IN THIS ARTICLE:
Hi Ryan,
I want to start by thanking you for your support and also for submitting this great question!
We tend to focus a lot on skincare for women but the truth is, an effective skincare routine is just as important for men. In fact, I’ve written about it before. You can find a simple men’s skincare routine in this article. The basic overview is cleanse and moisturizer. And while there are minor differences in the skin of men and women, you absolutely do not need skincare products that are branded “For Men.”
Now, there is one significant difference between the facial skin of men and women and that is facial hair. Caring for your facial hair and the skin beneath should not be overlooked! So how do you properly care for the skin under your beard and/or moustache? Let’s discuss.
Cleansing and conditioning
As with any good skincare routine, the first step in caring for the skin under your facial hair is cleansing your facial hair. Dust, dirt, sebum and ummm, I'll just say it, crumbs can get caught in your facial hair as you go about your day. If these impurities build up, they can clog your pores and cause redness, itching and general discomfort. So, to keep the skin under your beard happy, you have to keep your beard clean.
Now, you wouldn’t use a facial cleanser to wash your hair so I don’t recommend using a facial cleanser to wash your beard. Instead, I recommend using a gentle shampoo like our Matcha Mint Shampoo. The keyword here is gentle! Harsh shampoos with synthetic cleansing agents can aggravate your delicate facial skin and cause irritation.
Matcha Mint Shampoo is formulated with plant-based surfactants and cleanses without stripping natural oils. It also contains antioxidant-rich oat oil to soothe the skin under your facial hair and peppermint extract, which helps to revitalize the hair follicles.
Now that you know what type of cleanser to use, let’s discuss the cleansing steps. Hint: they’re very similar to the steps for washing your hair.
Start by thoroughly wetting your beard hair with warm water. Run your fingers through your beard to ensure that everything down to your skin is saturated. Next, dispense a small amount of Matcha Mint Shampoo into the palm of your hand then apply to your facial hair. Gently exfoliate the skin under your beard by massaging the skin in small circular motions using your finger tips. Be careful not to use your fingernails as this can damage the skin and cause inflammation. Work the shampoo through the length of your beard before rinsing well with warm water. Again, run your fingers through your beard to ensure that no shampoo remains.
If your beard is fairly long, or you want to really pamper yourself, you can also condition your beard with our Matcha Mint Hair Smoothie, which helps to detangle the hair while soothing the skin beneath. To use, apply a small amount to your facial hair, leave on for a minute or two and rinse thoroughly.
Moisturizing
Once your beard is nice and clean, it’s time to moisturize!
I think it’s pretty obvious that applying a cream moisturizer to your beard is not the best idea. You can buy specialty beard oil products, but the truth is, it’s not necessary. An oil-based facial serum like our Moon Boost Serum will work just as well and you can use it on your entire face. That’s what I call feeding two birds with one scone.
Moon Boost Serum is formulated with jojoba oil, which is very similar in structure to our skin’s natural sebum. That means it won’t clog pores and cause breakouts. It also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. If that’s not enough, it moisturizes the skin and acts as an occlusive, helping the skin to retain moisture. Oh! And jojoba oil is actually used in many hair care products (including Matcha Mint Shampoo and Matcha Mint Hair Smoothie) because it helps to moisturize hair, leaving it smooth and shiny!
So how do you use a facial serum as a beard oil? Easy! Dispense 1–3 drops of Moon Boost Serum onto your fingertips, massage the serum into the roots of your facial hair and work your way through the length.
Brushing and combing
To get Moon Boost Serum evenly distributed through your facial, I recommend brushing your beard (or combing it if your beard hairs are on the shorter side). Not only does this help to disperse the serum and spread it evenly throughout your facial hair, it also helps to focus the hairs downward for a well-groomed appearance.
Now, if you’re experiencing dry, flakey skin in your beard (let’s call it beardruff), I suggest brushing your beard before cleansing. This will help to loosen any flakes so that they can be easily washed away. That said, the better care you take of your facial hair, the less beardruff you should have.
After shaving
Let’s say you’re ready to say bye-bye to your beard. You shave it off and shortly after, your skin is red and irritated. This is razor burn and it’s not fun.
To calm razor burn irritation, I recommend using Putty. This nourishing moisturizer is formulated with colloidal oatmeal to soothe the skin. Colloidal oatmeal contains fatty acids that help reinforce the skin barrier and compounds that help calm redness and itching. In addition to colloidal oatmeal, Putty is also formulated with cocoa butter to help protect your skin from the elements (perfect for a freshly revealed face)!
Final words
The best way to take care of the skin under your facial hair is to cleanse your beard with a gentle shampoo, like our Matcha Mint Shampoo and apply an oil-based serum, like our vitamin-rich Moon Boost Serum, to your facial hairs and the skin beneath them.
If you decide to shave, soothe any irritation from razor burn with Putty, which also helps to reinforce the skin barrier and protect your freshly revealed face from the elements.
So there you have it, Ryan. I hope these tips will help to make your beard-growing journey a little easier.
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