Why You Should Wash Your Beard

It is important to wash your beard. It is a gesture that men who have long beards, several weeks or several months, are used to doing. But men who wear 3-day beards, like me, still very rarely do. Moreover, many of them do not even ask themselves the question of washing their beards, apart from cleaning their faces in a completely classic way. Which is my case by the way, it’s not something I do in my weekly routine. And yet, washing your beard is one of the necessary gestures to maintain your 3-day beard. But Why you should wash your beard? How to wash your beard? Below are my answers to questions you may have.

Why should you wash your beard?

Before answering this question, I will ask you another one that will make you realize that it is important to wash your beard, regardless of its length. Would you consider not washing your hair anymore? I think you will all answer me no. And yet, whether you have very short or even shaved hair or long hair, you all wash your hair. Even a little too much, some people do it every day while showering, and it’s not very good for the hair. Well for the hair of the beard, it’s the same thing: it is important to wash the beard.

Wash beard because it's not clean

Like your hair, like your skin, your beard is not always clean throughout the day. You can indeed have a dirty beard. Especially after eating. Do you remember when you didn’t have a beard, you wiped your lips during the meal and after you finished it because your lips could be oily?

Or even dirty depending on what you had eaten? Like a super chocolate fondant whose fondant chocolate would have flowed a little?? There you have it, just because you have a beard doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen again! It is therefore important to wash your beard to remove all traces of grease and small remnants of your beard.

Wash your beard to remove bacteria

The beard is a breeding ground for bacteria, regardless of the length of the beard. Of course, if you have a long beard like a 10-day beard or even a hipster beard, you will be even more concerned. So if you think that with your 3-day beard you are protected, it’s wrong. Throughout the day, the beard proves to be a real receptacle for bacteria:

• you frequently run your hand through your beard, a hand that has trailed all over the place,
• when you say hello to a person with a kiss, your beard is in direct contact with the person’s skin,
• if you are in a big city, the air and the pollution inevitably become encrusted in your beard,
• not to mention the cigarette and its smoke, etc.

In short, your beard is not super clean in terms of bacteria and it is therefore important to wash your beard.

Wash your beard to avoid the appearance of beard dandruff

Dandruff is not only present in the hair, it can also be found in the beard. Beard dandruff can be linked to either dryness in the skin or excess oil. Washing your beard, with suitable products, will not only help moisturize your skin, and prevent the appearance of dry dandruff on your skin. But also to remove excess sebum, the reason for the appearance of oily dandruff. Thus, by washing your beard, you will prevent the appearance and remove beard dandruff.

Wash your beard to style it properly

Finally, another advantage of washing your beard is to be able to style your beard properly. Because by washing it, the hair of your beard will be softer, and therefore easier to comb. Passing the beard brush or beard comb will be easier, and you will spend less time maintaining your beard. Indeed, as the hair will be softer, and smoother, you will avoid the appearance of knots in the beard which can be a real chore in the morning.

Which products to wash your beard?

There are different products to wash your beard properly. A point to which I would like to draw your attention, you should not use hair shampoos to wash your beard. Or at least not industrial shampoos formulated with petro-chemical ingredients that will dry out the hair and weaken it. Prefer natural shampoos are generally enriched with vegetable oils and certain essential oils which will have nourishing properties.

Brands specializing in beard care also offer many products to wash your beard.

Is a Beard Shampoo Even Necessary?

This is where many beginners make a mistake. Basically, you should not wash your beard too often with shampoo, as it removes the natural sebum and often dries out the skin. Instead, you should wash your beard with shampoo rather infrequently (about twice a week) and only use lukewarm water in your daily routine, because water that is too warm also dries out the skin.

Which shampoo you use depends on your skin or beard type. Most men can use mild, regular shampoo without problems. However, if you notice that your skin underneath the beard feels very dry or flaky, you can also try special beard shampoo. This usually has a less degreasing effect and is more tailored to the needs of beard hair and facial skin.

Wash your beard with shaving soap

Beard soap is a product to use to wash your beard if you are in a zero-waste approach. Shaving soaps are also enriched with vegetable oils and essential oils to scent the beard. What’s more, soaps usually contain glycerin to moisturize both skin and beard hair.

Wash your beard with a scrub

The beard scrub is the ideal solution to thoroughly clean your beard, much like you would scrub your face to unclog the pores of the skin. The beard scrub will indeed have several interests:

• it will remove all the dead cells present on the skin under the beard and thus prevent the appearance of dry beard dandruff
• it will remove excess sebum if you have oily skin and thus avoid having a shiny beard, which will not be very pretty.
• with the grains of the scrub, it will help to promote blood micro-circulation and therefore have a thick, more beautiful beard. It’s also a great way to grow a beard naturally.

​Do not hesitate to do a beard scrub once a week.

How to wash your beard in 4 steps?

My grandfather learned it from his grandfather, who himself learned it from his grandfather. Washing your beard well is an ancestral heritage whose origins are now too old to be known. At Ca Va Barber, we retained what we could.

Washing your beard is very simple! Whether with beard shampoo or beard soap, the technique for washing your beard remains the same:

• ​Step 1: Start by wetting your hair from root to tip. The easiest way is in the shower, but you can also wash over your sink.
• Step 2: Place a dab of shampoo in your hand (measure the amount according to the length of your beard) and lather it up.
• Step 3: massage the root of your hair, at the level of the skin of your face. This removes dead skin and stimulates blood circulation. Then continue on the lengths to thoroughly wash your entire beard.
• Step 4: once the shampoo has been applied to all of your hair, rinse thoroughly with clean water!

Mistakes to avoid  

This (non-exhaustive) list is the result of multiple experiments and many years of experience. It was written with the sweat of my beard, which is why I share it with you today. Here are the most common errors identified among bearded men.

Wash your beard every day: at the risk of drying out your skin and weakening your hair, it is advisable not to exceed two to three shampoos per week. It can also cause too much sebum production.

Use aggressive products: prefer a beard shampoo adapted to your skin. Conventional soaps contain surfactants that can harm the health of your hair.

Neglecting the skin behind your bear: It can be tempting to shampoo just the lengths of your hair. However, the hygiene of your skin is essential! It is thanks to her that your beard is so shiny. Take care of it and be sure to soap the root of your hair well.

No more excuses! The first bearded guy who makes one of these three mistakes will have to deal with my fists (or my shampoo).

Short beards Vs long beards

For short beards without any particular problem, one wash per week is sufficient. A days-old beard does not necessarily need to be shampooed every four mornings. However, be sure to wash your face well! For longer beards, two to three weekly shampoos may be necessary. Indeed, longer hair tends to get dirty faster. However, it is advisable not to exceed two to three washes per week. Your hair may become fragile and dull.

Beard brush Vs beard comb: are they really useful?

On this topic, the difference between the two products must first be shown: A beard brush is equipped with bristles, and the beard comb is a classic comb, which is characterized by widely spaced teeth.

You can also use the beard brush for shorter beards, although the comb only becomes relevant for fairly long beard hair.

Both products are primarily there to remove knots from the hair and to shape the beard. Beard brushes are also used to better distribute care products such as beard oil and the skin’s natural sebum in the beard and to remove dandruff.

In principle, you can use any kind of brush to remove the knots at the beginning. A special beard brush is more of an accessory for the passionate beard wearer.

With the comb, you should make sure that the tines are far apart so that you don’t pull hair out of your beard unnecessarily. Basically, you should be careful when combing your beard hair and not pull too much. The comb should glide through smoothly.

If you have a very long beard whose hair is very curly, then a round brush could be important for you. You can straighten your beard with a round brush and a hair dryer. Just make sure not to blow dry too hot, so as not to dry out or damage the hair and skin.

Solid shampoo or gel?

The choice of your beard shampoo is up to you, the only importance is to opt for a special beard product. The products you use for the body are not suitable for beard hair. The latter suffer more, in particular, because of food, cigarettes, and frequent shaving.

Rub the product in your hand until you get foam and apply it to your beard.

Beard wax or beard wax: when and what is it used for?

The classic beard wax – also called beard wax – mostly consists of beeswax and different oils. It’s less of a grooming product and more used to style a mustache. Use this to twirl your ends and keep them in shape. The wax is characterized by its hardness, whereby there are different levels that can be used depending on your beard or your beard hair.

The application of beard wax is relatively simple:

Due to its harder consistency, the beard wax is usually difficult to remove with your fingers. Instead, you should use your fingernail to scrape a small amount out of the jar. Next, you rub the wax between two fingertips and can now use it to twirl your beard. In principle, beard wax can also be used to shape longer beards. However, we recommend using beard balm for this, as it keeps the beard more supple than wax and also cares for it.

How often should you wash your beard?

As I said a little more, you should not wash your beard every day. because it will weaken your beard hair by dehydrating it. The serum must be kept on the hair and too much washing will remove it. Let’s say the rule is similar to hair:

• if you have a 3-day beard, wash your beard once or twice a week maximum.
• if you have a beard of several weeks or several months, in this case you should wash your beard two to three times a week.
• if you have a red beard, in this case washing your beard will give shine to the hair and make it more shiny. This will have a very nice effect. In this case, you should wash your beard once or twice a week.
• if you have a greasy beard, which is marked by a shiny appearance, due to an excess of sebum both on the skin under the beard and on the hair, then you should wash your beard 2 to 3 times a week, with suitable products. Do not wash your beard with too hot water, it will increase the production of sebum.

​Of course, if after a meal, for example, you feel that your beard is not clean, do not wait until the next day to wash your beard.

Feed your beard

Finally, remember to nourish your hair. Washing alone is not enough to maintain a healthy beard. Remember to apply beard oil after washing. Rub your skin and apply it on the lengths as well. For this step, you can use a boar bristle brush, which has the particularity of being made of keratin, like your bristles. It will facilitate the application of your beard balm or your oil.