as you take a shower and wash your beard with a Beard Advisor recommended soap or wash after swimming and then once your beard is dry apply your beard oil you will be just fine.

            Phew.

            Now on to the beard soaps and washes. Right now is a good time to start using a beard soap or wash. Since most “commercial” products “clean” your hair by using detergents or chemicals, stay away from them. Use a natural and organic soap or wash. Anything vegan is a plus. These are designed to work with your natural oils and give your beard a little added boost.

            As for frequency, wash your beard whenever you shower. We here at Beard Advisor recommend that people do not shower daily, but we understand that some people need to because of odor, health reasons, or work. Showering daily disrupts the body’s natural oil production and removes our good bacteria. But if you gotta shower you gotta shower. If you are an every day showerer you should maybe wash your beard every other shower. I shower every 2 to 3 days and my beard gets washed 2 to 3 times a week.

             Okay, now beard balm. There are a couple different variations out there – some are for styling or hold and some work as leave-in conditioners. The best kinds offer the best of both worlds. You can be okay without a beard balm (or butter or conditioner) until you get to around the 1.5”-2” mark. After this length you start to get fly away hairs or some that simply won’t chill out. Frizz can be an issue for some men. Because you mentioned some patchy or thin areas are a concern of yours you could even start now if you wanted. The additional nutrients will help, especially for the “problem” spots.

             The ones that we reviewed and recommend will help further nourish your beard and promote growth while controlling those unruly hairs.

             If you want a list of them you (or anyone) can contact us through our various social media sites and we’ll get back to you.

             So now we have covered beard oils, pools, beard washes and soaps, and beard balms. If you follow these simple, albeit lengthy guidelines we have advised you on you should be well on your way to a bigger, thicker, and healthier beard. However there are a couple more aspects we also want to address.

                        The first is diet. You need a healthy and well-balanced diet. Since you are what you eat, your beard is also what you eat. Stay away from processed foods. Stay far away from fast foods. We understand you are a student, money is (maybe) tight, and you put in long hours, but try your best to eat healthy. A slip up here and there is okay. Drink plenty of water.

            Get plenty of rest and try to avoid stress. Again, you are a student so a stress free day and a good nights sleep are probably rare for you, but try.

                        And lastly, you had mentioned some thinner areas or patchy spots? Follow this advice on the products and they should start to fill in, but pay close attention to the “problem” spots. Work the oils into the thin areas. Use a Boar’s Hair brush and brush your beard at least daily (until you start to fill in). The act of brushing removes dead skin, as well as stimulates your hair follicles and strengthens you existing beard fibers. Avoid cheap combs (metal and plastic) because they will have flaws or imperfections that can pull your beard out. Eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Take a multi-vitamin. A study we saw also claims that chopping wood increases a man’s testosterone levels, so, maybe buy an axe? Lastly, even stroking your beard is rumored to increase growth (because of the stimulation), so get a notebook, pour yourself a cup o’ joe, and start pondering deep intellectual thoughts.

             All kidding aside though, follow our advice and you should be well on your way to the best beard that damn school has ever seen. Good luck man!

                        We also have coupon codes for discounts on our favorite products! Don’t hesitate to ask us for them!

             And keep us updated! We love to see our advice in action, and we love to see the people we help and their success. Feel free to tweet @thebeardadvisor, post to our Facebook, use our hashtag #beardadvisor on Instagram, read our articles on our website, or ask us a question! We can also be reached directly at [email protected].

 Thanks again, and let us know if you want anything clarified or if we can help again in any way!

 -- Andrew, for Beard Advisor