In 2025, beards are still one of the most popular masculine features. In fact, in the last few years, more men have chosen to grow out some kind of facial hair than to shave it off [1]. A 2023 YouGov survey found that 54% of men say they have facial hair, up from 42% in 2016.
But do you know how to care for your beard? As with standard haircare, beard care is essential to maintaining a well-groomed appearance. If you tend to wear a bald with beard look, this is even more important. And it can take more time and energy than you think to keep your beard looking good.
In our complete guide to beard grooming, you’ll learn the best ways to take care of your beard, including:
- How to clean your beard
- Beard balm vs beard oil
- The essential tools for beard maintenance
- Beard styling tips
- A no-frills everyday beard grooming guide
How do you properly clean your beard?
The most important step in maintaining an impressive beard is keeping it clean. Nobody wants to see morsels of last night’s dinner in there, right? Not to mention the potential build-up of dirt, dust, and dead skin.
A regular and effective cleaning regimen is non-negotiable. Here’s the best way to keep your beard hairs and the skin beneath it clean:
Step 1: Wash your beard with beard shampoo
Wet your beard hair with water and then apply beard shampoo. Gently work into a lather and rinse off with water. Make sure to use a specially formulated beard shampoo, which will be gentler on your skin than standard shampoo. This is important because the skin on your face tends to be more sensitive than your scalp.
Step 2: Apply beard conditioner
After rinsing off the beard shampoo, apply conditioner to your beard. Leave the conditioner on your hair for around 5 minutes before rinsing it with water. Again, you should use a specially formulated beard conditioner. These conditioners are designed for coarser, more wiry beard hairs. They will also moisturise the skin under your beard which will help alleviate beard itch.
Step 3: Brush your beard with a beard brush
Once the conditioner is completely rinsed off it is a good idea to brush your beard with a beard brush while the hair is still damp. This will ensure that you avoid any troublesome knots or tangles.
Step 4: Repeat the beard grooming process regularly
While you should wash your beard regularly, be careful not to wash it too frequently. Overwashing can strip away the natural oils and dry out both your beard and the skin underneath. The facial oils that you naturally produce are useful for moisture retention and shouldn’t be stripped away unnecessarily.
For most people, washing their beards two or three times a week works well. However, everyone’s different, so you’ll need to experiment to find your own sweet spot.
Beard oil: do you need it?
Beard oil is a must if you want to maintain a healthy and well-groomed beard. There’s a wide range of different oils on the market, but the main idea of them all is to keep your beard and skin well moisturised and manageable.
Without beard oil in your beard grooming regimen, you may find hair becoming brittle and wiry. Along with dry skin, this can lead to a bit of an itchy nightmare. That pesky dry skin can even lead to flaky “beard dandruff”.
Just a few drops of beard oil will seep through the beard hair and nourish the skin beneath.
How to choose the right beard oil for you
There are a few things you need to consider to make sure you find the perfect beard oil. Of course, everybody’s different, so this will take some experimentation.
The most obvious thing you need to think about is the length of your beard. For shorter stubble, you might want to consider oils that contain vitamins E and K which will moisturise and soothe the dry and itchy skin associated with this stage of growth.
If you have a long beard, you may need heavier oils to keep the hair under control and in the desired style. You’ll also want to think about the type of beard hair you have. What works on someone with a full beard of coarse, wiry hair most likely won’t be a good fit for someone with soft, supple growth.
How do you apply beard oil?
With beard oil, less is more. You only need 3 or 4 drops of oil for each application.
- Put a few drops of beard oil in the palm of your hand and lightly rub your hands together.
- Now run your hands down through your beard hair, spreading the oil evenly throughout. You can use your fingers and thumbs to make sure your moustache doesn’t miss out, too.
- You might want to finish off by lightly combing through your beard to make sure the oil is evenly distributed.
How often should you use beard oil?
Again, this is down to personal preference, but most guys will apply oil to their beard at least once a day. That should be enough to keep your beard looking on point and your skin feeling healthy and well moisturised.
What is beard balm and do you need it?
Another product available to the modern beard owner is beard balm. You might be wondering: how’s that different from beard oil? Well, like beard oil, beard balm moisturises your skin and helps to keep your beard soft and in proper beard shape.
But beard balm is more solid and lightweight than oil, so it may be preferable for everyday use. You may not need to use both, but using either beard balm or oil is a good way to keep your facial hair soft and reduce itchiness.
Who should use beard balm?
If you find beard oil too heavy or greasy for everyday use, beard balm is a good alternative. In addition, the thicker viscosity also makes balm a good option for those with longer and more unruly beard styles as it gives extra control for styling.
How do you use beard balm?
Using beard balm is a bit like using styling wax or clay for your regular head hair.
Take a pea-sized amount on your finger and then rub it together between your fingers. Next, apply the balm through your beard, making sure it spreads evenly. Now style your beard just how you like it.
You can use beard balm every day to keep those facial follicles looking sharp.
What tools should I use on my beard?
No beard grooming guide is complete without some advice on the best grooming tools to help you trim your beard so that you’ll get professional-looking results. Here are some of the most important weapons in the modern beard-man’s arsenal:
Beard brushes
Beard brushes are essential for managing a thick beard of wiry, tangled hair. It’s also a godsend for working beard oil and other products into your beard.
Beard combs
When you need to add a bit more precision to your beard grooming, the beard comb does the business. Perfect for achieving that sharp, chiseled look on almost any beard style.
Beard scissors
You’ll never have a hair out of place if you can learn to use your own beard scissors for beard trimming. Using beard scissors to trim your beard will help you gain precision in your beard shape by cutting away any stray hairs.
Beard clippers
For quicker, more even trims these are a trusty tool. Just make sure you know how to use this type of beard trimmer, though. One slip can have pretty severe consequences for your precious facial hair and beard line!
How to style your beard
When you’re thinking about how to groom a beard, the first thing you need is patience. Your beard needs to be at the right length before you even think about picking up those scissors. Once your beard growth has gotten to that stage, you can start styling it however you please. Here are some of our best tips for beard styling and how to avoid a bad beard.
Consider the shape of your face
Take time to think about what style of beard will work best for your features. If you’re unsure, consult your barber. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction.
Keep it tidy
If you want to keep growing your beard out further, make sure you trim regularly to keep it looking shipshape in the meantime. Failure to keep on top of this will lead to a frayed and scruffy look. If you have a full beard and want to keep it looking good, check out some low-maintenance styles for full beards.
Be conservative, at least at first
If you’re pruning your own beard, remember the old adage: measure twice, cut once. You can always trim off more, but when it comes to growing it back…that’s gonna take a while!
Easy peasy everyday beard grooming guide
Using the information in this guide on how to groom a beard, you should be able to take your beard game to the next level. A reminder, here are the key takeaways:
Keep your beard clean
Regular washing with beard shampoo will keep your beard looking and feeling fresh.
Nourish with beard oil or balm
Give your beard hair follicles a daily dose of goodness to keep your beard and skin well moisturised.
Find the right style
Keep on top of your beard grooming with regular pruning and trimming. Find the right style for your face and enjoy looking like a million dollars.
What to do if your beard is patchy
If you’re finding it tough to grow the beard you want, you might want to consider a beard transplant. Not all types of beard bald spots and hair loss are suitable for transplantation (such as alopecia barbae). However, a consultation at a UK hair transplant clinic can tell you if you’re a good beard transplant candidate.
Check out our beard transplant before and after gallery to see how we’ve transformed our patients’ facial hair, giving them a look they love.
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