If you’re thinking of dyeing your beard, you’ve got a lot of factors to consider. First of all, congrats for being Beard Confident enough to make a big style change. Here are a few factors you need to  keep in mind:

The Second Time Around

Unless you’re using temporary dye for a costume, dyeing your beard is going to be a commitment. Whether you’re dyeing your beard to cover your grays or just for a new look, you’re going to need to dye your roots again and again. 

Dye is a chemical that your hair needs to absorb. From one strand to the next and one application to the next, the rate of absorption may be a little different. While you shouldn’t expect your beard to be two or three different colors, be prepared for a little bit of variation. 

Should the Beard Match the Hair?

You do you! There’s no law out there that says that your beard has to be the same color as your hair. If you want your beard to appear the same color as your hair, keep something in mind. 

Color is a reflection of light. Straight hair reflects a lot more light than hair with any sort of texture. If your beard has texture, remember that different areas on a single strand of textured hair may reflect light very differently. 

The same color can appear to be very different on the hair of your head and the hair of your beard if your beard is a different texture. If you want your beard and your hair to match, some barbers suggest dyeing your beard just a little lighter than your hair. If your hair is jet black, dye your beard off black. If your hair is dark brown, dye your beard a lighter brown. 

What Color Should You Dye Your Beard?

It kind of goes without saying, but your beard is on your face. The dyed hair is going to be right up against your skin. Be prepared for the drastic way that dyeing your beard can change the appearance of your face. Some colors are complimentary and others are contrasting. Some colors cancel each other out. One color can enhance another or make another look dull. 

Think about the color of your eyes and the undertones in your skin. Whether your skin is incredibly fair or a much deeper complexion, the best colors for your face will deal more with whether your skin has warm or cool undertones. 

One trick for determining what kind of undertones you have is looking at the veins on the back of your wrist. If they are blue, you’ve got cool undertones. If they are green, you’ve got warm undertones. For warm undertones, cool colors are better. For cool undertones, warm colors are better. 

In addition to choosing the right color, one of the best pro tips we can offer is to use beard dye. Manufacturers make dye, especially for the beard. Beard dye is a whole lot kinder to your skin, and the end results are much better.