Stuff Dad Never Told You How to Maintain the Beard and Stache

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About 40% of all guys in the U.S. have facial hair, but not all of them know how to maintain it. We’ve all seen the basement dweller who has the scraggly, overgrown neck beard. What makes him different from Ryan Reynolds (aside from having money, fame, and Blake Lively)? Facial hair maintenance. Here’s how you can get that movie-star level beard and mustache.

Use High-Quality Shaving Accessories

If you’re not sure where to start, look into starter beard shaving kits or shaving accessories. Great facial hair doesn’t happen on its own, and because it’s on your face for all the world to see, you should treat it well. Make sure you have a beard trimmer, beard and mustache oil, a daily face wash (or face and beard wash, or beard shampoo), and a fine tooth comb. Of course, you should always have those traditional mens shaving supplies, such as good shaving cream or shaving oil and a quality razor.

Keep the Edges Trim

The key to always having a good looking beard and mustache is to maintain the shape.

  • Trim your mustache with a good trimmer. You can use that fine tooth comb we mentioned earlier to get out the knots and make sure it’s even. When you trim, make sure the blades are pointed up toward your nose, rather than trying to cut straight across. This will make your mustache look more natural. Trim until it has the right look.
  • No matter what style you’re going for, you’ll need to trim the neckline and the cheekbones to keep it looking proper. Be sure to shave the U-shaped area from your ear to your Adam’s apple to the opposite ear. Trim away those strays that appear on the cheekbones to keep the beard sharp.
  • Be cautious when you trim your beard. You will need to keep it trim to prevent scraggy ends, but you also don’t want to make it too short, too soon. Use your beard trimmer on a longer setting and gradually take off length until you like the look.

Yes, You Need to Wash the Beard and Stache

Experts agree that they should be washed about twice a week. Remember the daily face wash and mustache oil we mentioned earlier? You’ll definitely need those in your shaving accessories arsenal for this step. Wash your beard and mustache with a daily face wash or shampoo for men (not a body soap) and pat them dry with a towel. Washing your facial hair strips it of its natural oils, which can end up drying it out and making it scratchy or can make it more oily by forcing your skin to produce more oil to compensate. Instead, apply your beard and mustache oil after washing to keep the hair looking smooth and clean.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what style you’re going for: every beard requires some basic upkeep to look good. Whether you’re going for the dapper, intentional five o’clock shadow or want to be a mountain man, a little care goes a long way.

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