The growth of your beard is a complex and delicate process that requires routine care. While genetics does play a role in the overall growth and health of your beard there are some ways that you can grow your beard more naturally. Here are some great tips to start or supplement your all natural beard growing process.
Defining Your Beard
Every man has different values and goals when it comes to the quality of their beard. However, there are a few hard and fast terms that can help define your beard depending on the type of goals that you have set in achieving your ideal beard growth such as:
Beard Thickness
Also referred to as beard fullness, a thicker beard will contain more beards than a thinner beard. Beard thickness is the opposite of a beard that may be patchy, sparse, or containing bald spots here and there. Your beard’s volume is essential in adding texture and density to your mane.
Beard Vibrancy
This refers to your beard’s liveliness in considering whether your beard is faded, dull, or washed out looking. The shine and luster of your beard is affected by the moisturization of your individual beard hairs.
Beard Length
This refers to the actual length of your beard from root to tip.
The Body And Skin
A healthy beard starts with a healthy body. Take a look at your nutrition and what you put into your body. If you’re eating a lot of processed foods, then chances are you are not getting the essential vitamins and minerals that support sebum oil production. Sebum oil is secreted by the body’s sebaceous glands and the substance forms a protective barrier to ensure that your skin stays moisturized. These glands work together with your body’s hormones to ensure that your beard is able to grow. Age does play a role, which is why hairs may fade in color as you get older. We can’t prevent the effects of aging, but we can certainly mitigate against it through what we eat.
Try to incorporate a more varied diet by starting with your plate. A more colorful meal will be more nutrient dense -- think green leafy veggies and proteins that will sustain your body throughout the day. Up your intake of vitamins B and D, which can easily be found from eggs, meat, and fish. Choose to snack on veggies and fruit like oranges, nuts, and raisins to keep you sustained in between meals.
What you eat and drink also impacts your skin. Take a look at your hydration levels by monitoring your water intake and examining the color of your urine. Urine that is colored like lemonade or light beer indicates that a person is optimally hydrated. If your urine is copper or amber in color, then it is time to drink some water. Your body can also clue you into your current hydration levels because you’ll feel thirsty or crave salt.
Water intake also impacts your beard hair. Similar to the hair on your head, everything concerning your beard has to do with your skin. Maintaining a poor skin routine will inhibit growth because your follicles are not provided with the nutrients needed to grow your mane. A solid skin routine involves being critical of the ingredients that you apply to your face and beard. You should be consistent in your routine and know that a luscious beard is not grown overnight.
Check Your Product’s Ingredients
Your body’s skin is naturally absorbent and so it makes sense to be critical of what you put onto your body. Keeping your skin clean with a mild cleanser on a daily basis can boost growth by getting rid of dust, dirt, and bacteria from your face. You should aim to exfoliate at least one a week to ensure that your skin remains free and clear.
Check the back of your product’s label to see what ingredients it might contain. Artificial ingredients and dyes can contribute to dead skin, which can cause irritation and breakouts to occur. Clogged pores can ma8ke it difficult for your skin to breathe, so look for an oil containing Jojoba such as our Signature Blend Beard Oil. Let’s face it -- even the manliest of men like to be pampered every once in a while. If you are not sure where to start, a beard balm that contains all natural ingredients is a great option that will set you up for optimal success. Be sure to stay away from products containing dyes or artificial scents. For a more natural aroma, consider using essential oils to keep your beard smelling great. Eucalyptus is an ideal in promoting facial hair growth and is also a great way to leave a light and fresh scent that will not overly distract from other odorizers that you may want to use elsewhere on your body.
Before you moisturize your skin, be sure to clean it first using a high quality cleanser to get rid of dirt and grime. You can follow up with exfoliation -- just be sure not to over do it more than once a week. Exfoliating your beard and skin promotes and stimulates beard growth when dead skin cells are removed. Exfoliating your skin and beard will also promote greater blood circulation throughout your facial area and as an added bonus you will feel fresh and anew again.
Be sure to moisturize and nourish your beard with a beard balm or beard wax, which will keep your beard lush and soft. Snagging your hair follicles or damaging the ends is a critical mistake that can also lead to dryness and often results when a low quality comb is used for brushing. Therefore, reach for a natural Sandalwood Beard Comb instead of a metal comb. Get the comb as part of a beard oil and comb combo so that it’s easier on your skin and wallet. The comb features widely spaced teeth for a smooth and painless experience while combing your beard.
Your Beard Grooming Tool Kit
A man is nothing without the proper tool kit and only the proper hardware should be used in keeping your mane at its sexiest. If you can, try to avoid using standard hair cutting scissors. Regular scissors are tricky and cumbersome -- beard hairs can easily slip out from the cutting surface. As a result, you risk ending up with an uneven cut that looks amatuer or childish. At worst, a bad mistake can frustrate even those with seemingly steady hands -- having to start over and shave off your entire beard sucks. Equip yourself against beard mishaps by maintaining a well stocked arsenal containing a:
Beard Scissors
Allows you to maintain precision and control so that you can more easily define and shape your beard. Accuracy is critical if you are looking to develop the strong chin and cheek lines that the ladies will love. Stainless steel beard scissors are higher quality than other metal based scissors and tend to have a hardiness that gets the job right. Some beard scissors even come as part of a set that also contains moustache scissors for more refined control. Beard scissors are essential to combating weak or ingrown hairs that may distract from your overall appearance. Beard scissors also come in handy for when you need to keep pesky fly away hairs at bay because no one likes a frizzy look.
Beard Trimmer
Keep your scruff up to shape to maintain your beard’s length and shape over time so that your mane stays artfully styled at all times. Price, precision, and cutting power are some factors that can help you decide which beard trimmer is right for you. Consider a trim kit that will best meet your needs -- some draw clean lines while others make it easier to reach hard to clean areas. Trimming your beard can quickly get messy. For those with longer beards, clippings are liable to end up all over your sink, clothes, and hands. However, you can get help by using a trimmer that effectively catches the clippings as they fall. Cleaning up is a breeze because you can just toss the clippings right into the trash without the stress and hassle. Some beard trimmers also come with guards to assist with a more precise and even cut, which is especially helpful in ensuring the contour of your beard aligns perfectly to your face shape.
Razor Blade
This well known classic is traditional, but risky. Using a razor blade may cut too closely to the skin and that makes you more prone to nicks and cuts. Ouch! Nicks and cuts can be painful for you -- and your beard. Essentially, over time bacteria and germs build up on the blade’s surface. If you get a cut or nick and do not clean the blade thoroughly, then you risk exposing your skin and beard follicles to harmful elements that may inhibit the growth of your beard. Plus, the blade will dull over time and the inability to fully maintain your blade’s smoothness can mean frequent blade replacements. The cheap and plastic disposable razors are not very durable and suffer from many of the same issues already mentioned. Just do yourself a favor and stay away from them -- it is not worth the risk.
An Electric Razor
A much safer option as opposed to a traditional razor blade, an electric razor can be ideal for all around maintenance once you have already established the perfect neck and cheek lines using a beard trimmer or beard scissors. This option may help you extend the length in between touch ups, particularly if your beard is already quite lengthy.
Hair Dryer
If you are short on time and don’t have time to let your beard air dry naturally, then you can always opt to blow dry it. Be mindful that a high wattage blast may damage and dry out your individual beard hairs. Using hot air can also cause more split ends and if you are not too careful, the problem can easily overwhelm you. Therefore, it is best to stick to a low watt blow dryer that has cool settings so that your beard does not lose its moisture entirely. Every hair dryer is different and some dryers will contain more or less temperature settings than others. You do not want heat to take away from an already well conditioned beard and the benefits that your beard conditioner might prove your beard. If you must blow dry your beard hairs, then keep some distance between the blow dryer and your beard so that air gently helps to alleviate some of your beard’s wetness. If the blow dryer is too hot for your chin, then it is likely too hot to use on your beard as well. Use a dryer that contains negative ion technology to help reduce frizz and static for a smoother and finer finish. If you want to better control the direction of the blow dryer’s airflow, then consider using a concentrated nozzle to ensure a more thorough application. This way you do not end up with small wet patches everywhere -- especially if you are a long bearded man.
Fight Stress by Being More Active
Our busy lives can result in not getting the right amount of sleep or exercise that our bodies need to remain healthy. Stress hormones such as cortisol are produced when your body perceives stress, which triggers a flight response within the body. Consequently, your heart rate and blood pressure will increase as your adrenal gland kicks into high gear. Stress can impair the flow of vitamin and other nutrients to your hair follicles and reduce your overall beard growth. The health of your beard will be reflected in your stress levels so be sure to increase your relaxation time. A popular relaxation method is meditation, which involves being mindful about what your body is feeling in the present moment. Pausing to take deep breaths also increases oxygen to the brain and heart.Meditation is a healthy way to manage stress and can easily be done alongside yoga or light stretching.
Proactive measures can also be taken through lifestyle changes that are better for your body and your beard. Do you get enough sleep and exercise? If not, consider making changes to your daily routine. Make an effort to be more active throughout the day -- workout at a gym or take a walk during your lunch break. Instead of being a couch potato, consider being active during periods where you would normally be sedentary. Being active will fight stress by causing your body to release endorphins, which trigger positive feelings throughout the body.
For example, you can lift weights while you watch your favorite TV show. If you are a big gamer, perhaps you can incorporate fitness into your entertainment routine. Zumba is a great solo or group activity that adds variety to any fitness session through dance. Virtual reality games like Knockout League let you bust up a sweat as you dodge and fight against a boxing opponent. No matter your preference or skill level, there are a variety of ways that you can amp up your activity. Being more active will help you sleep better at night -- just be sure to commit to an earlier bedtime. Poor sleep habits can actually inhibit your testosterone level in causing your body to produce less of this vital hormone. If you are not sure about your current testosterone levels, then be sure to get checked by your medical doctor. Based on your results, your doctor should be able to work with you in getting your testosterone levels back in check.
If you have trouble sleeping, consider developing a routine that will help you wind down and relax before bed such as:
- An hour before bed, put your phone away and turn off the TV to minimize your exposure to blue light. Doing so will encourage the production of melatonin, which will help you relax more and fall asleep faster.
- Be sure to also limit or reduce your caffeine take in the evenings. Caffeine is a stimulant and drinking it in the late afternoon or evening can impair the quality of your sleep. If you need something hot to drink in the mornings or throughout your day, then consider drinking hot lemon tea with a spritz of cinnamon. The lemon in the tea contains citric acid as well as vitamin C and calcium. The cinnamon may also help in fighting free radicals in addition to helping balance out the taste. This nutrient dense drink gives a powerful boost in helping your beard to grow naturally. The drink also contains natural antioxidants without the jittery crash that normally follows caffeine consumption.
- Try not to nap throughout the day because it can confuse your body’s internal clock. If you have to nap, consider shortening the length of your nap. You should experiment and see what works best for you -- everyone is different and what works for someone else may not work for you.
