Want a better beard?

Facial hair has a special meaning to many men. For some, it is evokes a similar sense of pride to have a full and healthy beard as it does to a naturalista when she reaches her dream length or achieves the perfect twist out. For many, it’s a symbol of manhood. Young boys become men when they start to see the beginnings of a beard and mustache and start sprouting facial hair. However, it’s not enough to just have facial hair. Your facial must look good. A beard that connects, a soft and shiny mustache, and having full and luscious facial hair is a goal for many men, and one that often seems unattainable. However, getting the ‘stache of your dreams isn’t as hard as you might think! Here are a few ways you can jump start your journey to getting a better beard.

Take care of yourself.

It might be a surprise to some but having an unhealthy lifestyle can be a contributing factor to a beard that won’t grow or a mustache that is dull and brittle. Just as stress and not getting enough sleep can lead to losing hair on your head, it can also result in your thinning beard or even stagnant growth. Getting good sleep, eating right, and taking care of your skin are building blocks of the road to flourishing facial hair. Providing your body with the strength, nutrients, and TLC it needs is essential for growing anything, be it hair or muscles. Also take special care to stay away from harmful substances. Smoking, for example, according to a 2003 study published in a Karger journal, has been linked to premature hair loss.

Try beard-boosting supplements and vitamins.

There is a growing market for supplements that, when taken regularly by mouth, promise to help you grow thicker and fuller facial hair. However, many of these supplements do not have any sort of scientific backing. If you do plant to try beard supplements and multi-vitamins, there are some ingredients that have been shown to help with growing longer hair. Vitamin D can activate dormant hair follicles.  There is also evidence that B vitamins such as niacin, b-12, and most popularly, biotin, can help for conditioning and strengthening existing hair while also promoting healthy new growth. Vitamins E and A are antioxidant rich and can help with speeding cell turnover which results in thicker facial hair.

Take care of your beard.

Like you wash, detangle, moisturize, oil, and protect the hair on your head, the same must be done for facial hair. In many cases, your beard may be growing but due to neglect it looks dulls, is brittle, and is not retaining length due to breakage. Invest in products and tools to build yourself a solid facial hair care regimen. Wash your beard and mustache with a gentle shampoo or wash designed specifically for facial hair, use a beard balm or butter to introduce moisture to your beard and ‘stache, and apply a non-comedogenic oil to seal in that moisture. Comb your facial hair to keep it tangle free and do your part to protect in from breakage. Some men go the extra mile and invest in a beard bonnet or silk pillowcase to reduce friction on the beard when sleeping. And the most important thing is to leave it alone! Like with the hair on your head, your beard can thin due to overmanipulating it, playing in it, and pulling it. Looking for products with nourishing ingredients can also seem like an unsurmountable challenge,  but Salon Candies has you covered. Our soy and peppermint infused Hair & Beard Wash gives you a deep clean and strengthens every hair follicle, while our Beard Oil is full of ingredients like argan and avocado oils to help keep you beard full, soft, and shiny.

Parting words.

At the end of the day, how fast your facial hair grows, and whether you are able to grow thick facial hair at all is heavily dependent on your genetic disposition. DHT and testosterone are also factors that play a role in how easy it will be to achieve the beard of your dreams. Regardless, providing your beard with the healthiest and most ideal environment for it to grow will help with thickening your beard and making it fuller and healthier. Hopefully these tips will help you on your journey to a better beard.