Are you looking to level up your beard game in 2021 with the best products for handling the thick and rugged curls synonymous with African American beards? Congratulations, you’ve come to the right place.
Whether you want to promote a faster and more consistent beard growth with the right choice of African American beard growth products or keep the curls under control with an African American beard straightener doesn’t matter. If your beard is putting up a battle, this guide will get you ready for ‘war’.
Why Do The Best Beard Products Matter?
The world is evolving in more ways than one, and the importance of male grooming is now appreciated like never before. But while killer trims and efficient skincare are on the agenda, adequate beard care is commonly overlooked. It’s an issue that affects men of all ethnicities. Nonetheless, the notoriously curly and thick hair of African American beards means that black men can usually benefit from an upgraded beard care regime more than white men or Asian men.
Learning to make better beard care a central feature of your daily grooming rituals can transform your world with immediate and lasting benefits, including but not limited to;
- A more attractive facial appearance, which looks more appealing to love interest and more professional in business.
- It can help shape your face while additionally integrating with your hairstyle and fashion choices to boost the overall look.
- Increased confidence as a direct upshot of improved social acceptance, appearances, and comfort in your skin.
- Remove the dreaded beardruff, flaking skin, and rough hairs that can cause irritation and self-conscious feelings.
- Avoid scratching your partner with rough and sharp hairs while also preventing foul smells and food accumulation.
- No more scratching, itching, and other ongoing daily habits that leave you feeling as uncomfortable as you look.
- Save money in the long run by avoiding more expensive professional treatments at the salon or tools to recover a poorly kept beard.
- Encourage improvements in other aspects of your daily grooming rituals as a result of the increased sense of pride.
Taking care of your beard will ultimately improve your appearance, confidence, and a general sense of manliness while also leaving a far better impression on others. After all, a man that has his beard under control instantly seems to have greater control of his whole life. While there are several key steps to keeping an African American beard in great health, the first challenge is to ensure that you have the products needed to achieve greatness. Here are five of the best.
#1. Honest Amish Beard Oil (Best African American Beard Oil)
When upgrading your beard maintenance game, the right beard oil should be the first item on your checklist. The right selection can transform your daily rituals by improving the appearance, smell, and general health of the beard. Honest Amish Premium beard oil is an entirely natural, organic product and is perfect for your beard and the skin underneath.
This excellent product can deliver a softer beard by nourishing the hair and taming rogue hairs, even when they are particularly coarse. Crucially, the Honest Amish company is one that specializes solely in beard management products and has subsequently formulated a solution that brings noticeable results from the first usage. The fact it subsequently aids pores and reduces inflammation can prevent beardruff and itching. Daily applications can manage even the driest and most brittle facial hair.
Organic ingredients include a blend of almond oil, apricot kernel oil, argan oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, kukui oil, moringa oil, pumpkin seed oil, and pumpkin seed oil to ensure that the beard is treated with all the necessary essential nutrients while it’s great for sensitive skin too. Naturally, the vegan-friendly elements are a bonus for many while it’s produced in eco-friendly processes. The product is entirely free from artificial chemicals, fillers, preservatives.
All of those features feed into the fact that it’s a safe and versatile beard oil that’s great for African American users regardless of skin moisture levels and natural beard growth. Hints of cedarwood, grapefruit, and clove give it a masculine but fresh smell without overpowering your cologne. The hydrating beard oil will give your beard a decent level of shine too, cementing its place as one of the premier African American beard oils on the market.
As well as being available in several bottle sizes, the Honest Amish beard oil is also available as part of a full beard grooming kit that includes beard balm, a beard brush, beard conditioner, and more. Once again, without being promoted solely to black men, they are all very well suited to African American beard grooming rituals.
Why We Love It
- It’s US-manufactured from organic and vegan-friendly ingredients.
- The beard oil hydrates the beard and moisturizes the skin.
- It is especially well matched to coarse beard hair.
Things To Be Wary Of
- There are cheaper options available (but you get what you pay for).
- The smell isn’t for everyone.
- The beard oil alone won’t achieve greatness without the support of other steps.
#2. Arkam Deluxe Beard Straightener for Men (Best African American Beard Straightener)
When you have a medium-length or long beard, finding the perfect African American beard straightener will be a priority. The Arkam Deluxe Beard Straightener is a compact but comprehensive kit that includes several key tools to keep you on top of maintaining the mane at home, work, or in a range of daily situations. The ceramic brush’s versatility is supported by the fact it can be used when traveling due to the universal power capabilities and inclusion of a travel case.
The durable ceramic plates utilize ION technologies to combine three tools into one, providing consistent results that last all day long. The heat can be easily managed, ensuring that you get the desired level of straightening, while the beard straightener also uses Single Stroke Technology (SST) enables you to transform the beard from unkempt to stylish in seconds. It can even be used to manage your hairstyle should that feature be required.
Even the notoriously stubborn and challenging curly beards can be tamed with a single stroke once the heat is turned up. Unlike many inferior products, the Arkam Deluxe heats very quickly and actually works at the first stroke, thus enabling you to fix your look in seconds rather than lose valuable time to this aspect of beard maintenance. That aspect alone makes it worth the extra $10-$15.
In addition to the convenience of the easy buttons and clear temperature gauge, the brush and heating technologies actually promote African American beard growth and conditioning. It keeps the beard’s moisture sealed in to prevent the threat of itching while also reducing static and frizzy beard hair, which keeps the beard looking and feeling smoother for longer.
The addition of a premium pocket wood comb with both thick and thin bristles allows for even greater precision while also encouraging better beard maintenance throughout the day. Meanwhile, the blue and black design ensures you look pretty cool even when using the straightener in public.
Why We Love It
- The clear temperature display is a great feature.
- It heats up quickly and can be used on beards and head hair.
- The ION tech and STT combat even the toughest beards.
Things To Be Wary Of
- It gets very hot, causing a potential accident hazard.
- Performances are severely harmed when the swivel cord is damaged.
- It’s not the best for stubble and very short beards.
#3. Proraso Pre-Shave Cream (Best African American Pre-Shave Treatment)
Shaving may sound counterproductive for taking your beard game to the next level, but if your hair grows back quickly, it’s a great way to keep the short beard looking stylish. Or you may want to shave parts of the beard for contouring and styling purposes. Either way, an African American beard relaxer is essential. The Proraso offering is our favorite, not least because it is formulated with coarse beards in mind.
Keeping your beard and skin in excellent health when trimming is one thing. However, when it comes to shaving, the threat of skin irritation is even greater. Therefore, a pre-shave cream that moisturizes and nourishes the skin is an essential addition to the shaving ritual. The Proraso achieves this very well, even when a tiny amount is rubbed in as a part of the pre-shave preparations.
The Italian made pre-shave cream was first introduced in 1948 and has a solid reputation of delivering brilliant results. It is entirely free from animal ingredients, artificial colors, SLS, parabens, silicones, and mineral oil. Instead, it is formulated and enriched with both sandalwood oil and shea butter to soften the hair, making it easier for the blade to cut the beard. Simultaneously, the skin is nourished to reduce the threat of skin rashes and blemishes.
In addition to being certified by dermatologists, the pre-shave cream is one that is commonly used by barbers. Bringing the barber-shop quality to the home ensures that shaving is less of a chore and more of a simple step that transforms your look in just a matter of minutes. You will need to let the Proraso cream soak into the beard and skin before shaving, but this helps prepare African American beards for shaving in excellent style.
The pre-shave beard cream doesn’t have a particularly strong scent, which prevents the danger of confused smells caused by using different products. When you follow the steps suggested by the manufacturer, smooth skin free from itching is assured.
Why We Love It
- Only a pea-sized amount is needed with each shave.
- It encourages you to make home shaving an experience.
- Competitively priced for a premium product.
Things To Be Wary Of
- You still need a shaving cream for the best results.
- For the best results, shave when the skin is hydrated.
- The cream should be massaged in circular motions.
#4. Suavecito Beard Wash Set (Best African American Beard Shampoo & Conditioner)
African American beard growth products shouldn’t only inspire quicker and more even beard growth. They should also protect the health, appearance, and smell of the beard on a daily basis. Most men fall into the trap of washing their beards with generic shower gels, soaps, and shampoos. Sadly, this can do more damage than good due to stripping the beard of moisture and nutrients. The Suavecito Beard wash set solves this issue. Occasionally you’ll find the set sold out – then you can simply get both, the premium beard wash and the conditioner, individually.
The set includes individual shampoo and conditioner bottles, each specialized for daily beard maintenance. The shampoo, or rather beard wash, cleans and protects the beard as well as the underlying skin. Crucially, this doesn’t just keep the beard looking and smelling fresh, but it also creates a better platform for easier shaping and styling.
Meanwhile, the conditioner is designed to nourish the beard through natural ingredients that are formulated to keep the beard smoother and softer. This is a particularly beneficial result for African American beards that are prone to rough hairs. Shea butter, olive oil, and avocado oil are three of the key ingredients for promoting aesthetic and health benefits. All items are manufactured in the US and undergo great quality control.
The use of a high-quality beard wash set is vital for daily cleaning to avoid bad smells and general problems without encouraging dry and bristly beard hair. Depending on the length of the beard, your shampoo and conditioning rituals may vary in frequency. However, when you use both items for a comprehensive strategy, the risks of causing irritation or beardruff are minimal. When you only use one, though, the issue may surface.
While several two-in-one solutions are available on the market, the very best results are achieved with individually specialized bottles. The Suavecito solutions penetrate tough hair to reach the skin, giving your beard the best care through various layers.
Why We Love It
- As the name suggests, the brand is suave and stylish.
- The 2x 8oz bottles will last a long time.
- Provides the full beard cleaning experience.
Things To Be Wary Of
- For most people, the products do not need to be used every day.
- Using just one of the two bottles will limit the results.
- The shampoo needs time to settle before you wash it clean.
#5. Braun Hair Clippers for Men MGK3980 (Best African American Beard Trimmer)
Treating your beard in the correct manner is an ongoing daily challenge, which is underlined by each of the four African American beard products mentioned above. However, it is likely that you will need to trim the hair on a semi-frequent basis to stop the curls from growing out of control. The Braun hair clippers for men is the only hair maintenance tool needed for the home or on the go.
It’s a comprehensive nine-in-one men’s hair maintenance kit that is conveniently presented in a plain black travel case (manly) that can fit snug in your bathroom vanity or suitcase. It is also 100% waterproof, making it ideal for the shower, while it offers an impressive cordless battery life of 60 minutes. For the very performance, though, we’d suggest keeping it charged so that you only require 20 minutes at maximum without the power cord supply.
Included in the set is a Gillette ProGlide razor for anyone wishing to achieve a close shave look, along with four precision trimming combs that enable the single device to trim the beard to the desired length by cutting against the grain. Honestly, this level of control is immensely hard to find anywhere else on the market and will enable you to manage your African American beard like never before. And that’s irrespective of whether it’s stubble, short, medium, or long.
The Braun brand is one that is synonymous with quality and specializes in men’s beards. The MGK3980 has the motor power and cutting heads to handle even very coarse hair. We all have different trimming frequency requirements due to the natural speed of hair growth and desired length. Whether requiring a near-daily, weekly, or monthly trim, though, this kit has everything needed for ongoing success.
As well as the beard trimmer, the nine-in-one set has a nose trimmer, ear trimmer, body hair grooming head, and contour edging fit. Meanwhile, the included hair trimmer and heads can cut the hair to any of 13 lengths between 0.5mm and 21mm. It truly is the all-in-one kit to support your daily beard routines.
Why We Love It
- It gives you optimal control over beard management.
- The blades, motor, and other features are well-suited to coarse beards.
- The additional features allow you to manage more than just your beard.
Things To Be Wary Of
- Performances drop if you cut with the grain.
- The blades require semi-frequent oiling to achieve the best results.
- A low battery can result in pulling.
How to Take Care of African American Beard (3 Essential Steps)?
Allow your beard to grow out for a couple of weeks. This will help you discover what its strong suits and ‘weaknesses’ are, how you are going to deal with them, and what style will fit you best.
Once your beard had a chance to grow, these next steps will make all the difference:
Step 1: Use a Beard Shampoo plus Conditioner
To begin, you’ll need a product to keep your facial hair clean plus ultra-smooth and well-conditioned. A quality beard shampoo together with a conditioner will get this job done.
Perhaps you are wondering why you need a beard shampoo when you can simply wash your beard with regular soap. The thing is, regular soaps will strip off the natural oils of your beard. Because of this, it’s definitely not a good idea to use regular hair shampoo on your beard hair. Specialized beard soaps and conditioners are the way to go here, as they contain ingredients that keep your facial hair intact and well-nourished.
Beard conditioners often come in a bundle combined with shampoo. When applying your conditioner, start from the tips of your facial hair and work it up to the roots. Leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing it thoroughly off. After that, blow-dry your beard hair.
Step 2: Apply a Quality Beard Oil
Beard oil is your go-to for achieving a sleek glow on your facial hair. It’s a beard and skin moisturizer and can be used on shorter beards as the skin beneath them is penetrable. You will need to thoroughly brush your beard before using the oil. While applying it, work from the tips of your facial hair all the way to the roots to ensure an evenhanded distribution.
Step 3: Rub on Some Beard Balm
You can apply a beard balm after using beard oil. Often, it is deemed an optional choice. Beard balms are especially suitable for men with long beards and relatively dry skin. The balm locks in moisture and has the additional benefit of giving your beard a thicker or fuller look. The moisture retention happens thanks to balm contents like shea butter and beeswax. After that use a wide-tooth beard comb to evenly spread the balm for a stunning look.
Conclusion
Now is the time for all men to upgrade their beard game, and the results are particularly rewarding for black men. The right African American beard products will allow you to manage all aspects of daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance to perfect your look and increase your confidence in business and leisure. Remember, it’s OK to enjoy giving yourself the TLC you deserve. You’ve got this.
More to Explore
