The hair texture on your head is likely similar to the hair texture of your beard. And just like head hair, the texture of your beard can vary widely. Some beards are naturally coarser and rougher than others, and that’s perfectly normal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a silky-smooth beard. If you’re tired of itchy facial hair, read on for a few easy and effective tips to help you soften your beard hair.
Cleanser Consistency Is Key
The dirt, oil, and food particulates that accumulate in your beard hair every day can compromise its health. Washing your beard at least once a day can help remove these contaminants and allow the strands to breathe and maintain a healthier balance of oil. However, you can’t use just any kind of soap to clean your beard. After all, you wouldn’t use a soap bar to clean the hair on your head.
Just like you need shampoo and conditioner for your beard, you need beard wash and conditioner for your facial hair. Your beard wash and conditioner should include healthy ingredients, such as coconut oil, avocado oil, vitamin E, or shea butter, that’ll help moisturize your hair.
Keep Your Beard Moisturized
The products you use to wash and condition your beard will keep your beard moisturized but only to a certain extent. This is because their main purpose isn’t to moisturize. You also have to rinse off your beard wash and conditioner. To focus on moisturizing, use beard or face oil.
Your beard or face oil should have similar moisturizing ingredients that you’d find in your beard wash, which will help further hydrate and soften the individual strands of hair. However, a common misconception about face oils is that they clog your pores, but this is only true to a certain extent. The over-application of oils can lead to clogged pores under your beard, so you have to adjust how often you apply face oil until you find what’s right for you. Everyone’s skin is different, so apply beard oil as necessary to the point where your beard feels soft and moisturized—not greasy.
Brush and Comb Every Day
Brushing and combing your beard are two different things, and you should do both once a day. After you cleanse your beard and apply your products, you should comb your beard. A comb helps distribute the product deeper into your beard and throughout the strands.
Once your beard is dry and has had some time to absorb applied products, you should brush it. Brushing your beard helps train stiff hairs and puts them back in place. However, don’t do so more than twice a day, as too much friction can begin to damage the hairs.
Trim Your Hair the Right Way
Trimming your beard can help you eliminate any stragglers that like to poke out, but you don’t want to trim too much and ruin the overall shape. To cut rigid hairs without overdoing it, comb your beard in an upward motion so that it fans out, then comb it back downward. You’ll reveal the unruly stiff hairs, which you can then trim. This, combined with the other tips, will help you soften your beard hair for an overall silkier texture.
