8 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Grew My Beard

If you’re trying to grow your beard, you’re among good company! Hundred of thousands of men have charted this path before you. That’s why we scoured the Internet and included tips from our Smoky Mountain Beards experts to develop a list of helpful tips for anyone who is just starting his beard growth journey or needs a little help to keep going. 

There are a lot of lotions and potions out there, but there really aren’t any magic pills when it comes to length. You can hope, pray, poke, and rub, but there’s not much that’s going to change the reality of the way beards (and all hair for that matter) grows.

In good conditions, hair grows at a rate of about a half inch per month. For perspective, that means it takes four months for the average guy to get one inch or growth.  Even if you’re a beard care expert, expecting a foot of growth in a year is unrealistic. Instead, focus on retaining the length that you’re naturally given by sticking to a quality beard care routine. 

Make no mistake about it, oil is essential for your beard. However, it’s really important to understand the essential need that it provides. Beard oil conditions, softens, and seals in moisture. Oil does not provide moisture. Moisture is wetness, and water is the only thing that can make something wet. 

If you apply nothing but oil to a dry beard, you’re sealing in dryness, making your beard even drier. Water, and not necessarily a lot of it, always comes first, and then you add oil to seal in the moisture. 

There’s a fallacy out there that cutting off your beard is the solution to major beard problems. Cutting off your beard only means that your growth journey will start back over. There’s nothing wrong with starting with a clean slate if that’s what you want, but don’t go into it believing that shaving is going to solve your beard problems.

These are the things that will NOT happen just because you shave your beard off:

• It will grow back faster
• It will become healthier
• Split ends won’t come back

We’re not trying to point fingers here, but problems with your beard are often the result of problems with your beard care routine. It’s not rocket science, but you do need to test things out and make adjustments for your unique skin care needs.

Your beard needs to be clean, and you shouldn’t use harsh body cleansers or shampoo that strip it of its moisture. Instead, use our Big Beard Soap that’s tough on dirt but gentle on the sensitive skin of your face. It needs moisture from water, and you need to seal it in with the right amount of oil. Not too much. Not too little. 

Genetics play a role in how your beard grows. That’s why you probably have a lot of chest hair if your dad does. That’s why you and your grandpa have a similar hairline, even if he’s balding and you’re not. Patchiness in your beard can be a result of genetics. Don’t beat up on yourself if all your efforts fail to reduce one spot of patchiness. 

Point blank: You’re not going to have a great beard if you don’t take care of your skin. Acne, ingrown hairs, and breakouts will absolutely hold you back in your beard growth journey. If you’ve got the habit of not washing your face at all or using whatever old harsh soap you use on the rest of your body for your face, it’s time to start a new habit. 

Even if you have been good at taking care of your face, you’re going to have to up the ante, especially as your beard starts to grow. The hair underneath your beard (We affectionately call it chin skin.) is subject to neglect if you’re not careful. Especially if you have a luscious full beard, you’re going to have to be intentional at reaching your fingers underneath and in between all of your beard hair to make sure your precious chin skin doesn’t miss out on any of the TLC it needs.

Exfoliation is not just for women at the spa. Your beard and chin skin needs exfoliation from time to time. Product build-up, sweat, and all kinds of debris can get trapped in your beard and clog up your pores, leading to skin problems. A routine of exfoliation takes care of that problem. 

Exfoliation can happen with a cleanser or cream that has exfoliants. It can also be as simple as gently agitating your skin with a washcloth, or, even better, using a boar bristle brush to scratch your beard down to the roots. Take it from us, that boar bristle brush is a really satisfying feeling. 

We often think of beards as being tough, manly, and rugged. That’s how they look, but beards are still just hair, millimeters thin strands of proteins and dead skin cells. If your rake your nails through your beard with reckless abandon, you can cause split ends. If you brush or comb your beard like a madman, you can rip your hair out. Respect the beard. Be gentle with it.

Your beard is your beard. It doesn’t have to be a certain length, have a certain texture, or look a certain way. Take care of your beard, and remain confident in what you’re doing and how you look. This is a journey. Enjoy every moment of it, and don’t try to rush it. Stay Beard Confident!

Take it from an old pro. Keep these beard care tips in mind, and you’ll enjoy your beard growth journey.