Have you got flaky and itchy skin under your stylish beard? You are not the only one who ignores beard skincare. Most men lack the motivation to take care of their facial skin, especially in the area where they grow a beard. Thus, the skin under your beard remains unnoticed and unnurtured.
But did you know that ignoring the skin under the beard can lead to several problems including acne breakout, ageing signs like wrinkles, and even age spots? Therefore, taking care of the skin under the beard is essential and in this article, we will guide you through the steps.
Let’s start.
Highlights:
Is Growing A Beard Good For Your Skin?
Growing a beard is quite popular among men. In fact, a well-maintained beard amplifies a man’s features in many ways. It helps you develop your style statement. Moreover, experts believe that growing a beard has multiple health benefits as well. These include,
1. Protects From UV Rays
Scientific researches prove that a thick beard has the potential to block harmful UV rays from entering your skin. It can give up to 95% of protection against both UVA and UVB rays. While providing protection against sunlight, your beard ensures that you don’t get any skin burn. Reducing skin burn also decreases the risk of skin cancer.[1]
2. Prevents Acne
Your facial hair often protects your skin from outside germs and bacteria to an extent. That’s why if you have a well-maintained beard, the skin mostly remains clean as well. Clean skin does not often cause acne. Besides, when you decide to grow a beard, you stop shaving, which naturally reduces the chances of ingrown hair causing pimples.
3. Controls Wrinkles
Since your beard protects your skin from sunlight, it naturally saves your skin from wrinkles. However, your skin would require a proper skincare routine to completely control the ageing signs such as wrinkles, age spots, fine lines, smile lines etc.
4. Keeps Your Skin Moisturized
When you shave your face, it opens up your skin pores which may lead to skin dryness. Also, if you cut your skin while shaving, it further increases the chance of skin dryness. But growing a beard can avoid these situations and keep your skin moisturized.
5. Prevents Bacterial Infection
Beards provide natural protection from outside bacteria. Unwanted bacteria would not be able to enter your skin if you have a thick beard. But this only holds true for the clean and well-maintained beard. A beard that is untidy and unhygienic would increase chances of bacterial infection.
How To Take Care Of Your Skin Under The Beard?
1. Washing
The first stage of any skincare routine always begins with cleansing. Try to use a mild and natural cleanser that will clean your face thoroughly. It will remove the dead skin cells, impurities and extra sebum oil from your skin pores.
- For acne-prone and normal skin, get a cleanser that is non-comedogenic and contains salicylic acid or glycolic acid.
- If you have dry skin, use a hydrating and fragrance-free cleanser.
- If you face issues such as dandruff on beard skin, you can use a beard shampoo. The beard shampoo will also look after the skin beneath your beard. [2]
2. Moisturize
The second step is moisturizing your skin. Apply a moisturizer that is suitable for your skin type. You can choose a facial oil for moisturizing too. Rubbing a little amount of oil on your beard will ensure that the skin under it also gets moisturized. You can use a separate beard oil for beard growth.
3. Shaving & Trimming
If you plan to grow a thick beard, then shaving is out of the question at least for four to six weeks. You can continue growing your beard for longer, if you want. But trimming your growing beard is necessary. This will avoid split ends and also help you give your beard a proper shape as it grows. Trimming helps in keeping your beard clean as well.
4. Brushing
Just like you brush your hair to keep it tangle-free and soft, your beard also needs brushing. Additionally, your beard’s condition decides your skin’s condition too. Tangled beard hair may cause breakage. Brushing helps your beard to grow downward. It also helps to evenly distribute the oil or moisturizer you are using for your beard.
5. Exfoliation
Exfoliation of your skin is a weekly regimen. Once every week, exfoliate the skin under your beard using a scrub. You can get exfoliating scrubs from your nearest local stores or you can use homemade scrubs as well. Sugar and honey scrub is considered to be beneficial. But don’t be rough while massaging the scrub as too much pressure may tear the hair follicles of your beard. Exfoliating will remove dead skin cells and dirt build-up from your skin pores.
6. Healthy Diet
The secret of healthy skin lies in having a regular diet. If you eat your meals properly, and consume a sufficient amount of nutrients, it would be highly beneficial for your overall health. Enrich your diet with vitamin c, vitamin e, folic acid, biotin etc. Eat fresh leafy vegetables, fish, walnuts, dark chocolate, sweet potatoes etc for skin benefits.
Dos & Don'ts On Beard Skincare
Dos
1. Clean your beard using a beard shampoo or a mild face cleanser.
2. Moisturize your skin every day without fail. Even if you have oily skin, moisturization is a must.
3. Use beard oil for the healthy growth of your beard.
4. Clean your shaving or trimming tools after every shave.
5. If you are planning for a full-grown beard, then trim it every six to eight weeks.
6. Clean your face towel often.
Don’ts
1. Do not use bar soap on your face to clean the beard. Most soaps have a harsh chemical that will make your skin even more dry and flaky.
2. If you live in an extremely cold climate, you are more likely to get dry skin. Do not forget to moisturize at least twice a day.
3. Do not leave your beard damp after every wash. If you forget to towel dry your beard, the beard area will stay damp, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and germs.
4. Do not share your shaving tools with others.
5. If you are shaving, do not use alcohol-based aftershave as it may dry out your skin.
6. Also, never use old razors. Old rusted razors can cause serious skin conditions like warts, folliculitis etc.[3]
Wrapping Up
Growing your beard and taking care of your skin may sound difficult. But it can be easier if you have help from a customized skincare regimen. A properly constructed skincare routine will help you deal with your skin issues. You can also follow the simple steps listed here, to take care of the skin under your beard. So, get ready to slay the world with a majestic beard and create a new fashion statement!
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