If you love your beard then you must do all that is possible to keep beard soft. To know how to keep the beard soft and smooth, it is important to know what can make the beard rough. When the beard gets dry, it will easily break and will be prone to many other damaging effects.
You need to take care of the beard by brushing and exfoliating the skin if you want to keep it smooth and beautiful. Avoid using harsh substances on the skin and the beard as that may make it rough and dry.The question like ‘how to keep your beard soft’ or ‘how to soften my beard’ came in our mind.
Let us begin by identifying what makes the beard rough and dry.
What may make the beard rough and dry?
There are various factors that can make the beard dry and hard. They include the following –
1. Dehydration :- When the body gets dehydrated, then every other part and organ is affected. A dehydrated body will cause dry skin and rough beard. Many factors can cause dehydration including lack of sufficient fluids in the body, and use of substances which drain the body of water, such as for example caffeine.
2. Malnutrition :- When the body lacks the required nutrients, the body will lose most of its normal functions including the lubrication of the skin and that may lead to dry skin and rough beard. You should get the required nutrients from natural foods, but in some instances where you cannot get all that you need from food products, you may use approved nutritional supplements.
3. Dry skin :- anything that causes dry skin will make the beard dry and rough. Avoid anything that can cause drying of the skin, such as over exposure to sun, smoking and abuse of drugs. You can check how to moisturize dry skin under beard.
4. Dandruff :- the leading cause of dandruff in the beard is dry skin. A beard with dandruff is likely to be entangled, dry and rough.
5. Adverse reaction to substances :- Be careful on the substances you apply on the skin or on the beard. Adverse reaction to substances such as oil, shampoo and conditioner can lead to dry skin and rough beard.
6. Failure to comb the beard :- If you do not comb the beard, then it will get entangled, and the result will be that it will become dry and rough.. If left uncombed, the beard strands will clump and get entangled, and they may break when you try to comb or separate them later on. Ensure you comb it in the morning and in the evening if possible
When you know the potential causes of dry skin and dry beard, then you can easily find solutions.
How to soften a beard
When you know what can make the beard as rough as hell, then you should do only what can make the beard as smooth as possible. The ways of softening the beard can broadly categorized in the application of beard products on one hand, and the natural ways of encouraging growth of the beard, on the other hand.
The good thing is that most of these things can be done at home. You are advised and encouraged to try the natural ways first, before you apply any products. If you can get smooth beard without applying any product, the better. However, in practice, the practical ways of softening the beard include combination of both the natural ways and the application of recommended beard products.
Natural Ways Of Softening The Beard
In addition to the use of products to help soften a beard, there are natural ways of doing it. These include the following
1. Balanced diet
A balanced diet will help maintain the natural flora and fauna in the body. It will ensure that the body organs and systems function at their optimum. You need to develop a nutritional plan that ensures you take balanced diet all the time.
You need to take lots of fruits and vegetables as they help get rid of the free radicals in the body. Carbs are also recommended and good sources include grain, bread and other starchy foods. Proteins are also good and they include fish, chicken, and dairy products.
2. Exercises
Proper workouts help the body function well. You need to get in workouts to get the body cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, excretory and other systems of the body to function at their optimum. The exercises help increase the levels of hormone testosterone in the body, which in turn encourages the natural growth and smoothening of the human hair including the beard.
3. Taking lots of fluids
You must remain properly hydrated if you want to maintain smooth and healthy skin and beard. You should take lots of fresh water. Experts recommend that you should take at least eight glasses of water every day. Hydrated body will stimulate the natural production sebum, the skin oil which naturally lubricates the skin itself and the beard.
4. Combing the beard
You can soften a beard by combing it every morning and in the evening. The most recommended brush is the boar bristle brush, as it works on the beard strands very well. When you cannot get this brush then you may use a standard plastic hairbrush or other brush which is designed to distribute evenly the sebum oil and the other natural skin oils, evenly on the skin. This is important as it helps moisturize the beard naturally.
In addition to encouraging natural moisturizing of the beard, brushing also helps comb away the impurities and dirt off the beard in order to keep it rough and dry. When there is dust and other impurities on the skin, the beard will growth bushy and rough. When combing the beard, there is also a massaging effect on the beard and the skin and this encourages the flow of blood, and this further encourages the beard to grow smooth.
5. Exfoliating the skin
Exfoliation refers to the use of brush with soft bristles to help remove the dead cells on the skin. The exfoliation helps improve the circulation of the blood and aeration of the skin, encouraging the growth of the beard. Exfoliating the skin on which the beard is growing will encourage the growth of smooth beard.
6. Massaging the skin and the beard
Massage is very important in the promotion of the health of the skin. It helps improve the circulation of blood to the skin, and promotes the natural growth development of the hair and the beard. You should massage the skin and the beard as well by use of bare hands or by the use massaging products and tools for soften beard.
7. Avoid smoking
The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products can do a lot of damage to the beard and the skin. The cigarette smoke takes away the moisture on the beard, making it dry and entangled. If you want to keep and maintain smooth and soft beard, avoid smoking.
8. Reduce consumption of caffeine and sugars
Caffeine and sugars have the effect of dehydrating the body, and some may cause mood swings in the body. The effect of dehydration is that the beard gets dry and entangled. Reduce the consumption of caffeine and any other products which may have the effect of dehydrating the body, and causing dry skin and rough beard.
9. Avoid overexposure to the sun
The sun’s ultra violet rays can cause dehydration and dry skin. The beard, just like any other part in the body is negatively affected by overexposure to the sun. Ensure that the beard and the skin get only the needed exposure. Where possible, you may use sunscreen to prevent overexposure to the sun’s UV rays .
Use Of Beard Products That Make Your Beard Softer
Applying beard oil:
For softening the beard, it is obvious that you must apply some oil on the skin and the beard as well. The most recommended is beard oil, which not only moisturizes but also conditions the hair. There are various brands of beard oil in the market so you need to find what works out bets for you. Some of the ingredients you may find in beard oils include agar, cedar wood, lavender, tea tree and coconut oil among others.
If you can find organic beard oil, then you should invest in the same, especially if you are allergic to some products. For those who want to begin growing the beard, use of beard oil is encouraged as it can help reduce the itchiness as it softens and tames the facial hair. The moisturization of the skin will not just smoothen the hair bit will also help get rid of beard dandruff.
The ingredients in the beard oil will determine what else the product can do in addition to softening the beard, and may include promotion of growth of hair, moisturization of the skin and the treatment of eczema, acne and other conditions of the skin. Beard oil can be used on beard of any type and size ranging from short to the bushy, long size.
Application of beard balm:
The beard balm is similar to beard oil, and some describe it as the solid form of beard oil. The balm, in addition to being a conditioner and moisturizer also helps shape the beard. Most beard balms contain natural wax which hellos straighten the individual trends of the beard, and keeps them in good shape. According to users, beard balm is more suited to longer beards since one may feel a bit heavy when it is applied on the roots of shorter beards.
In the market, there are various types of beard balms and they include those with natural sealants, and there are synthetic ones. The natural sealants include beeswax and they mostly help when you want to style the beard certain way, since they can bind the individual beard strands so you can model them as you wish. For those who suffer from irritation of the skin, the beard balms with synthetic sealants are more suitable. Some other beard bear balms products in the market have ingredients such as mango, shea and butter.
Ensure you apply the beard balm on the palms and rub it until it completely melts before applying it on the beard. If you need product that in addition to softening the beard, will also help keep the skin healthy and promote the growth of the beard, then you need to find one which has ingredients such as olive, sweet almond, coconut, jojoba and argan. Some beard balms contain essential oils with varying scents and added vitamins. For those with sensitive skin, do not use beard balms that contain fragrances as they may cause allergic reactions.you can prepare beard balm recipe at home.
Shampooing and conditioning:
You should make the shampooing and conditioning of the beard a daily routine. Shampooing helps get rid of the dirt on the beard, and can also help get rid of bacteria and other impurities that may cause dandruff on their beard. You should use the mild shampoos which cannot cause adverse reactions on the skin.
Also important is conditioning of the skin, which helps make the beard softer and shinier. Another benefit of conditioning is that it helps the skin and the beard maintain the required levels of hydration. This in turn makes the hair softer and easier to manage. In addition to softening the beard, conditioning helps reduce split ends.
Applying oil on the skin:
Since the beard grows on the skin, when the skin gets dry, then the beard will get affected. To ensure you maintain the beard in smooth and healthy condition, apply oil on the skin. Use virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or other lubricant or moisturizer on the skin. You need to apply the oil not just on the face but also on every other part of the body, but with special focus on the beard growing areas of the face.
Conclusion:
It is possible to keep and maintain smooth beard, but you need to know what works best for you. As earlier stated, you can make this happen without the use of beard oil, beard balm or other beard product.
The natural ways of promoting growth of the beard are the best, and most recommended, as they do not expose one to risk of adverse effects. They are also the most affordable option, as some beard products are costly.
