Let’s be honest. As a black man, a beard looks awesome on you. But, unfortunately we tend to have kinky and curly hair that causes our beards to take longer to grow to a point where we can shape it. If you want your beard to look and feel kingly, read on as we share our essential beard care tips about beard care for black men.
Table of Contents
Embracing a Beard and Letting It Grow
For most black men, growing a beard is always a possibility. Whether or not you actually do it depends how long you’re willing to endure the uncomfortable and awkward stage of going from clean shaven through imperfectly scruffy on your way to having a kingly beard. However, not all beards are the same, and some men have an easier time growing a beard than others. But if you really want to grow a beard, all it takes is a little commitment.
Growing a beard requires patience, dedication, and the right kind of products. If you’re ready to take on the challenge, here’s what you need to know.
Understanding Beards
The first thing you should understand about beards is that they are more than just hair. They are facial follicles and can change the way you look. In fact, beards have become popular among men across many countries.
Beards are usually made up of several different kinds of hair. For example, beard hairs can be coarse, soft, or wiry.
The Professional Trim
Let me start off by saying this. You should NOT try to shape or trim your beard until it has been growing for 60 – 90 days at least. Second, I want to recommend that you have the first trim done by a barber. They are professionals and able to shape your beard initially without removing too much length. Also, they can do the initial shave that sets your neckline.
Also, a professional barber will be able to help you decide on the best beard style based on your face shape. This is important because there are various types of beards that work better with different face shapes.
In my opinion, the ideal beard is one that blends well with your face but isn’t overbearing. For example, a full beard works well with square faces. A closely trimmed beard is more effective on oval faces and a full beard works best with round faces. So choose your beard carefully and keep in mind that you should not trim too much. It should also compliment your style.
Maintaining the Beard at Home
The second time you shave and trim, I want you to do it yourself. This will give you a better idea of how it will feel. A good rule of thumb is to trim 1/32nd of an inch (or 2mm) off every time you trim your facial hair. After about 30 – 60 days of facial hair growth, you should have the ability to easily identify which direction your beard hair grows, which should help you make more informed decisions about where to trim.
Beard care doesn’t have to be hard or take a lot of time. In fact, it can be done easily and with very few products or tools.
A simple routine for maintaining your beard is essential if you want it to look its best.
You should wash your face and beard the same way you do your hair: shampoo, shower, comb, brush, and wash your face.
Here’s what to do:
1. Take care of the skin underneath the beard
Black men should take good care of their beards. Dry skin is the most common problem for black men with thick beards. This is due to the absorption of water from the facial hairs.
Dry skin can lead to beard dandruff, itching, and other problems. You need to take care of the skin underneath the facial hairs in order to avoid these problems. The best way to do that is to nourish your skin. A good quality balm and beard oil will penetrate deeply into the skin and facial hairs.
2. At least once per week, wash your beard
As you all know, your beard can become greasy over time. Your beard is exposed to dirt, dust, food particles and other contaminants.
Your beard will stay healthy if it’s washed at least once per week. To remove dirt, dust and other particles from your hair, use a quality beard shampoo. Black men’s beards can be washed with a high-quality beard shampoo or soap that is designed for beard washing and doesn’t dry the hair or stripe off its natural oils.
Note: This is a great time to shave and touch-up your neck and cheek lines.
3. Moisturize Regularly
Your beard, and the skin underneath it, must be moisturized.
Oil your beard after you’ve taken a shower or bathe. This is when your hair pores and hair follicles can absorb the oil.
You should only use natural ingredients for your balm. Silicones can make your beard look shiny, but they do not provide any real health benefits.
Moisturizing can soften your beard, making it more manageable, while also giving it a better look.
Simply apply the oil, allow it to dry and then work it into the beard. It is light and easily absorbed, so it promotes growth, softens hair at the roots, and leaves no buildup, making it ideal for beards.
4. Avoid hard products
Not every hair product is good for your beard. Many of these products contain harsh chemicals which can cause damage to facial hair. These chemicals can sometimes cause skin irritation and strip the natural oils.
Be careful when selecting products to increase beard growth. You should only choose organic products with organic ingredients like essential oils.
5. Groom It!
Next, remove all tangles. The best way to make your beard look fuller is to brush it. Combing your beard can “train” facial hairs to grow in one direction. As plants grow towards light, your beard can be shaped over time by combing and brushing it.
6. Trim, Trim, Trim
Your beard won’t naturally grow into a shape that you like, so you should keep it under control. You can style your beard with a regular trim and eliminate any spilt ends.
tl;dr
This is the most important thing that black men with beards are able to do. Let the beard grow naturally. Although it may take some time, you should be patient to avoid further problems with your facial hair. Black men should groom, trim and shape their beards whenever necessary.
Need help taking care of your beard? Check out our blog for great beard care tips.
Recommended Products
Below you will find our list of recommended products every man of color should have if they are growing a beard. You can find these items at Kingly Beardz Store
Keeping your Beard Clean
Beard Soap/Shampoo
This will help with the problem of having an oily face and skin when you are growing a beard.
Keeping Your Beard Moisturized and Conditioned
Beard Oil
This will keep your skin soft and healthy. There are a lot of beard oils available. We recommend one with pure argan oil and jojoba oil.
Beard Balm
This will help to tame those wild fly-away hairs.
Beard Butter
This will make your beard soft and silky. Unlike beard balm, beard butter doesn’t have as much beeswax and is more for conditioning your beard than styling it.
Keeping Your Beard Groomed and Tidy
Beard Brush
This will help you to keep your beard looking neat and tidy.
