Combing your beard isn’t always the easiest thing in the world to do. Stray tangles can appear out of nowhere, especially if you have a particularly voluminous beard. It can get a little irritating after a while!
You will be pleased to know, however, that this is a solvable problem, even before you try to comb away the fly aways. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your beard in top condition.
Why Should I Comb My Beard, Anyway?
You may think that you don’t need to comb your beard, but trust us - you should definitely comb your facial scruff! To start with, combing your beard can mean that you can prevent ingrown hairs from rearing their ugly heads. Of course, if you are like most beard wearers you probably have seen that there are bumps appearing under your chin, and that’s mainly due to ingrown hairs. You can totally avoid it if you give your beard a little extra TLC!
In addition to that, combing your beard helps to keep it clean. It essentially helps to get rid of the amount of food substances that end up stuck in your beard as you eat. Nobody wants to look like they’re storing meals for the winter in their beard - slick and sexy is the way to go!
Combing your beard also helps to moisturize it. It’s especially great if you comb and moisturize it with beard oil and beard balm. If you comb your hair after adding product, it distributes it properly to all of the places that need the product.
Your beard will also look more full if you comb it on a daily basis. Essentially, it helps to fill up any patches better because you will be brushing it in the direction it grows in.
It also trains the mustache to stay off your lips. Of course, you may not have a mustache, but if you do combing the mustache means you can keep it off your lips so you can play around with different beard styles.
Before You Comb
There are a few things you should do before you get that comb out!
1 - Wash the Beard
Before you try to comb your beard, give it a wash first in order to soften the beard. If you are able to try to also apply a little lukewarm water.
2 - Dry the Beard with a Towel
There’s not much of a point in combing the beard when it’s wet and damp. Combing your beard when it’s wet can damage the hairs, so towel dry it first.
3 - Select the Right Brush or Comb
It’s important that you don’t just grab any comb off the shelf that you find. You will need to get a high quality beard comb, as this will be designed to work with the hairs in your beard. There is a big difference between a hair comb and a beard comb.
When you are looking to buy a beard comb, there are a couple of things to remember. You will first need to clarify the length of your beard. So, if your beard is short you should opt for a beard brush, whereas if your beard is longer you should try to get a comb that has teeth spaced out on the one side and narrow on the other side.
Generally, plastic combs will be cheaper for you but they also make static that can electrify the hair. This can mean that the hair is harder to manage with flyaways and can make the beard frizzy, so try to get a good quality wooden comb to train and style your facial hair.
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Face Shape and Beards
Of course, how you comb your beard under the chin is going to largely depend on the shape of your face. There are a number of different face shapes, so here’s a little insight into combing your beard hair for each face type.
1 - Square Face
If your forehead is as wide as your jawline, then you probably have a square shapes face. Usually a circle beard works well with a square face, and a goatee or stubble can both work. If you have a square faced shape, then it’s a good idea to try and comb the hair downwards. If the beard looks full on the chin but smaller on the sides it will make the edges look slightly rounder. This can also help your beard to get smoother because the downward motion will help to untangle the hair.
2 - Rounder Face
If your face is as long as it is wide then you probably have a round face. Usually beards that grow longer to the bottom and shorter on the sides works well with this kind of beard. You could also get away with a full goatee and a mustache.
Again, you will be better off combing the beard downward. In order to make the beard look fuller and longer on the bottom, you should oil it first and then comb the beard downward as this helps to lengthen it.
3 - Oval Faces
In order to tell whether you have an oval face, consider whether your jaws are a little bit more narrow than your temples, and whether the face is about two times longer than its width. If it is then you pretty much have the genetic lottery - you can wear any beard with style!
All you need to do with this face shape is consider how you want it to look. If you comb upwards the beard will look fuller, but if you comb it downwards then it will look longer. Downwards may be best unless you have a longer beard that you want to look fuller.
4 - Rectangular Face
If you have a rectangular face, your chin will be narrower or your forehead will be higher. You can also tell by seeing whether your face is longer than it is wide. It can look a little similar to a round face. You could get away with having long sideburns connecting to a mustache or a chin strap beard.
Ideally, you should be combing your beard in an upward direction, as this will make the bottom of the chin look shorter while the side portions of the beard will look more full.
When You Have Combed Your Beard
Once you’ve finished combing your beard, there are a few things you should remember to do afterwards.
First of all, clean off the teeth of the comb. Some of the hairs from your beard may end up getting stuck in it, so in order to empty the teeth, hold the comb down with the grooming teeth facing downwards, then use your fingers to remove any hair and tap the back to shake off any dead skin.
Then, clean the comb or brush. All you need to do to clean your comb is put a paper towel or a cleaning rag in between the teeth of the comb and begin to clean. This may result in you collecting some of the residue of the oil on the paper. Once you have done this, wash the comb off and then leave it to dry.
How Do I Make My Beard Under the Chin Look Thicker?
This is a pretty common question among fellow beard owners! It should be noted that while there isn’t any evidence that suggests brushing and combing a beard helps it to grow, it certainly can make it appear thicker, which is the aim!
As we already mentioned, making sure you wash the beard correctly can make it look a lot thicker. Try to get a good quality beard wash two or three times a week, for a fuller and less greasy looking beard.
You should also remember to use a moisturizer or a beard oil. This will help to nourish the shafts of the hair which makes it look much healthier.
When you have done this, then use a round brush in order to brush the beard away from the face and down, while simultaneously applying heat using a hair dryer. You can then apply a bit of cold air in order to keep it in place, and do the same on the whole beard.
There are a few extra things you can do to give the beard more definition and volume, too. You may be able to apply a Sea Salt Spray onto the beard before you brush it and blow dry. This will give the beard just a little bit of extra texture and volume. You may even wish to add in some styling balm so you can have more volume for more time.
Conclusion
With these tips, you’re sure to have the beard of your dreams in mere minutes. Having a great beard doesn’t have to be difficult - just investing in the right products, such as a moisturizing beard oil, a beard comb and some beard balm will allow you to style your beard in the way that a professional would with half of the cost!
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