6 Benefits of Combing a Beard
Whether you just started growing your beard or you're a lifetime beardsman who was born with scruff, if you don't comb your beard regularly, you're just not doing it right. That might sound harsh, but it's true. Why? There are tons of benefits of combing a beard, and many of them are essential to good facial hair health. These are the six that we consider the most crucial, along with answers to some questions you might have about combing your beard.
1. Prevents Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs, the little red bumps caused by hair grown the wrong way beneath the skin, are painful — and they only get worse over time, making it difficult to grow a beard (and shave) comfortably. Luckily, combing a beard regularly can ensure that your hair grows in the correct direction, steering the follicles to avoid the frustration and unsightly marks of ingrown hairs.
2. Trains and Styles Your Beard
Going off that last point, training your hair to grow in a specific direction ensures that your beard looks its fullest and best. Every man has a unique face shape, and your facial hair doesn't always naturally line up. But when you comb your beard daily, it trains the hair to grow in the way you want it, ensuring it always looks full and thick. Combing your beard also lets you style it the way you want, and doing it often makes styling go faster, making it easier to manage and control — especially with the right beard care products on hand.
3. Distributes Beard Oil and Beard Balm Evenly
High-quality beard oil and/or beard balm are essential products for every man's beard care routine. Both are known to aid in styling and support your overall beard health, but your fingers can only do so much in the application process. One of the major benefits of combing your beard is to ensure these products are evenly distributed on your hair and skin, including your chin and mustache. This makes sure you get the maximum effect to completely moisturize your beard without the products clumping up. It does the same for your body's natural oils, keeping them spread evenly to prevent breakouts and excessive greasiness.
4. Cleans Your Beard
Washing your beard is only the first step to keeping it clean. Look, we're not here to judge what you do in your downtime, but it's just a fact that every man's beard accumulates...particles. Dirt, food, dry skin — you name it. Anything can get caught in there, and the more beard you have, the more likely it is to catch random bits of stuff. When you comb a beard regularly, it helps to dislodge anything that might be trapped in there, leaving only your luscious locks behind. You can even do it on the fly so you don't wind up looking like leftovers when you go out to dinner.
5. Detangles Your Beard
Combing your beard (and conditioning it with beard enhancer, beard oil or beard balm) helps to keep it free of tangles, snags and knots. Brushing can't get as deep as combing, and the longer your beard gets, the more necessary it is to use a beard comb. A tangled beard doesn't look good (tends to look patchy and thin), and it's harder to manage. It's best to comb a beard to keep it smooth.
6. Gives You a Great Tool for Your Beard Arsenal
To put it in the simplest terms possible — beard combs are badass. A quality wooden comb, in particular, is like nothing else out there. You can even get a switchblade-style folding beard comb to keep in your pocket like a boss. It's easy to say you don't care about looks, but let's face it — every beardsman cares about how they look, at least a little bit. Combing your beard with an honest-to-goodness comb makes your facial hair look great, and it makes you look like a sophisticated beardsman who gives a damn.
Common Questions About Combing Your Beard
Now that you know the key benefits of combing a beard, let's lay it all on the line and answer some burning questions you might have.
What Is the Right Way to Comb a Beard?
It might seem easy, but there is a "right" way to comb a beard if you're looking to reap the most benefits. Here's what we recommend:
- Buy a proper beard comb — Make sure it's made of wood and that the teeth are sized appropriately for your beard. Wider-set teeth are good for long, thick beards, but smaller teeth tend to do better for short beards and mustaches.
- Comb the beard up and out, starting from the bottom — Go from the neck to the chin, then the cheeks, to separate the hairs to make your beard look as full as possible.
- Slowly comb out snags — If you pull too hard, you can hurt yourself and rip out your hairs; always go slow and easy (like the Whitesnake song).
- Style your beard — Now's the time to comb your beard down to get the look you want.
- Finish with your mustache — Comb it out of your mouth and make sure it's pointed how you like.
Is it Good to Comb Your Beard Every Day?
Absolutely. Combing a beard every day is the best way to train it and maximize your benefits.
How Often Should I Brush My Beard?
Brushing is good to do every day as well, but as mentioned, it can only get you so far. Beards with any amount of length will need to be combed, which you can do every day and as needed (up to about five times) to keep it styled properly.
Does Combing Your Beard Help It Grow?
Yes, combing your beard will help it grow — to an extent. When you comb a beard, it stimulates blood flow to your skin and hair follicles, giving them the nutrients they need for growth. However, there is no magic pill for beard growth. Your body is your body, and it can only do what it's capable of. But combing your beard and using conditioning products will give you the best results you can naturally achieve.
Is a "Beard Comb" Necessary?
Believe it or not, yes, you need the best beard comb if you're looking to get all the benefits of combing a beard. It needs to be a wooden comb, first of all. There are metal and plastic beard combs on the market, but most experienced beardsmen will tell you that wood is the best option. Plastic is cheap, breakable, jagged and static-inducing, which can lead to split ends and hair breakage. While metal is more durable, it can still damage your hair because it causes friction and static. Comb your beard with high-quality wood — you won't regret it.
Get All the Benefits of Combing Your Beard With Products From MEAN BEARD
We've highlighted some of the most important aspects here, but there are obviously many benefits of combing your beard. Luckily, MEAN BEARD has everything you need to do it right. From the best wooden combs on the market to quality American-made beard care products, we've got you covered. Comb your beard the MEAN way and look like a man who knows what he's doing.
