How, When, and Why – A Guide on How to Properly Apply Beard Products

"by breaking down the Why, When, and how of Beard care, it will provide some insight into what to look for ultimately to achieve the best results for your own facial hair"

Now that No-shave November is in full swing, it has come to my attention that a lot of people, to include my fellow colleagues, do not know how to use Beard care products. Now I know that there are quite a few videos out there on The Beard Struggle (TBS) website telling you how to use the products properly. However, they seem to cater to those who have very long beards. And if you try to follow their example and you just started out growing your face fuzz, you will more then likely overdo it. As such, I thought I would break down the science, regiment, and the amount of Beard Balm and oils daily. Hopefully, by breaking down the Why, When, and how, it will provide some insight into what to look for ultimately to achieve the best results for your own facial hair.

The Science (Why)

Most men out there are wondering Why they should be applying oils and balms? Well, I am going to break it down for you. Basically, there are three main factors when it comes to beards. You apply beard Oils and Beard Balms to avoid the following:

1. Itching (Not soft)
   1. When those whiskers first break the surface, they tend to be hard and sharp.
2. Dryness (No moisture)
   1. Dryness = Brittle Beard
      1. The act of cleaning your beard, daily wear and tear, and the wicking away of sebum (oil) from your face by facial hair can lead to a brittle beard.
   2. Irritation (Not conditioned)
      1. Sharp points hurt. Your hair will not grow straight and those freshly pointed hairs will likely rub against the skin causing redness and irritation

The “Why” seems simple enough. Right?! Basically, you want to avoid the suffrage while sporting some Genetically Superior Face fuzz. More importantly, you are trying to prevent your beard from getting dry. If it gets dry, it will lead to itching, breakage, and irritation/ inflammation. There are Four products that come together as a kit at TBS that will assist you in avoiding the factors above:

1. Beard Balm (Crimson Scruff Balm or Gentleman’s Beard Balm)
   1. This will help to condition and moisturize skin and facial hair.
2. Beard Oil (Day Liquid Gold Tonic)
   1. nourishes the hair
   2. Assists follicles to become stronger
   3. Helps with patchy hair growth
   4. Prevents ingrown hair
3. Beard Oil (Night Liquid Gold Elixir)
   1. Alleviates Dryness
   2. Prevents hair loss
   3. Reduces inflammation
   4. Stops irritation
4. “Beard” Shampoo and “Beard” Conditioner
   1. Stops Irritation
   2. Reduces Dead skin cells that clog pores
   3. Prevents damaging skin and facial

The Routine (When)

Now in any routine, consistency is key. And with beards, daily should be your goal. Consequently enough, the Beard products that we sell here at TBS, are designed to be exactly that; Used daily, and at specific intervals too. There are three products that you will need to use on a daily basis (Beard Oil: Day and Night, Beard Balm) and one product (Beard Shampoo and Beard Conditioner) you will need to use at least once per week. As your beard gets longer you will want to increase how often you use the Beard Shampoo and Beard Conditioner as it will become increasingly necessary in order to remove the dead skin cells and assist in moisturizing your skin and facial hair. The Routine is simply this:

1. Wake-up (Morning)
   1. Beard Balm (Crimson Scruff Balm or Gentleman’s Beard Balm)
2. Mid-day (Noon)
   1. Beard Oil (Day Liquid Gold Tonic)
3. Bed Time (Night)
   1. Beard Oil (Night Liquid Gold Elixir)

The Amount (How)

The purpose to how much to use is to stop the factors list above; Itching, Dryness, and Irritation. Using too much can cause the same ill-effects as not enough. You also need to understand how the ingredients work. For example, the Beard balm has Beeswax in it to assist with maintaining control of your beard. Too little and your beard will look unmanaged and then you will question as to why you are using it in the first place. In retrospect, too much will make it look unnatural and lifeless. You also need to understand that beeswax starts out as a solid, once it reaches around 145 to 147 degrees Fahrenheit (63 to 64 degrees Celsius) it should start to melt. When you rub it in your hands you start to produce friction, one of the byproducts of friction is heat, the more you rub the more friction and the more liquefied the beeswax becomes. Now this is just one example to help illustrate how to work with the products. Each of these products should be applied to your hands, rubbed together and then worked through your face and beard.

How to apply Beard Balm

1. Wash your hands
   1. Keep in mind, whatever is on your hands, will also be part of your beard
2. Apply a small amount on your hands
   1. Less is more, you can always use more if you need to. So, start with a little
   2. Maximum amount: No more than a pea that is flattened or about 3/4 in or 2 cm wide and 1/16 in or 2 mm tall
   3. If it is bigger than a dime (11/16 in approximate or 1.7 cm) you are using too much
3. Rub hands together
   1. Rub hands together until the balm becomes a clear liquid
4. Run fingers and palms through your facial hair
   1. Remember to work from underneath (If long enough) first then from the top down
5. Brush your Beard
   1. Use comb to evenly distribute through
6. Wash excess off your hands
   1. Wash your hands afterwards, otherwise everything you touch will become oily

How to apply Beard Oil (Day Liquid Gold Tonic and Night Liquid Gold Elixir)

1. Wash your hands
   1. Keep in mind, whatever is on your hands, will also be part of your beard
2. Apply a small amount on your hands
   1. Do Not Apply Dropper directly to your beard
   2. Less is more, you can always use more if you need to. So, start with a little
   3. Proper amount: No more than a pea that is flattened or about 3/4 in or 2 cm wide
   4. The longer your beard is the more you will need
3. Rub hands together
   1. Rub hands together until the oil becomes fully incorporated into your hands and fingers
4. Run fingers and palms through your facial hair
   1. Remember to work from underneath (If long enough) first then from the top down
5. Brush your Beard
   1. Use comb to evenly distribute through
6. Wash excess off your hands
   1. Wash your hands afterwards, otherwise everything you touch will become oily

How to use Beard Shampoo and Beard Conditioner

1. Wet your Beard
   1. Get beard fully wet and dripping with water
      1. This will assist the Shampoo and conditioner in building a lather and becoming fully incorporated
2. Apply a small amount on your hands
   1. Do Not Apply bottle directly to your beard
   2. Less is more, you can always use more if you need to. So, start with a little
   3. Proper amount: No more than a pea that is flattened or about 1 in or 2.4 cm wide
   4. The longer your beard is the more you will need
3. Run fingers and palms through your facial hair
   1. Remember to work from underneath (If long enough) first then from the top down
   2. Work it in until you work up a good lather
4. Rinse completely out of your beard
   1. Run water through your beard until ALL Shampoo and Conditioner is thoroughly rinsed out
5. PRO TIP: Let Shampoo and Conditioner stand in your hair for One to Five Minutes to allow the ingredients to saturate the core strands of each hair.

Have more questions? We would love to hear from you. Hope you enjoyed the article. Follow, like or comment us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Until next time, Beard on, Beard Strugglers!