How to Grow a Beard Others Will Envy (Part Five)
HOW TO CLEANSE YOUR BEARD
For those men whose beards mean as much to them as their significant other, the type of cleanser used to wash that masterpiece will also be of great importance.
There are several kinds of cleansers to choose from when shopping for one to clean your facial fuzz, so how do you know which will do your beard good?
This post will walk you through the different types of cleansers. It also provides reasons as to why we think beard wash is the best product to use for a great-looking beard. Finally, an outline of the steps to a great cleansing are given, which may seem inherent but actually requires a bit more than just wet, wash, rinse and repeat.
Oh, and as a gift to our readers, don’t forget to pick up a sample of Tubb Starr’s Uber-Moisturizing Beard Wash with Honey & Aloe by sending us an email with “SEND ME SOME WASH” in the subject line.
- WHAT IS SHAMPOO?
- What is in Shampoo?
- What Does Shampoo Do?
- WHAT IS SOAP?
- WHAT IS BEARD WASH?
- Why is Beard Wash Better for Your Beard?
- THE RIGHT WAY TO CLEANSE
- Water Ways
- How to Wash
- When to Wash
- How to Condition
- How to Dry
- Best Styling Tools
- PROTECT YOUR BEARD TRESSES
- TACKLING A SMELLY BEARD
- Portable Beard Wash
- Beard Cologne
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- 3 DIY RECIPES FOR YOUR BEARD
WHAT IS SHAMPOO?
Shampoo is 70-80% deionized water and 20-30% a detergent mixed with foaming agents, thickeners and additives. It is meant to cleanse the scalp and hair of the oily buildup that makes hair appear “dirty” or “greasy”.
Shampoo is not a natural product, and on its own (without any additives) it does not soften, condition or remove tangles from hair. It simply removes oil and dirt.
If you want to learn more about the ingredients in shampoo for a better sense of what it does, then read on. Otherwise, skip to the next section.
WHAT IS IN SHAMPOO?
The detergent portion of shampoo is a surfactant (e.g., sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate) mixed with a co-surfactant (e.g., cocamidopropyl betaine).
Surfactants and co-surfactants are surface-active agents, meaning that once they are dissolved in a water-based solution the surface tension of that solution is reduced.
Surface tension is the cohesive property of molecules at the surface of a liquid that creates a barrier against outside force.
Surfactants lower this tension and allow for other things to be picked up and added to the solution, like oil, dirt and grime.
These surfactants and co-surfactants are often foaming agents meant to boost the sudsing quality of shampoo.
Surfactants are also used as thickeners to increase the viscosity of the formula, emulsifiers to stabilize it and wetting agents to make it disperse and penetrate easier.
There are a wide range of shampoos to choose from due to the varying additives that different formulas use. These additives greatly affect the end-product and ultimately, the consumer’s choice of brand.
The additives are also what gives shampoo the power to do more than just strip oil from hair, like an ability to moisturize, double as a conditioner, thicken, color, treat dandruff, etc.
Some of the options that determine a consumer’s choice in shampoo include the color or lack of dye, natural or synthetic fragrance, viscosity, quantity and what it promises to do for hair (e.g., condition, thicken, repair, lengthen, treat dandruff, protect color).
WHAT DOES SHAMPOO DO?
Shampoo strips hair of sebum, which is the body’s natural oil produced by the sebaceous glands hidden under our skin’s outer layer. Sebum is a “complex mixture of lipids” or fatty acids¹.
As a lipid, sebum is naturally hydrophobic, meaning it repels water.
Since oil and water do not mix, water on its own cannot remove the oily buildup of sebum from your hair or scalp. That is where shampoo comes to play.
The detergent (surfactants) in shampoo have molecules that are lipophilic on one end, meaning they attract oil and repel water, just like sebum. However, the polar end of that molecule is hydrophilic, meaning it is attracted to water.
Simply put, the molecules of surfactants found in shampoo have two ends: a head and a tail. The head is attracted to water and the tail is attracted to oil.
These molecules pull the oily sebum to the surface of the scalp and out of the hair follicles, along with the dirt and grime caught in those follicles. These same molecules also allow the water being pulled in by its tail to wash all that oil, dirt and grime away.
This makes shampoo a great product for cleaning your head hair, but does it do the same for the beard?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is that shampoo does in fact clean your beard of oils, dirt and grime, but this kind of cleansing has a different overall effect on the health of your beard.
To understand why the effect of shampoo in your beard can be damaging to the hair and skin, you will need to read on.
But before we get to that answer, there is another question you should be asking yourself…
After learning what is in shampoo (chemicals) and what it is designed to do (strip the scalp and hair of its natural oils), do you really want to use that on your face or in your beard?
There is no right or wrong answer here, of course, since it is determined solely by personal preference. However, you may be shocked to read what is coming next…
In opposition of what other beard-product companies will tell you, shampoo is not the worst thing you can put in your beard. It really is not. Yet, we still recommend a beard wash for those who experience dryness, itching irritation and acne, or who want to use a more specialized product for their beard. (The reasons for this are detailed below.)
WHAT IS SOAP?
Shampoo is not a soap, right? Or is it? Could we be washing our entire body with shampoo? Hmmm…
“Soap” is one of two kinds of body cleansers: commercial syndet bars or traditional/handmade soap.
In accordance with the Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), any product that is labelled as “soap” must be either a true soap, meaning that it is a salt of a fatty acid, or a cosmetic soap made with synthetic ingredients that looks and performs like traditional soap².
“Syndet” is a combination of “synthetic” and “detergent” because that is exactly what commercial cosmetic soaps are–chemical surfactants.
What other cleanser do we now know is made with chemical surfactants?
That’s right! (I am assuming you guessed the right answer, which is shampoo, of course!)
Traditional soap is made from a natural chemical reaction, known as saponification, that occurs when lye (an alkaline solution) is mixed with a vegetable or animal fat (e.g., olive oil, sunflower seed oil, tallow, lard).
A natural by-product of the saponification process is glycerin.
Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it sucks moisture from the air into hair and skin. Thus, glycerin hydrates hair, adding moisture and shine. It also smooths frizzy hair, making it great for beards.
So why not use handmade soap bars in beards?
Well, the answer is you can use real handcrafted soap in your beard, but it too comes at a risk.
Since handmade soap is made by independent artisans, you are dependent upon the crafter of any particular kind of soap to properly disclose the ingredients being used.
Also, you have to really know your ingredients and how they work (which we go over in the blog post, “Understanding the Ingredients in Beard & Mustache Products”.)
To choose a traditional soap that will moisturize, detangle and condition, you should know what ingredients add lather, condition, add shine, soften, thicken, etc. Then you must find those ingredients in a soap.
The upside to using handmade soap in your beard is that there is glycerin in these soaps. Glycerin will help soften your hair and skin as well as lock in moisture (especially for those who live in humid climates).
Another benefit is that traditional soap makers often make shampoo bars that are meant to be used on hair. This takes the guesswork out of finding soaps that will work well in hair.
The choice of whether to use a syndet bar or handmade soap in your beard is dependent upon your personal preference. However, the likelihood that these soaps will have as positive an effect as beard wash on the health of your beard is slim.
WHAT IS BEARD WASH?
That finally brings us to beard wash and what it is and is not.
Beard wash is neither a shampoo nor is it a soap.
Since the majority of washes are made “sulfate-free” (without surfactants), beard wash does not qualify as shampoo. This also eliminates it from the category of syndet bars.
Additionally, the process of making beard wash does not involve saponification, which means it cannot be classified as traditional soap.
So if beard wash is neither a shampoo nor a soap, what is it exactly?
Although there is not one true definition for a “beard wash,” it is typically a viscous liquid, gel or cream specially formulated to cleanse, condition and nourish the beard and, in some instances, the face.
Beard wash is most like traditional soap in that it uses vegetable oils, known as carrier oils, mixed with a liquid base, such as purified water, to gently wash away oil and dirt from hair and skin.
WHY IS BEARD WASH BETTER FOR YOUR BEARD?
It is the use of these carrier oils in beard wash that make it especially good for beards.
Oils like almond, argan, avocado, coconut, hemp seed and jojoba are some of those more commonly used in beard washes. These oils are what help remove the sebum buildup from beard hair and the skin underneath.
As you may remember from chemistry class, “like attracts like.” This means oil attracts oil. By using carrier oils in its formula, beard wash is able to grab hold of oily sebum and gently wash it away with the help of an emulsifier.
Beard wash contains more natural oils in its formula than does shampoo. The different qualities and beard-enhancing properties of these oils are what differentiates one beard wash from another.
Other ingredients, like the additives (e.g., proteins, vitamins, emollients, waxes, extracts) and essential oils used in beard washes are what make it better than shampoo or soap for the beard and face.
For example, tea tree oil is often found in beard wash since it is a natural antimicrobial, making it a good choice for those who struggle with rash, irritation, itch, dandruff or acne when growing a beard.
Aloe vera juice is another common ingredient in beard wash. When applied to hair it conditions and moisturizes, and it promotes hair growth by reducing irritation and inflammation of the skin. Bearded men who have dry, scaly patches of irritated skin from beard-druff or acne will appreciate the soothing and hydrating effect of aloe vera.
Some beard wash formulas, including Tubb Starr’s Uber-Moisturizing Beard Wash with Honey & Aloe use honey for its humectant and emollient properties. Tubb Starr uses Manuka Honey, a natural antiseptic, which you can read about here.
THE RIGHT WAY TO CLEANSE
Before you start to wash your beard, you should consider the temperature of your water and its hardness since both play an important role in the cleansing process.
WATER WAYS
Guess what? The temperature of the water you use to wash your beard does matter.
Washing with water that is too hot can cause many a man’s worst nightmare–HAIR LOSS!
Yep, that is no joke. Water at 105.8°Farenheit (41°Celsius) or above can cause serious damage to the hair follicles, which in turn can cause those hairs to stop growing.
Water at just 101°F (38.3°C) can change the structure of proteins in hair3. Weakened hair proteins causes hair to become frizzy, dull and prone to breakage.
Before you switch to only cold showers from now on, there is good news. So long as your water thermostat is set somewhere at 100.4°F (38°C) or below, your hair follicles and the protein structure of your hair should remain undamaged.
Water at this temperature allows the scaly cells of a hair’s cuticle to raise, allowing good stuff, like the minerals and nutrients in beard wash and conditioning treatments, to penetrate the hair strand.
Although, you may want to switch to a cold water rinse since, after massaging beard wash into the hair, cold water will cause the scales of the hair cuticle to close, sealing in all the moisture and nutrients.
So, to summarize, lather up while showering with hot water (around 100.4°F/38°C), allowing the nutrients in your beard wash and/or conditioner to penetrate the hair shaft. Then rinse with cold water (around 77°F/25°C) to seal all the good stuff in under the cuticle, making beard hair smooth and less likely to tangle or break, adding shine and reducing frizz.
Another important factor when washing is the hardness of your water.
Hard water is full of calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+).
Although calcium and magnesium are two minerals that can actually benefit hair (see explanation here), they do not react well with traditional/handmade soap and some natural/organic beard washes.
The reason for this is the Ca2+ and Mg2+ in hard water reacts with sodium salts present in soap, forming soap scum. Other than just being annoying and hard to clean off your shower and bathtub, soap scum is insoluble in water, making it a lot less effective at cleansing hair4.
Soap scum is one reason soaps made of synthetic detergents, or syndet bars, became so popular. There is no sodium salt in syndet bars since they do not go through true soap’s saponification process. Thus syndet bars and shampoo do not react with hard water and their cleansing ability remains effective.
Soft water is water that has lower magnesium and calcium ions. This means that all soaps, including beard wash and traditional/handmade soap, is unaffected by soft water and its cleaning power remains strong.
HOW TO WASH
Washing a beard is not as simple as wetting the beard, applying soap and then rinsing. There are important steps within the following outline that often are forgotten or ignored!
- Using a wide-tooth comb, take small sections of hair and comb out knots and tangles, starting near the bottom of the beard & working upward until comb does not snag;
- Then wet beard and face with warm water;
- Squeeze a quarter-size amount of beard wash/shampoo into the palm of one hand;
- Using the fingertips of both hands, massage the wash/shampoo into beard hair and the skin underneath;
- With cold water, rinse wash/shampoo from the beard and face;
- If beard hair is extremely dry, apply a conditioning treatment and let sit for the recommended time printed on the product label;
- If tackling a particularly smelly beard, use an apple cider vinegar rinse, washing out when done;
- Once done washing, conditioning & treating your beard, pat hair dry, squeezing excess into the fabric of a microfiber cloth or towel;
- Apply a beard oil to dry hair;
- Brush oil into beard hair using a brush, such as a boar bristle brush; &
- Moisturize skin of the face using a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
DON’T FORGET TO MASSAGE!
No, I am not suggesting you book a massage with a masseuse to improve your beard (although it does sound nice). I am recommending that you massage your soap of choice into your facial hair when washing.
By massaging beard wash into your facial hair and onto the surrounding skin, including underneath the hair, you are improving the circulation of blood flow to your hair follicles. An increase of blood flow to hair follicles will improve the growth and appearance of your beard.
So next time you lather up, do not forget to treat your face to a nice massage using gentle, circular strokes with your fingertips.
WHEN TO WASH
You need only wash your beard and mustache once or twice a week; however, there are many of our bearded mates out there who get dirty. Really dirty.
If you work at a job where you are outdoors a lot, or if you have a motorcycle you ride often, then you know just how dirty a beard can get.
For these folks, washing the man fuzz only a couple of times a week does not seem practical or very attractive. But we have a solution!
Tubb Starr, along with many other beard-servicing companies, sell beard washes that are natural and gentle enough to use on facial hair more than twice a week.
To find a wash that is gentle enough for daily use, be sure that it is sulfate-free and contains a hydrating ingredient, such as aloe vera or coconut water.
HOW TO CONDITION
There are two goals when conditioning a beard:
- Soften hair so that it is tangle-free and more manageable; and
- Strengthen the hair strands so that the possibility for breakage, split-ends and hair loss are reduced.
There are a slew of specialized hair treatments out there: hot oil treatments, deep-conditioning creams, leave-in products, protein rebuilding masks, etc. So how do you know which to use on your beard, if any?
Vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated fatty acids are best at penetrating deep into the hair. Not all oils are able to penetrate the shaft, so it is best to look for conditioners containing oils that do.
Some of the best vegetable oils and butters to condition beard hair, softening and strengthening the strands, include avocado oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, shea nut butter and sweet almond oil.
Conditioners heavy in oils and butters do not need to be used every day as they can eventually weigh hair down. Using treatments once every two weeks is best.
For daily use, beard oils are lighter conditioning options to help detangle and soften hair without any heaviness.
Another option for every day use is a light beard detangler that has natural ingredients, like marshmallow root and slippery elm bark. These coat hair, giving slip for less tangles and more shine.
HOW TO DRY
Hair is fragile, and beard hair that is wet is even more susceptible to damage, such as breakage, split-ends and tangles. To prevent this type of damage, there are a few things you can do to protect your beard when it is wet.
First, take the time to actually dry your beard with a cloth or towel.
Letting facial hair air dry opens the door to damage. Combs, brushes and other styling tools, as well as pillowcases, sheets and clothes made of cotton, can snag, pull and grab at wet hair. This can cause hair to tangle, break or split.
Using a microfiber cloth to dry your beard hair can be the difference between a clean, luscious beard and a dirty, dry one.
Microfiber cloths clean better than a regular towel made of cotton or nylon since van der Waals force causes the microfibers to attract even the tiniest particles of dirt5. Thus, by using one of these cloths to dry your beard, you are ensuring that it as clean as possible.
Despite the type of towel or cloth with which you choose to dry your beard, there is a technique you should follow after each wash.
Always PAT and SQUEEZE your beard dry; never rub aggressively!
Using a towel or microfiber cloth, gently dab the fabric over the hair, starting at the mustache (if you have one) and working down toward the chin. Next, working in sections, wrap the towel/cloth around any hair that extends past your chin and gently squeeze into the fabric.
Finally, blow-drying your facial hair can speed things up and allow for better styling control. Just make sure that this method of drying is not one you repeat often.
Since blow-drying the beard and/or mustache involves direct heat pointed at your face, the high temperatures can cause the skin to dry out. Over time, hair can also become very dry if certain precautions are not taken.
If you do choose to blow dry, then you should pay close attention to the styling tools suggested below as they can make all the difference where heat is involved.
BEST STYLING TOOLS
First and foremost, there is one styling tool that all bearded men should have in their styling tools arsenal: a good comb/brush.
What makes a good beard comb or brush?
As mentioned earlier in this blog series, brushes made from boar hair work great in beard hair.
Boar bristle brushes naturally stimulates the hair follicles, promoting growth. They also help carry sebum from the follicle down the shaft of the hair, which takes frizz, adds shine and protects hair.
Always brush a beard when it is dry! Brushing hair while still wet can break or tangle hair. Remove tangles before drying, using a wide-tooth comb, and then dry hair. Follow with a good brushing and beard oil.
Wide-tooth combs (rather than combs with finer teeth) are best for hair, including beards. Combs made from natural materials, like wood, work best since synthetic materials often snag hair and cause more damage.
It is also recommended that you only use a comb to work through tangles and when hair is wet.
To detangle, work in small sections near the bottom of the beard first. Then work your way upward toward the roots until you can pull the comb through that section without any snagging.
PROTECT YOUR BEARD TRESSES
After you wash your facial fuzz and comb, dry and brush it using the suggested method above, you should finish with a product to protect the hair.
It is of course optional whether you use beard products or not. However, just like we choose to use product on our heads or go au natural, the decision to use or not use a beard product can make or break your overall appearance.
There are several products on the market for beards, including balms, butters, creams, gels, sprays, tonics and waxes. So how do you know which to use and when?
The long answer lies within our next blog post to follow this one, titled “A Breakdown of Beard Products & How to Select the Right One for You”.
For now, to simply protect your beard after a thorough cleansing, apply a trusted beard oil that is made using natural ingredients and that will condition the hair.
Tubb Starr’s premium beard oil labels are formulated specifically for three types of beards: Gold Label for new or short beards; Platinum Label for long beards; and Jade Label for afro-textured or fine, curly beards.
These three labels each include oils that naturally condition, add shine and protect beard hair. These oils also are good for skin, stimulating hair follicles without clogging pores. Full of vitamins and omega fatty acids, Tubb Starr beard oils are a great start to a beard grooming routine.
To grab a FREE SAMPLE of any one beard oil label and scent, sending us an email and simply type “SEND ME SOME OIL” in the subject line.
TACKLING A SMELLY BEARD
Have you ever wondered why your partner pulls away when you swoop in for a kiss? Before you give him/her the boot, consider this: it could be your beard!
Whether it is leftover pot roast from Sunday night dinner at mom’s house, popcorn particles from last night’s date, oil clinging to your beard from your friends fish fry, or milk from this morning’s heaping bowl of cereal, food can pose a real problem in keeping a beard smelling clean and fresh.
Aside from better food management, there are a few steps you can take to avoid the mess and smell of food in your beard and its after effects.
PORTABLE BEARD WASH
Washing the beard after a meal is obviously a good idea when looking to remove food residue and odor.
Rather than carry your bottle of beard wash around with you (which would look awkward in your pocket), you can try a travel-friendly option.
Tubb Starr’s Portable Cleansing Beard Wash is all the goodness of our regular full-sized uber-moisturizing beard wash, just in a small, easy to carry pack of dissolvable washing strips. (Order now and thank us later!)
BEARD COLOGNE
Other smelly issues, such as cigarette and cigar smoke can make your partner recoil in disgust. Just as smoke clings to fabric and head hair, it will cling to your mustache and beard.
You can of course use your regular cologne or body spray to freshen your beard, but these products contain alcohol and other ingredients that can irritate your skin and eyes.
Tubb Starr’s Beard Cologne & Detangler adds a fresh, manly scent to your beard as well as helps you get through a knotted beard. This is great for combing after a shower or the in-between.
Additionally, there are a few natural deodorizing ingredients you probably already have in your home that can help eliminate odors , which we list below.
BAKING SODA
There is debate whether baking soda is helpful or harmful to hair, but the general consensus is that baking soda, when used correctly and in the correct amounts, can be useful in achieving a clean, healthy beard.
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, and using it in your beard can help rid the hair of smelly residue.
Check out the recipe below to make your own smell-busting paste.
VINEGAR
As you may already know, apple cider vinegar (“ACV”) has many uses in the home and for the body. Now you can add your beard as another thing for which ACV acts as a great natural remedy.
Using ACV as a rinse after washing your beard can help rid the hair of any leftover smells.
The pH level of ACV is very similar to that of the acid mantle of our face. This fact makes it a great natural toner for the face to rid pores of any buildup and tone skin. Using a toner with ACV, like Tubb Starr’s Hydrating & Cooling Beard & Face Toner is a great way to get rid of smells, add shine to hair, cool the face and tone skin!
As an added bonus, using an ACV rinse, like those we provide recipes for below, will make your beard shine like it never has before.
Using a spray with ACV on your beard and face, like Tubb Starr’s Hydrating & Cooling Beard & Face Tonic is a great way to easily and quickly get rid of smells, add shine to hair, cool the face and tone skin!
3 DIY RECIPES FOR YOUR BEARD
The following is for an ACV rinse that incorporates essential oils. that help to eliminate foul odors from hair. This rinse can be used as often as necessary to cleanse and freshen the beard.
The following is for another ACV rinse; however, this recipe uses essential oils. that are known to add shine to hair This rinse can be used as often as necessary to cleanse and add shine to your beard.
| ©2018 | Time: 15 mins. | Level: Easy | Yields: 34 fl. oz. |
| INGREDIENTS: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | teaspoons | Apple Cider Vinegar | |
| 1 | drop | Spearmint Essential Oil | |
| 1 | drop | Lavender Essential Oil | |
| 2 | drops | Rosemary Essential Oil | |
| 2 | cups | Distilled Water, boiling | |
| 2 | cups | Distilled Water, room temp. | |
| What you will need to make this ACV rinse: | |||
| Large Bowl (36 oz.+) | Heat-Resistant Bowl/Cup (16 oz.+) | ||
| Spray Bottle (optional) | Silicone/Stainless Steel Spoon | ||
| 34 fl. oz. Heat-Safe Container & Lid | Funnel (optional) | ||
| DIRECTIONS: | |||
| 1. | Start by pouring 2 teaspoons of the ACV into a heat-resistant bowl or cup that can hold 16+ fl. oz. | ||
| 2. | Next, carefully add the essential oils one at a time, in the order in which they are listed in the recipe above, to the bowl/cup holding the ACV. | ||
| 3. | Now, using a stainless steel or silicone spoon, stir the oils and ACV together until they are mixed together. | ||
| 4. | Into a separate bowl or cup (16+ fl. oz.), pour 2 cups of room temperature water. | ||
| 5. | Place the bowl/cup with the water in the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute. | ||
| 6. | Carefully remove the heated water from the microwave. CAUTION: LIQUID WILL BE HOT. | ||
| 7. | Now pour the hot water into a large heat-resistant container (34+ fl. oz.) by using a funnel, if necessary. | ||
| 8. | Next, pour the ACV & essential oil mixture into the same container that you just poured the heated water into. | ||
| 9. | Add 2 cups of room temperature distilled water to the same container, using a funnel, if necessary. | ||
| 10. | Finally, now that all the ingredients have been added together, securely cap the container and shake vigorously. CAUTION: CONTAINER & ITS CONTENTS WILL BE HOT. After the mixture has cooled, it is ready to use to add some shine to that beard! | ||
| 11. | TO USE IN BEARD: This rinse can be used:
After washing your beard with a beard wash/shampoo, you can either:
Then, after all hair is covered with the ACV mixture, completely rinse from beard hair using warm water. (The smell of ACV will dissipate after you rinse.) |
||
| It is recommended that you perform a SKIN PATCH TEST before full use of this recipe in your beard or on your body. | |||
| ALSO, if you want further advice as to how to make this recipe or suggestions for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact us at tstarr@tubbstarr.com. | |||
The following recipe is one using baking soda. This paste can be applied as often as necessary to remove odors from your beard.
| ©2018 | Time: 5 mins. | Level: Easy | Yields: 2 oz. |
| INGREDIENTS: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tablespoon | Baking Soda | |
| 3 | Tablespoons | Distilled Water | |
| What you will need to make this paste: | |||
| Small Bowl | Silicone/Stainless Steel Spoon | ||
| DIRECTIONS: | |||
| 1. | Measure out 1 Tablespoon of baking soda and pour into a small bowl. | ||
| 2. | Next, add 3 Tablespoons of distilled or purified water to the baking soda. | ||
| 3. | Finally, using a stainless steel or silicone spoon, stir the baking soda and water together until they are mixed together (no clumps). | ||
| 4. | TO USE IN BEARD: Using your fingertips, apply the paste to your beard, working from the roots down, and making sure you massage into the hair follicles at the roots. Let the paste sit in your beard for 1 to 3 minutes. Then, using warm water, completely rinse the paste from your hair. | ||
| PLEASE NOTE, if you want further advice as to how to make this recipe or suggestions for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact us at tstarr@tubbstarr.com. | |||
KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE
From the moment you wake to the moment your head hits the pillow, caring for your beard is a multi-step process. As mentioned in the first part of this series, beard growing is not for the faint of heart, and keeping your beard clean is not always as easy as one may think.
Many new beard-growers look at their beard hair as they do the hair on their heads. Yes, both are hair but no, they are not the same.
After reading through this article you should be ready to cleanse better and use the best tools for your beard to stay in tip-top shape. Be sure to read the next post in this series to help you choose the best beard products for your man mane.
A FULL LIST OF POSTS TO BE PUBLISHED AS A PART OF THIS TEN-PART SERIES:
- Skin Issues During Beard Growth & Their Solutions (posted June 17, 2018)
- Beard Hair Problems & Their Solutions (posted June 26, 2018)
- What Beard Style is Right for You? (posted July 1, 2018)
- How to Trim & Groom Your Mustache & Beard During All Stages of Growth (posted August 13, 2018)
- How to Cleanse Your Beard (this post)
- A Breakdown of Beard Products & How to Select the Right Ones for You (post date: pending)
- Understanding the Ingredients in Beard & Mustache Products (post date: pending)
- A Grooming Routine for the Day-to-Day & Specific Events in Your Life (post date: pending)
- Living the Healthy Beard Lifestyle (post date: pending)
- How to Make Your Beard Work for You (post date: pending)
¹ Pacardo, Mauro; Ottaviani, Monica; & Mastrofrancesco, Arianna. Sebaceous gland lipids. San Gallicano Dermatalogical Institute. March 18, 2009.
² U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Soaps & Lotions. (November 15, 2017). Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Products/ucm388824.htm.
³ Lorna. Effects of hot water on hair. Hair Momentum. May 11, 2016.
4 Did You Know? About detergents. Royal Society of Chemistry.
5 Woodford, Chris. Microfiber cleaning cloths. ExplainThatStuff! Last updated May 9, 2018.
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