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There’s been a lot of discussions lately about the benefits (or lack thereof) of brushing your beard. Does it help it grow? Does it make it softer? Is there anything to gain by spending a few extra minutes in the morning taking care of your facial hair? In this post, we’ll take a look at the evidence of beard brushing.
Does Brushing Your Beard Help It Grow?
There are a few different ways to care for your beard. If you have a wiry, unruly beard, you might want to try some beard oil. But if your hair is coarse and dry yet still stubbornly curly or kinked, then you might choose to brush it. Some guys swear by the benefits of brushing their beards, while others say it’s a waste of time. Some even claim that stainless steel combs are the enemy of beards everywhere! So what do we know about brushing and beard growth?
Should You Brush Your Beard?
Most guys agree that brushing is great for the hair on your head. If you brush it, it will grow faster and look healthier. Hence the runway models with long, luxurious hair seem to shine in any light. It turns out that beard brushes are popular because they help distribute oils across the entire board. When you brush your facial hair, you’re helping to spread the oils and nutrients of your skin throughout your beard. This means that it will be softer and shinier. It also helps evenly distribute sebum (natural oil) which can help with itchiness. Of course, there are other ways to get rid of itchiness, like using a mild shampoo or conditioner for men on your face.
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence from guys who say it helped their beard grow faster, stronger, and thicker. On the other hand, many guys say that they tried brushing their facial hair and saw no difference in how fast it grew or how thick it looked once grown out. Some even argue that brushing irritates the follicles and stops growth altogether! It sounds like we need to do some digging.
How Can You Make Your Beard Shiny and Soft?
One benefit of brushing your beard is that it can make it shinier and softer. Gentle, natural bristle brushes are a great way to reduce frizz while evenly distributing oils. If you’re not sure which brush would work best for your face, then we suggest going with a boar’s hairbrush. Boar’s hairbrushes are made from the actual hairs found on the snout of wild boars. These bristles naturally help distribute sebum throughout all hair types, including beards! This means that if you have dry or coarse facial hair, this may be just what you need to un-kink and un-frizz your beard.
You can also use a softer, gentler brush if you have very fine facial hair. Some men with sparse beards may want to nourish their beards without irritating or damaging the follicles. In this case, we suggest going with an all-natural bristled brush like the Kent beard brush. This is a good choice for guys with sensitive skin who don’t feel comfortable going 100% boar’s hair on their face. It has a nice mix of nylon and synthetic strands that won’t fray or damage your beard while still softening it up a bit.
What About Beard Oil?
Beard oil is a popular option for guys who want to care for their beards between washing sessions. Some guys use oil every single day while brushing their beards. Others prefer to get all of the oils out of their beard before going to bed at night. Then, they can give it a quick brush in the morning with some high-quality boar hairbrushes! Beard oil is made from natural ingredients that help nourish your beard and keep it healthy.
These ingredients vary, but you’ll find that most beard oils have similar components no matter which brand you choose. They either include or are mostly made up of jojoba seed oil, argan seed oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, and essential oils. These are all great skincare ingredients for your face! Jojoba is known for its moisturizing effects on the skin. Argan oil is great for reducing frizz and flyaway hairs. Sweet almond oil helps strengthen hair follicles, not to mention that it’s an awesome skin moisturizer.
Vitamin E has antioxidant effects that help fight off free radicals before damaging your skin or beard hair. You’ll notice that some of the best oils for beards contain sandalwood essential oil because it smells so good! This isn’t the only essential oil known for its amazing smell either. There are lots of other scents like cedarwood, vanilla, citrus, and grapefruit, among others. These powerful scents can increase blood flow to your face, leading to improved beard growth. Some guys even swear by putting some on before bed because it’s a natural sleep aid.
How Often Should You Brush Your Beard?
As with most things, the more you brush your beard, the better. Brushing a couple of times a week is a great start, but try going every day if you want to see results, then try going every day! This does NOT have to be for an hour or even 20 minutes. You can break it up into little sessions of just a few minutes, and that would still help keep your beard healthy and strong. For example, some guys like to do 30 seconds in the morning and 30 seconds at night before they go to bed. Others might charge their phone while gently brushing their facial hair while watching TV.
Some people suggest brushing for 5-10 minutes after washing your face. You may even want to use warm water or tea tree oil shampoo (we’ll talk more about this in a bit) to help stimulate beard growth. As for actually timing the brushing sessions, there is no perfect answer. All we’d say is…the longer you can handle it, the better! It’s not going to hurt you if you brush your beard every day for an hour – but most guys won’t have time for that kind of commitment!
Is It Better To Comb Or Brush Your Beard?
Both! There isn’t a right or wrong answer here. They’re both great tools that can be used to keep your beard healthy and to look great. As mentioned above, combing is sometimes more gentle on the skin, so if your face is easily irritated by boar’s hair brushes, you might want to go with something like the Kent wide-tooth wooden comb.
If you don’t have an issue with these bristled brushes, then definitely consider using one in conjunction with a comfy boar bristle brush. Many guys swear by this technique for fuller beards because it works to evenly distribute the oils from their beard oil throughout their facial hair. We also love how versatile these two items are. You can use them in the shower to detangle your hair, after applying oil to spread it around, or when you’re blow-drying your beard!
What Direction Should You Brush Your Beard?
One of the most important parts of brushing your beard is making sure that you brush in the direction of hair growth. This helps prevent ‘beardruff’ (dandruff in your beard) and will help stimulate new growth over time.
Beard hairs grow downwards, outwards, and even upwards to a certain degree, so it’s important to hit all angles when brushing. If you’re using boar’s hair brushes, then begin by working your way around your face while gently brushing with the grain (outward from your face). After doing this for 30 seconds or so, start parting the facial hair down the middle with your fingers to ensure no tangles are left. Brush downward again all over until every part of your beard has been covered.
This is a great habit to get into, whether your goal is growing a bigger beard or just maintaining the one you have. One thing to watch out for, though, is that it’s very easy to forget which way you did each section, so don’t be surprised if it looks like you’re going against the grain in some spots when this was unintentionally done at the beginning of the session!
Should You Also Wash Your Beard Every Day?
If you want to grow a bigger, healthier beard, you should wash your beard daily. There are several benefits of doing this, including bringing blood flow to the follicles, which can help encourage new growth. Just be sure not to overdo it! We recommend using warm water and washing your facial hair 2-3 times per week or as needed.
You might also want to consider using some tea tree oil shampoo if you have issues with dandruff in your beard. This is because tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that can help eliminate flakes without drying out your hair or skin. Remember, though, these types of shampoos are for external use only – do NOT ingest them!
Conclusion
Overall, it’s not necessary to brush your beard every day but giving it a try for at least a couple of weeks or so can’t hurt! There are plenty of benefits to brushing your beard, including stimulating the growth follicles, distributing oils throughout your facial hair, and bringing blood flow to all parts of your face.
Beard hairs tend to grow downwards, outwards, and even upwards, so be sure you’re carefully getting around each area to stimulate new growth. Beards also have three major phases, which include anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting). You want to make sure that you’re brushing during the active phase when they’re in their prime growing stage.
Lastly, make sure you’re gently brushing your beard with the grain and not against it, as this can lead to breakage, split ends, and damage. Also, be mindful of which direction you’re going as reversing those sections later can give off a negative impression.
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