Category: Grooming Tips

Humidity and facial hair don’t mix. Your beard looks frizzy during muggy months because hair strands and follicles absorb moisture from the wet air, causing them to appear bloated. Here are 11 tips to sport a smooth beard no matter how humid the weather gets.

1.   Wash Your Face Gently

Gentle cleaning prevents frizz like no other. Washing your face to remove excess oils, dirt, debris, germs and dead skin cells from your beard goes without saying. However, overwashing does more harm than good. It strips away your facial hair’s natural oils, making you more prone to frizziness.

What you use to wash is just as important as how you wash. Use a cleanser that suits your skin type. If you have normal skin, use a noncomedogenic product.

For dry skin, wash using a fragrance-free, hydrating product. If you’re oily or acne-prone, use a noncomedogenic cleanser containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid. For sensitive skin, make sure the label says “fragrance-free” or “soap-free.”

Massage the cleanser into your face in a circular motion. Wash it off, and then gently pat your face dry with a microfiber towel.

2.   Use a Beard Conditioner

Applying a beard conditioner should be part of your shower routine. This product deeply hydrates, nourishes and softens your facial hair. Leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing it off.

If you have an extremely dry, coarse beard, use a leave-in conditioner for more lasting hydration. Be wary of the amount you use because it can create a greasy appearance. Use sparingly, and add more when necessary.

3.   Manage Split Ends

Split ends make your beard look frizzy on a low-humidity day. Imagine how they would look when the air is clammy.

Facial hair trimming is beard grooming 101. It’s essential during humid months to keep your split ends from sticking out when your hair swells from absorbing water from the air.

The longer your beard, the more prone you are to split ends. That’s because the sebum your skin produces can’t moisturize your entire hair once it reaches a certain length.

Untangle your beard with a comb or brush to make your split ends easier to see. Trim every pair you find with scissors, but keep as much of the intact portion from the hair shaft untouched as possible to prevent damage.

4.   Shave Random Hair Strands

The parts of your face you want to be bare should remain bare regardless of the season. However, skipping a shaving session during the warmer months makes your facial hair conspicuously unkempt once the patchy strands begin to curl.

Use a traditional razor for a close shave. Use a shaving soap or cream if you prefer a thicker lather, but go with a gel for something more lubricating.

5.   Seal in Moisture

Beard oils, balms and butters are leave-in products you can use to keep your facial hair and the skin underneath moisturized as you go on with your day.

Use beard oil when you only have a short stubble. Switch to beard balm after growing a full beard to hold it in place while keeping it moist and nourished. Move up to butter when your beard is long enough to only require light to medium hold for a tamed but rugged look.

6.   Practice Wet Brushing

Combing or brushing helps distribute your skin’s natural oils and beard care products through your hair evenly. However, doing it when your facial hair is dry contributes to frizziness. This action can damage the cuticle — your hair’s protective outermost layer.

Style your beard while it’s still wet. Dampness lessens the friction between a comb’s teeth or brush’s bristles and your beard.

7.   Steer Clear of Heat Styling

Excessive heat dries out your skin and hair. Your goal is to keep your beard moist for as long as possible, so avoid hot styling tools, such as beard straighteners and blow-dyers.

Let the air dry your facial hair naturally. If you must dry your beard more quickly, use a microfiber towel to absorb excess moisture and use a blow-dryer’s cool setting to prevent heat damage. Drying your beard without exposing it to high temperatures helps keep it strong, elastic and lustrous.

8.   Hydrate More Frequently

Less moist hair tends to grab more water from the air. Moisturizing your beard more often during the humid season is necessary to reduce frizz.

If you normally use beard oil, balm or butter once a day, double your moisturizer’s application. Doing so helps make up for the faster beard dryness rate occurring in the hotter months.

9.   Take Cool Showers

Taking a bath or shower with hot water can be therapeutic but disastrous for the beard. Hot water dries out the skin and damages the keratin cells on the epidermis, preventing them from locking in moisture.

Hot environments make you sweat, causing dehydration. Being dehydrated is detrimental to beard health.

Moreover, hot showering adds moisture to the air because indoor humidity levels rise as water steams up. Failing to ventilate the wetter indoor air to the outside efficiently after showering increases your risk of frizziness at night when it’s generally less humid.

The only exception is your face when washing it. Lukewarm water presents a healthy middle ground to cleanse your skin and beard.

10.       Watch What You Eat

Your diet provides your body with essential nutrients to keep your beard moist and healthy.

Prioritize optimal hydration. Adults should drink anywhere between 2.7 and 3.7 liters to meet the daily water intake that medical experts recommend. Drinking water during meals and whenever you feel thirsty should suffice.

However, you may have to drink more when you enjoy dehydrating beverages like alcohol. Snack on cucumber, zucchini and watermelon — foods that are 92%-95% water — to hydrate your body significantly without drinking too many glasses a day.

11.       Mind Sun Exposure

Exposure to direct sunlight for too long accelerates beard dryness, jeopardizing everything you do to keep it moist all day. Stay in the shade as much as you can.

Keep Your Beard Frizz-Free

Taming a frizzy beard involves considerable work. With these tips, you can be more mindful of anything that dries out your facial skin and increases moisture in the surrounding air to keep your mane impressive and healthy.

Winter involves holiday gatherings and relaxing by the fire. However, the cold temperatures can take a toll on your skin if you don’t properly care for it. How can you ensure a healthy, moisturized body during a harsh winter? Here are eight tips to use during the cold season.

1. Use Moisturizer

Moisturizer should be part of your skincare routine throughout the year, but it’s even more essential during the winter. Find a formula that’s best for your skin type. While scent should be a factor, you want to pick the most effective brand to keep your skin moisturized. The optimal time to apply it is after you dry yourself off after a shower.

Dry skin is common in the winter due to the outside conditions. If your skin starts flaking, consider seeing a health care professional for further help. You may get a prescription for extra-strength skin care products. Make moisturizer part of your routine by doing it at least once daily. Typically, guys apply it in the morning and at night.

2. Apply Beard Oil

Guys with beards need an extra layer of protection in the winter, considering they’re susceptible to dry facial hair. Incorporate beard oil in your routine as often as your skin moisturizer. These products work together to keep your integumentary system hydrated and ready for the harsh winters.

When searching for beard oil, find products with high-quality ingredients and pleasant scents. It’s also practical for grooming facial hair and achieving specific looks — and while it’s great for your beard, this oil goes deeper by moisturizing your hair follicles and skin to reduce dryness and dandruff.

3. Remember Your Sunscreen

You may associate sunscreen with fun summer days at the beach. While it’s essential during hot weather, this lotion remains helpful in the harsh winter. Ultimately, it comes down to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Experts say the sun causes up to 90% of visible skin changes despite some attributing them to aging. Therefore, this skincare strategy is essential.

UV levels dip in the winter because of the Earth’s tilt, but they’re still potent enough to affect your skin. This type of radiation is invisible to the human eye, so it’s best to wear sunscreen throughout the year. Wear it between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. if you’re in direct sunlight for prolonged periods.

4. Turn on the Humidifier

Being indoors doesn’t always protect you from the elements. Even your indoor living space becomes drier when the air shifts from humid to arid. These conditions are more bearable when you have a humidifier in your home. Turn it on during the winter to add moisture and reduce the dryness in your beard and skin.

Keep the humidifier at a comfortable level in tandem with your thermostat to ensure your living space doesn’t feel like a rainforest. This appliance sends water vapor into the air, allowing your skin to remain hydrated. In addition to being excellent for your skin, humidifiers keep your living space more habitable during the winter.

5. Monitor Your Appliances

Humidifiers keep your home comfortable and your skin hydrated during the winter. What about your other appliances? All your domestic machines have a role in your body’s health. Maintaining these appliances throughout the year — especially in the colder months — is essential to your well-being. Watch for signs they need extra care.

For instance, heat pumps are crucial for warming your home and mitigating the harsh conditions outside. Within this device, the air filter requires regular examinations and cleanings. This component removes mold and mildew that make you sick but can become clogged if you don’t tend to it. Odd sounds could also indicate your heat pump needs service.

6. Take Colder Showers

When you’ve spent time in the cold, it’s nice to come home and take a hot shower. The warm water feels fantastic on your skin but could adversely affect its hydration. Experts say hot water removes oil and moisture from your body, thus causing more harm than good if you’re concerned about dry skin.

Once winter arrives, mitigate your skin drying with colder showers than usual. While it can take time to get used to, your skin will thank you later. Lukewarm or cold showers are better for your body because they’re better at retaining moisture. Another way to improve your shower routine is by using mild soaps.

7. Eat a Healthy Diet

The air and your skincare products significantly determine your skin’s moisture levels. However, there are a few underrated factors you may overlook. For instance, people underestimate the role of healthy eating in your skin’s health. A 2024 Cureus study found a well-balanced diet supported optimal skin health and influenced dermatological disorders.

Your diet should be specific to your nutritional needs. That said, you can help your skin by following basic dietary principles. Protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats should be at the center of your meals. Increase your vitamin A intake, as experts say this substance protects skin from free radicals. Your shopping list should include sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.

8. Monitor Your Coffee Consumption

Coffee is a must for many guys, whether they work early or burn the midnight oil. While this beverage boosts your energy, it could harm your skin. Coffee is a diuretic, so it removes moisture from your body and increases bathroom trips. Constant consumption could lead to drier skin, especially in the winter.

When the cold weather arrives, monitor your coffee cups and see how your body reacts. If your skin becomes drier, reduce your consumption and see if it has any effect. Coffee has a role in helping skin, such as treating shaving cuts and constricting blood vessels. Some people use coffee seed oil to increase collagen. However, you should watch how it impacts your body.

Protecting Your Body From the Harsh Conditions

Old Man Winter doesn’t have much sympathy for your skincare routine. This season typically brings snowfall, drier conditions and flaky skin, so caring for your body is essential. Take extra time to moisturize your face and beard. Then, do the little things like eating a healthy diet and taking a cold shower. Ultimately, skincare in the winter requires a holistic approach.

You grew your beard and kept it because it looked good. Perhaps it gave you that Jason Momoa vibe you were striving for. However, you may have noticed other changes after you grew the old whiskers, especially if you have allergies. Did you feel better or worse or suffer more or less from irritants?

The word on the street is that growing beards can keep pollen, dander and other pesky allergies at bay. Other bearded guys say their allergies have worsened since they added facial hair to their look. So what is the truth? Does growing a beard have an impact on your health?

Growing a Beard Might Help or Hinder Allergy Sufferers

Growing a beard could worsen your allergies or improve your resistance to them. Ultimately, your personal beard maintenance plays the most prominent role in how airborne allergens affect your health through your facial hair. Your beard is a magnet for pollen, dander and other allergens floating around in the immediate atmosphere.

Having a large beard, or even a goatee, might prevent many of these from reaching your nose or mouth to wreak havoc on your sinuses. Conversely, having them caught up in your beard for an extended period means there’s more chance of them eventually finding your facial cavities instead of drifting away in the breeze. You must keep your beard clean and groomed regularly to minimize the chances of the latter.

How to Practice Effective Beard Maintenance

Growing a beard is an excellent idea if you invest time grooming it to keep it looking and feeling good. If not, ignoring your shaver that first time might lead to encountering unexpected problems as your beard grows longer and thicker.

To counteract these problems, especially during the high-allergy months, spend some time and care on the following.

1. Invest in and Use Beard Care Products

Budget for and buy a decent beard shampoo and conditioner and use it frequently to eliminate potentially irritating allergens that have found their way onto your face. Conditioners seal in moisture and protect facial hair from breakage and damage. Ensure your purchase is gentle enough not to cause skin irritation under the beard, or you may have further problems. Don’t use a regular shampoo and conditioner — invest in high-quality products that will remove dirt and sweat from your pores at the same time.

Consider spending more on beard oil or balm for extra care. These products have natural facial hair drying qualities that restrict the chances of pollen, dander or dirt sticking in your beard.  How much time and effort you’ll need will depend on your beard’s type and density, but go for unscented products, especially if you’re an allergy sufferer.

2. Consider Your Pets’ Effect

If you own a dog or cat, the spring and summer are high-allergen months, exposing your household to higher-than-normal dander levels. Pets are one of the most prominent sources of dander, and the more they try to cuddle up to you, the more likely you are to end up with loose fur and allergens trapped in your beard.

As the owner of a magnificent beard, you’ll want to minimize dander in the environment to cut down your allergy levels. Regular grooming will serve double purposes, keeping them cooler, happier and healthier while also keeping their mane under control. Clipping your dogs and brushing your cat removes excess thick fur and improves their natural temperature regulation. It’s a win-win situation for your pet and your beard.

3. Keep It Clean

People commonly recognize mid-to-late spring as pollen season, but pollen can actually be a hazard throughout most of the year. While spring is most prominent for tree pollen, summer sees spikes in grass pollen, while weed pollen is prevalent from around August through November.

If you’re an allergy sufferer who typically showers in the mornings, consider showering at night instead. As you go about your day, stray pollen can collect in your beard. When you go to sleep at night, as you breathe in, the trapped pollen will continue to get absorbed into the airways. Showering before bed can help clear your beard of stray debris, giving you a healthier nights sleep free from allergens.

4. Trim and Shave

Trimming your beard and shaving around it where necessary helps you look neat and confident, showing the world you respect yourself and care about your appearance. It also serves another purpose — it further reduces the chances of unwanted allergens nestling and getting trapped inside your facial hair.

When trimming, you want a sharp and even cut without the chance of blunting the scissors, which can cause discomfort. Invest in a high-quality pair that you can easily hold to provide the required finesse while trimming. Consider a beard trimmer for closer work if you’re struggling with the scissors.

It is best to shave the traditional way. A manual razor provides a closer and more precise shave than an electric one does. When shaving around your beard, you’ll reach the critical areas more easily manually than with an automated razor, meaning there is less risk of removing a crucial part of your look in error.

Whether you prefer a dry or wet traditional shave, both work well and have different benefits. A wet shave is closer, but a dry shave allows for a touch more accuracy. If you’re shaving dry, apply an aftershave balm or moisturizer to restrict your skin’s chances of rashes.

5. Apply Sun Protection

Allergens come in many shapes and forms. Keeping your beard protected from the sun’s extreme heat and harmful rays reduces the hair’s chances of becoming dry and brittle. Loose facial hair is an allergen, and a dry beard can directly cause reactions in the warmer months.

Sunscreen is most effective for protecting your skin if you have a thinner beard, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it if you have a thicker one. Remember, you’re not only protecting your skin from the sun but your beard, too. Applying sunscreen simply requires some extra grooming.

Facial hair’s highest ultraviolet protection factor of 21 doesn’t satisfy the Skin Cancer Foundation. It recommends a sun protection factor of 30 for extended outdoor activities, meaning having a beard doesn’t offer sufficient protection. From skin health and beard safety perspectives, sunscreen is necessary in the hot seasons.

Growing a Beard Can Help Your Allergies

It’s vital to maintain and care for your beard regularly and effectively. Then, while consistently grooming and trimming your facial hair, keep yourself and your immediate environment as clear of dander, pollens and other allergens as possible.

In this way, you’ll successfully restrict your allergies and make your beard an effective aid in the process.