How to Soften Your Beard

You can feel the difference between a healthy beard and an unhealthy one. A healthy beard is hydrated, soft, and easy to tame. And, until you learn how to soften your beard, you’re going to get well acquainted with the symptoms of an unhealthy one: things like beard itch, unstylable scruff, and split ends.

Luckily, there are solid techniques you can employ to soften your beard. This includes using the best beard products on your mane, as well as changing up your beard grooming regimen in order to maximize the products’ benefits. So, whether it’s your first time with a beard, or whether dry, itchy beard has been a persistent issue, here are a few beard softening tips that will hydrate your beard for the long haul. Your significant other thanks you.

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See also: How to Grow a Beard for the First Time

1. Trim your beard with scissors. Often.

First, a spot check: Comb the beard upwards, so that it fans out like a lion. Then comb it back into place. See which hairs stick up and stand out, and snip at those with your beard-trimming scissors. This is a good way to check your beard for unruly, rigid hairs that might night be proving as soft and flexible as the others. Sure, you aren’t getting to the root of the problem—by softening the beard itself—but you’ll do so in the following steps. Don’t over trim it, because that isn’t the point here. Instead, you’re ensuring that your beard will stay clean and styled, suffering no visual consequences of individual stiff hairs. This should only take 15-30 seconds, and can even be done at the end of your actual trimming regimen.

GQ’s pick for best beard scissors:

2. Wash your beard daily.

For multiple reasons. First, a hydrating cleanser will condition the hairs while it cleans, adding moisture to each strand. Secondly, this washes away dirt, grime, and excess oil that compromise the health of each hair—these pests are gathered at both the base and along the follicle shaft, and by scrubbing a beard wash of soap into your whiskers, you obliterate anything that doesn’t belong.

If you’re using soap, pick a hydrating one specifically designated for beards, so you don’t dry it out. Try the Dove+Men bar soap. Otherwise, there are various beard washes available too. Below are four of the best beard washes:

3. Apply conditioners or oils twice daily to soften beard.

Twice a day, apply a beard conditioner or beard oil. This is the most important step. These products penetrate the hairs and soften them with all sorts of vitamins and nutrients. The hairs in turn relax, and they get a healthy shine, too (which brings dull beards back to lustrous life). Your beard is instantly more style-able, and now the hairs move gently against your skin (and your partner’s), instead of scraping and scratching.

It’s up to you whether you’d rather apply a beard oil or a conditioning cream or lotion. Either way, massage the product into your beard, down to the skin underneath, which nourishes dry skin and feeds the follicle itself. Take a comb and carefully bring the product through the entire beard, distributing it over the entire shaft of each hair. Oils can be left on, whereas each conditioner will vary on whether it’s a leave-in product or a rinse-out one.

Here are GQ’s picks for the beast beard oils and conditioners:

4. Comb and brush your beard.

A beard comb distributes any product thoroughly. This is also a good time to spot check your beard for any stubborn, stiff strays, once everything is combed or brushed back into place.

Here are GQ’s picks for best beard comb and beard brush:

5. Style your beard with balm

While beard oils and conditioners often double as lightweight stylers, you should still have a beard balm at the ready. First and foremost, balms give you total control over your beard style, since they’re a bit more heavy duty. They’re also loaded with nourishing ingredients that soften and protect both the hair and the skin underneath, just like a lip balm shields your kissers in the winter. A little goes a long way, though: Start with a pea-sized amount, and warm it up in your hands before rubbing it through the beard. Apply in an upward motion from below the chin, targeting the roots. Then, smooth everything into place with your hands and a comb.

Here are GQ’s picks for best beard balms:

See also: Beard Kit Essentials: Everything You Need for Perfect Facial Hair