It may seem simple, but growing and maintaining a great beard is no easy task. That's because getting facial hair right and tight can be uncomfortable at first (itchy and scratchy) and then just plain time consuming (cleaning, scrubbing, trimming and brushing) once fully formed.
In our ongoing efforts to make your facial hair its most fantastic, here's a rundown of must-have beard grooming products, why they're essential and how to best use them. The results of following such a facial follicle plan should show themselves in the form of a more comfortable and attractive beard. So, here's what you should use to properly care for your beard -- period.
Beginning Beards Need A Face Scrub
A great face or beard scrub will lift dead skin cells, deep clean pores and unclog hair follicles. At the beginning beard stages, such a scrub will help prevent ingrown hairs and reduce some itchiness. During the later stages of beard growth, a scrub is gonna' dig deep below whiskers to get rid of the gunk (technical term) that hides below the surface. Grooming Lounge Mug Scrubber is an ideal men's face scrub, leaning on earth-friendly jojoba beards to keep things in check. Scrubs work best when applied in a circular motion with a tad of elbow grease in the shower or over the sink.
All Beards Need To Be Conditioned & Moisturized
Whether at the beginning or when in full ZZ-Top mode, beards need moisture to stay soft, healthy and to keep the beard owner from itching like a mother. Enter beard conditioners like our Grooming Lounge Whisker Sauce. Work such a magic formulation into skin, stubble or a full-blown bushy beard every single day. Beard Lotions or Conditioners are certain to keep your beard and the skin underneath from looking and feeling dull and tired. Rub a bunch into that beard, let it sink in and even comb through if you're zany. Many of these beard conditioners also leave behind a stellar scent for you and others to appreciate.
Trim & Shape Things Up Along The Way
Once those whiskers get to a certain stage, it's decision time. And the decision is as to what length you want to keep your beard and how to handle those beard hairs that seem to grow faster or more unruly than their friends. When it comes to determining the overall bushiness of said beard, a solid trimmer like the Philips Norelco Beard & Stubble Trimmer can easily keep your beard cropped super close or at a variety of different lengths. If you're going big with that beard, some trimming scissors are essential to keeping a solid shape and beard fly-aways at bay.
For When Your Big Beard Gets Naughty (Knotty)
Beards of a certain length tend to get knotted up, unruly and unattractive. In addition to using a beard lotion as mentioned before to smooth things out, a quality beard brush or beard comb can also help keep things on the straight and narrow. Whichever you choose, just flow through that beard to stretch strands and keep them from intertwining too much.
And if you're looking to get everything you need to take care of your beard in one package and at a great "shavings" -- it's probably prudent to take a look at our Build Your Own Beard Maintenance Kit.