How to Grow and Maintain an Awesome Beard

Beards are incredibly popular. They’ve come out swinging as one of the male accessories of the past few years. It’s strange to think that at some point in recent times having a beard wasn’t thought about, especially for younger generations. Some people thought it was a mess, others thought it wasn’t appropriate but during the 90’s it was hard to envisage anyone below 40 years old carrying a full face of hair. Yet now it’s a look you see more often than not on our high streets. And it’s quite tough to figure where this has come about from. But if you can grow one, you will have one. It’s the ultimate male fashion accessory.

Growing a beard is one part of the battle, but once you’ve done this you’re only halfway there. Even when you can grow a beard, actually making sure it is properly maintained and looking sharp is a task that many cannot complete. I suppose that’s totally fair. But what do I mean when I talk about a beard being “properly maintained”? Well, looking good, feeling healthy and kept in shape. That’s what I mean by “properly maintained” - and it’s just as important as having facial hair in the first place. Nobody wants the smartest shirt if you have a rip under the arm, just like you shouldn’t sport a full face of hair if it looks disgusting and unhygienic. It’s simple math.

Having a well-managed beard is a badge of honor. I’ve seen people around town who haven’t looked great because the way they keep their facial hair intact is woeful. The element that is unhygienic is clear - your beard is right near your face and your mouth and the number of bacteria coming our way during the day isn’t worth thinking about, but the fact you have something attached to your face that could attract - and keep! - bacteria near your fact, your mouth and being breathed in should always be a cause for concern.

Maintaining an awesome beard should really be a matter of principle. While people shouldn’t tell others how to act and how to look, letting an unwieldy beard grow on you should be one of the last things you want to do. In your job, your personal life and your relationships you will find people taking note of how you look. It’s not a nice fact of life but it is a fact of life. You would keep yourself tidy in how you dress and the hair on your head so you should take the same time to do this with your beard. It makes a bunch of sense.

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I’m going to try and give you some helpful hints and tips to keep your beard looking tip top and nicely in shape. These aren’t the hardest things in the world to do but they will keep you in great stead with your newly sharp beard in tow. 

Keeping the Beard Smart

First things first - make sure you purchase the right tools. Scissors, razors, and a beard trimmer are your new best friends. Make sure you have these close to hand at all times. Just because you can grow the stuff doesn’t mean you should have hair coming from here, there and everywhere! There are some great trimming items you can buy for cheap. Keep it smart, keep it cheerful and maybe even experiment with different styles. The shorter the beard, the classier and cleaner it will be, but you can still trim a long beard to keep it healthy.

Next, I would advise choosing the right type of shampoo and soap to clean your beard with. I know it sounds very unimportant, but some of your standard shampoo and conditioners can really strip the beard of their natural oils and goodness. Doing this will actually cause a negative effect on them in terms of how they look and their natural hygiene. The hair that you will be left behind with if you use a normal shampoo is brittle, unhealthy and possibly discolored. Which, no matter what look you’re going for, is never a good thing. So, make sure you’re buying proper, certified beard shampoo/conditioner.

Remember to cut it sometimes. I know this rule is a little bit ‘two steps forward, two steps back’, but you still need to but the beard sometimes. As with normal hair, the hair on your face is more likely to grow quicker once tamed a little bit. It’s like the rules with eyebrows, shave them down and they will grow back quicker. Do that with a beard and you’re likely to get great coverage and a better all round beard.

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Sometimes maintaining a beard isn’t just about rehashing the same old idea but once more, it can be about changing things up. There are so many different styles that you don’t need to merely keep growing and regrowing the same thing. Try something new. Do you want a full beard or a goatee? Understandable if you want to shy away from a goatee (it’s a more mature look) but what about trimming the cheekbone part of your beard and taking your lower beard up a little. There are so many options and styles that you can do pretty much anything in the name of looking unique and fresh and still looking fit for going out in public!

I hope some of these options have given you something to think about. It’s not merely about telling you how to act around your beard, but trying to help you think about how you can keep your own beard tidy, healthy and unique. Keeping a head full of hair in great shape is tough, so keeping a large amount of hair on your face is peak condition is going to be even harder. Change it up and swap it around, everyone has a beard nowadays, it’s time to keep on top of yours.