How to Get a Great Looking Beard with Bulldog
Winter is a great time to grow a beard. Not only can you keep your face warm with it, but you might have a bit of extra time at home right now, meaning you have time to get it looking perfect for when we all come out of hibernation.
What beard care products do I need?
When it comes to maintaining and styling your beard, you need to have all the important tools at your disposal. A beard trimmer and pair of good quality scissors, a wooden beard comb (don’t use plastic – it causes static), and a range of beard care products designed for the unique needs of your facial hair.
Start with a beard shampoo and conditioner. This is going to be the basis for your beard, and head shampoo just doesn’t cut the mustard. The hair on your face is thicker and more robust, and therefore needs something that can cut through it and give it the hydration it needs to prevent dryness and breakage.
The next weapon in your arsenal is going to be a beard oil or balm. They both offer great hydration, but different consistencies. You can use both if you want to amp up the moisture even more, but some men choose one or the other depending on the kind of beard they have. Beard oil is thinner in terms of consistency so is good to comb through long beards, and a thicker balm can be good for shorter beards to retain moisture as you style.
How do I make my beard soft?
A dry beard can feel all sorts of wrong. Not only will it feel brittle and be prone to breakage, but it can also leave the skin beneath your beard dehydrated. To get a soft, smooth beard, we recommend using a beard oil or balm.
The Bulldog Skincare Original Beard Balm contains aloe vera, camelina oil, and green tea. It’s fast-absorbing and helps to condition the beard hair as well as reducing the dreaded beard itch. For an added boost, include an oil in your beard care routine – it’s not as heavy as you might think, rather providing much-needed nourishment to the beard and skin underneath.
How can I make my beard look good?
There are dozens of beard styles to choose from and picking the right one for your face shape and hair type is pretty important when it comes to getting a great looking beard. We’ve written a couple of pieces about beard styling so make sure to check them out, but suffice to say it takes a little bit of effort to get a stylish look.
Make sure you trim it regularly to maintain the shape and ensure you keep the neckline straight. Use a good quality razor or trimmer to keep it tidy and don’t ignore the upper lip area. Keep things symmetrical and don’t forget that if you make a mess of it, it’ll grow back – so don’t panic if you take off too much and have to start again,
How long should you let your beard grow before trimming it?
Hair growth is different in everyone. Some men shave in the morning and get a 5 o’ clock shadow, whereas some men can go a few days without noticeable growth. We recommend stopping your shave for a week or two to see just how long it takes your hair to grow and go from there.
Usually, around four weeks of no shaving should be enough time to see your beard come in. Make sure you trim as you go to stop flyaways and keep it from looking dishevelled. It’s important to trim as the beard grows. Some men think it will slow down growth but it’s actually a good indicator that the hair is coming in nicely. You can also coach the hair into growing in the right direction – kind of like a bonsai on your face.
How can I cut my beard at home with scissors?
It can seem a bit daunting, but cutting your beard with scissors is a great way to give yourself a precision trim. Your best bet is to use specially designed beard scissors as these will be sharp enough to cut the hair without dragging it.
Make sure you comb your beard first as well, as this will pull all the hairs in the right direction therefore showing where flyaways occur and also giving you a good overall view of your beard shape. Also remember, trim little by little – you can always trim more but you can’t get it back (not for a few weeks anyway.)