Beard grooming

The first thing that comes to your mind while grooming your beard is shaving, doesn't it? Shaving is the basic grooming of any beard and the shaved look is starting to make its way back into the fashion world. From the runways of Paris to the streets of Brooklyn, men across the globe are embracing the clean-shaven look. But if you’re a man who loves your beard, yet still wants to look fresh, it is important to take good care of your beard.

There are some ingredients you have to avoid while grooming a beard. There are some serious, long-term effects of these ingredients which can be harmful. These ingredients can lead to serious side effects like itching, inflammation, acne and other skin related issues.

Sulfates

Sulphates make the beard dry and brittle, which eventually results in breakage and split ends. Sulphates can also damage the cells. Therefore it is recommended to use SLS free shampoos.

Isopropyl Alcohol

Alcohol can dehydrate your skin and hair, using an alcohol-based product for your beard can wash off the natural oils of your skin. This can make your skin dehydrated. It can also kill the good bacteria on your skin and beard. Use natural beard oils to keep your skin hydrated.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is not added as an ingredient in beard products but other ingredients like Imidazolidinyl urea and Diazolidinyl can produce formaldehyde as by-products. It can cause serious allergic reactions, hair thinning, dizziness, respiratory and cardiovascular problems as well.

Mineral Oils

Natural oils from plants should be preferred over mineral oils because mineral oils can lock up your hair, making them deprived of moisture. This locking effect can also restrict other products to work on your beard. Suppose, you are using oil to enhance your beard health then the mineral oil will stop it from being absorbed. Try to avoid using products containing petroleum jelly or paraffin as they contain mineral oils.

Dimethicone

Dimethicone can make your beard healthy and lustrous but just like mineral oils, Dimethicone also locks up the hair, preventing it from absorbing necessary nutrients. It can clog the pores causing skin rashes, itchiness, acne and ingrown hair. It is highly recommended to avoid using Dimethicone if you have sensitive skin.

Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene glycol can cause hair thinning, damaging the texture of beard hair and making it rough and brittle.

Chlorine

Chlorine is a chemical that can make your beard dry and frizzy, ultimately causing split ends.

Phthalates

Phthalates are chemicals often found in plastic packaging but it is widely used in personal care products as well. These chemicals negatively affect the hormone levels and this can lead to infertility.

10 simple and easy beard grooming tips

Grooming is an essential step in keeping your facial hair look clean, soft and healthy. Learn how to groom your beard so that you can try out as many beard styles as possible, make a beard care routine and stick to it.

Wash your beard properly: The onset of beard grooming should be keeping your beard dirt-free and moisturized. Shampooing and conditioning your beard with the right product is beneficial and it can also prevent itchiness, dandruff, etc while enhancing hair growth. The best beard products can give a lustrous and soft finish.
Use essential beard oils: Beard oil boosts the skin health beneath the beard. Applying beard oil once a day can keep your skin naturally hydrated. It will balance the oils in your skin and prevent dryness and itchiness.
Trim your beard once in a while: Get your hands on the right tools to shape your beard and get the finest look. It can give your beard a healthier and fuller appearance, enhancing the growth process as well.
Brush your beard: Brushing your beard hair can stimulate hair growth, reducing the frequency of knots. If your facial hair looks uneven, brush all the hair in the same direction to get a decent look.
Train and style your beard: Beard training can be a challenging job for some men. Conditioning your hair is the first step to make it grow straight. Brush your hair regularly every day in the morning after taking shower. Use a wooden comb to detangle the knots and brush in a single direction. Don’t be harsh on your beard hair, gently comb and avoid irritating the skin with plastic combs.
Workout every day: Exercising every day can improve the blood flow in our body, stimulating the hair follicles to grow quickly. Low levels of testosterone can negatively affect beard growth so try weightlifting and strength exercises, which can have a significant positive effect on testosterone levels.
Eat a balanced diet: A balanced diet will provide essential nutrients to our body, ensuring that the BMI is normal. Obesity can lower testosterone levels which will ultimately affect the growth of hair. So, eat chicken and salmon to get protein, liver to get iron, nuts and chickpeas to get zinc, fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Get enough sleep: Sleep disorders can slow down the beard growth process. People who are stressed or don’t get enough sleep face difficulty in growing their beard.

Take Away

A healthy lifestyle will give you a healthy beard, there is no doubt about that. Genetics do play a role in facial hair growth but a proper diet can replace any negative impact of genetics on your beard hair. Eat foods rich in nutrients, especially, Vitamin A, C, E, B6, B12, biotin, omega3 fatty acids, etc.

Apply mild shampoo, beard oil and balm to nourish, hydrate and moisturize your beard. Brush your beard evenly to get a straighter looking beard. Be positive about your facial hair and flush out all the negativity. Beard growth takes time, so you have to be patient with it.

Take up cardio and weight lifting exercise to boost testosterone production in your body, which will improve your beard growth. Get adequate sleep and follow stress management techniques to minimize hair loss.