A beard isn’t just a beard (and it’s not just to be celebrated during Movember 2022, either); it can be a way of life for many men! A way to determine their style and personality. But the most glorious beards do not appear overnight – and they require some care, love and attention to get them looking their very best. So, if you’re looking for beard grooming tips, keep on reading for a handful of helpful maintenance tips every beard-loving guy should know.
Step 1: Start With A Clean Shave
If you’re at the beginning of your beard growing journey, you’re going to want to start with a clean, close shave. This may feel counterproductive when your end goal is a full looking face of hair, but it has a purpose. By clean shaving, you stimulate the hair follicles, preventing any pesky ingrown hairs from growing.
The best time to shave is once you step out of a warm shower (when your pores are nice and open). Use a nourishing shaving cream or gel with a new blade on your razer to get the closest shave with minimal nicks and cuts. If you’re after a couple of great options, Dior Homme Shaving Creme creates a close, creamy lather to leave the skin feeling soft and moisturised after a shave. Alternatively, Clinique For Men Aloe Shave Gel softens and cushions the face and beard, offering a smooth, close
Now you have completed your shave, pack your razor away for a while. Let your beard grow and do its thing for around 6 weeks. Over this time, any patchy areas should fill out, and people should begin to take notice of your new look.
Step 2: Wash Your Facial Hair
Once your beard has grown to at least a ½ inch in length, it’s time to gather the tools you need to shape and trim it. But before you do, you’ll need to wash it. This step is easy. Simply wet your beard with lukewarm water – running your fingers through it – and massage a small amount of mild beard shampoo into the hair. Then, rinse thoroughly to remove all shampoo residue and pat dry with a clean towel.
Don’t be tempted to use body wash or shower gels. They’ll strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it feeling dry and coarse.
Step 3: Trim Your Beard
Once you’ve washed your beard, it’s time to trim it by following these simple steps:
Step 1: To start, dry and comb through your beard to remove any knots.
Step 2: Use a beard trimmer to get the most even trim. Set it to the longest length, to begin with, and trim your beard all over, going against your hair’s natural direction. If you want to take more off, reset the beard trimmer to a shorter setting. But remember, if you shave off too much, you may have to wait for it to grow back.
Step 3: Define your neckline by trimming a vertical line down from your Adam’s apple and then working out towards your jawline from either side. Remove any further hairs below this point.
Step 4: For a crisp, clean look, shave your cheek line. You may want to use a manual razor with a fresh blade for this. To define your beard’s cheek line, visualise a point where your natural cheek line starts and the point where it meets your moustache. These two points will create a straight line to which you can add a transition curve in front of your sideburns. Once you have your line and curve, you can carefully trim any hairs above the line.
Step 5: If your ‘tach game is strong, you should tidy it up now too. Trim it to match your beard with scissors or leave it longer if you want it to stand out.
Step 6: Cut the hairs around your mouth, top and bottom, to create a precise line around your lips.
Step 4: Apply Aftershave
Once you are clean-shaven, we recommend using an aftershave, lotion or balm to close your pores, prevent infections of any cuts and, of course, leave your skin beautifully scented.
If you’re looking for an aftershave you can use every day, Dior Homme Aftershave Lotion provides immediate comfort directly after shaving. Subtly scented with the woody notes of Dior Homme Eau de Toilette, this aftershave tones and protects skin, leaving it soft and mattified. Then there’s Bleu De Chanel – an aromatic-woody shave lotion that soothes razor burn and leaves skin delicately scented.
Whichever aftershave you choose, simply place a coin-sized amount of lotion into your palm before rubbing it into your hands and applying it directly onto newly shaven skin. To find out more about the benefits of aftershave balm, check out our article:
Even though aftershave has a moisturising effect, those with dry or sensitive skin will benefit from applying an additional layer of moisturiser to keep their skin hydrated and ready for the next shave. Also, moisturiser helps minimise the risk of infection while restoring the skin’s barrier.
Sauvage Face and Beard Moisturiseris one of our favourite beard grooming moisturisers (and soon to be yours!). Delicately scented, this lightweight, non-sticky texture deeply hydrates the skin and softens facial hair, producing a soothing sensation each time you shave.
For healthy, radiant skin, the Purity Made Simple Moisturiser from Philosophyis ultra-light and packed with 24-hour hydration ingredients to leave it feeling dewy and smooth. Pores will look less visible, too – win-win!
As well as a solid skincare routine, treat your beard to regular applications of beard oil or beard balm. A beard oil or beard balm will not only leave your facial hair feeling less coarse, but its fragrance is a nice additional touch! For some top tips on applying beard oil, check out our handy guide:
A good skincare routine is essential. Whatever your skin type, find your complete skincare routine from Clinique at The Perfume Shop. From preventing breakouts to reducing redness and inflammation, you’ll find everything you need – including cleansers, toners, moisturisers and facial serums – to leave your skin feeling soft, supple and fresh. Here are a few of our favourites:
Lorna is a Freelance Copywriter with a passion for fragrance, beauty and skincare, sustainability and outdoor adventure sports. She famously quit her office job to spend more time with her cat and counts her favourite perfumes as Mugler Alien and Ralph by Ralph Lauren.
Our definitive guide to beard grooming
A beard isn’t just a beard (and it’s not just to be celebrated during Movember 2022, either); it can be a way of life for many men! A way to determine their style and personality. But the most glorious beards do not appear overnight – and they require some care, love and attention to get them looking their very best. So, if you’re looking for beard grooming tips, keep on reading for a handful of helpful maintenance tips every beard-loving guy should know.
Step 1: Start With A Clean Shave
If you’re at the beginning of your beard growing journey, you’re going to want to start with a clean, close shave. This may feel counterproductive when your end goal is a full looking face of hair, but it has a purpose. By clean shaving, you stimulate the hair follicles, preventing any pesky ingrown hairs from growing.
The best time to shave is once you step out of a warm shower (when your pores are nice and open). Use a nourishing shaving cream or gel with a new blade on your razer to get the closest shave with minimal nicks and cuts. If you’re after a couple of great options, Dior Homme Shaving Creme creates a close, creamy lather to leave the skin feeling soft and moisturised after a shave. Alternatively, Clinique For Men Aloe Shave Gel softens and cushions the face and beard, offering a smooth, close
DIOR
Dior Homme
Shaving Cream
125ML – £54.00
Clinique
Clinique For Men Aloe Shave Gel
Shaving Gel
125ML – £19.00
Now you have completed your shave, pack your razor away for a while. Let your beard grow and do its thing for around 6 weeks. Over this time, any patchy areas should fill out, and people should begin to take notice of your new look.
Step 2: Wash Your Facial Hair
Once your beard has grown to at least a ½ inch in length, it’s time to gather the tools you need to shape and trim it. But before you do, you’ll need to wash it. This step is easy. Simply wet your beard with lukewarm water – running your fingers through it – and massage a small amount of mild beard shampoo into the hair. Then, rinse thoroughly to remove all shampoo residue and pat dry with a clean towel.
Don’t be tempted to use body wash or shower gels. They’ll strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it feeling dry and coarse.
Step 3: Trim Your Beard
Once you’ve washed your beard, it’s time to trim it by following these simple steps:
Step 1: To start, dry and comb through your beard to remove any knots.
Step 2: Use a beard trimmer to get the most even trim. Set it to the longest length, to begin with, and trim your beard all over, going against your hair’s natural direction. If you want to take more off, reset the beard trimmer to a shorter setting. But remember, if you shave off too much, you may have to wait for it to grow back.
Step 3: Define your neckline by trimming a vertical line down from your Adam’s apple and then working out towards your jawline from either side. Remove any further hairs below this point.
Step 4: For a crisp, clean look, shave your cheek line. You may want to use a manual razor with a fresh blade for this. To define your beard’s cheek line, visualise a point where your natural cheek line starts and the point where it meets your moustache. These two points will create a straight line to which you can add a transition curve in front of your sideburns. Once you have your line and curve, you can carefully trim any hairs above the line.
Step 5: If your ‘tach game is strong, you should tidy it up now too. Trim it to match your beard with scissors or leave it longer if you want it to stand out.
Step 6: Cut the hairs around your mouth, top and bottom, to create a precise line around your lips.
Step 4: Apply Aftershave
Once you are clean-shaven, we recommend using an aftershave, lotion or balm to close your pores, prevent infections of any cuts and, of course, leave your skin beautifully scented.
If you’re looking for an aftershave you can use every day, Dior Homme Aftershave Lotion provides immediate comfort directly after shaving. Subtly scented with the woody notes of Dior Homme Eau de Toilette, this aftershave tones and protects skin, leaving it soft and mattified. Then there’s Bleu De Chanel – an aromatic-woody shave lotion that soothes razor burn and leaves skin delicately scented.
DIOR
Dior Homme
Aftershave Lotion
100ML – £60.00
DIOR
Dior Homme
Eau de Toilette Spray
50ML – £75.00
DIOR
Dior Homme
Eau de Toilette Spray
100ML – £104.00
CHANEL
BLEU DE CHANEL
Aftershave Lotion
100ML – £60.00
Whichever aftershave you choose, simply place a coin-sized amount of lotion into your palm before rubbing it into your hands and applying it directly onto newly shaven skin. To find out more about the benefits of aftershave balm, check out our article:
Step 5: Moisturise
Even though aftershave has a moisturising effect, those with dry or sensitive skin will benefit from applying an additional layer of moisturiser to keep their skin hydrated and ready for the next shave. Also, moisturiser helps minimise the risk of infection while restoring the skin’s barrier.
Sauvage Face and Beard Moisturiser is one of our favourite beard grooming moisturisers (and soon to be yours!). Delicately scented, this lightweight, non-sticky texture deeply hydrates the skin and softens facial hair, producing a soothing sensation each time you shave.
For healthy, radiant skin, the Purity Made Simple Moisturiser from Philosophy is ultra-light and packed with 24-hour hydration ingredients to leave it feeling dewy and smooth. Pores will look less visible, too – win-win!
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–
Step 6: Regularly Apply Beard Oil or Beard Balm
As well as a solid skincare routine, treat your beard to regular applications of beard oil or beard balm. A beard oil or beard balm will not only leave your facial hair feeling less coarse, but its fragrance is a nice additional touch! For some top tips on applying beard oil, check out our handy guide:
Find Your Skincare Routine with Clinique
A good skincare routine is essential. Whatever your skin type, find your complete skincare routine from Clinique at The Perfume Shop. From preventing breakouts to reducing redness and inflammation, you’ll find everything you need – including cleansers, toners, moisturisers and facial serums – to leave your skin feeling soft, supple and fresh. Here are a few of our favourites:
–
Clinique
Clinique For Men Oil Control Exfoliating Tonic
Exfoliator
200ML – £24.00
Clinique
Clinique for Men SPF 21 Moisturiser
Moisturiser
100ML – £32.00
The Learning Continues…
Looking to take your grooming and skincare routine to the next level? Then check out these blog posts for more ideas:
STOCK UP ON BEARD GROOMING ESSENTIALS
Online at The Perfume Shop
About Lorna
Copywriter
Lorna is a Freelance Copywriter with a passion for fragrance, beauty and skincare, sustainability and outdoor adventure sports. She famously quit her office job to spend more time with her cat and counts her favourite perfumes as Mugler Alien and Ralph by Ralph Lauren.
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