Beard Care 101: How to Grow and Groom a Legendary Beard

When committing to grow a legendary beard, too many men assume all they need to do is stop shaving. That with a little patience and persistence, their beard will arrive looking shaped and groomed. That in one short month, they'll be enjoying their new and distinguished look.

Indeed, a beard can leave you feeling more attractive and confident.

But only with the right growing and grooming tips; otherwise, you risk looking like a vagrant. Beard hair is also notoriously coarse and must be properly moisturized and softened to stop that aggravating itch.

In this guide, we'll cover all the vital tips and tricks you need to know in your quest to grow and groom your legendary beard.

Crossing the Threshold

The early stages are the hardest. Fresh, clean-shaven cheeks are still a recent memory, and there's an immense temptation just to shave it all off. Be patient! Commit to at least one month of no shaving to see what you're working with. Don't start micromanaging your follicles, either.

Just do nothing.

If you're feeling a little self-conscious about the whole experience, start growing during your vacation. Or work from home for a few days to get the ball rolling. Otherwise, man up and own your decision. As the old saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy.

Office banter is likely to be the least of your worries, however.

Battling the Itch

After just a few sweet days of stopping shaving, the itch sets in. The most obvious solution is not to scratch. Itching at your beard disrupts the hair follicles and only exacerbates the problem. Instead, splash a little cold water around the stubble. It soothes the skin for a little while.

The best solution, however, is to apply beard oil from day one. By nourishing the skin and follicles, you reduce the irritation plaguing the early beard days. A healthy dose of conditioner in the shower is also a solid choice.

Wielding Your Trimmer

Around a month in, you'll be able to assess your full growth. Take note of any patchy areas or bare spots. These will largely dictate the kind of beard you want to grow. You can't go full Dumbledore, if you've only got a thin mustache and goatee.

Beware, however, that if you're in your teens or twenties, you've likely got some extra growth in the next few years. So don't despair - as, with all things bearded, the key is patience.

Different quantities of facial hair and different face shapes can help determine the kind of beard style you want.

If it's patchy on the sides but with good growth on the mustache and chin, try out a Van Dyke.

For round faces, shaping a full beard into a Ducktail helps lengthen the face. Whereas rectangular or oblong faces should keep bulk on the side to fill out their face.

But if you've got good growth and an oval face, almost all styles are suitable.

Crafting Your Beard

There are two key areas to focus on:

• Neckline
• Cheek line

These two borders form the defining areas of the beard. Failure to define a neckline will leave you with a neckbeard, and without a solid cheek line, your beard can look distinctly unkempt.

For your neckline, trimming everything below the top of your Adam's apple is advisable. To see where to trim, place the back of your hands flat against your chin - thumbs behind your ears. As a rule, everything not covered should be shaved - obviously, maintain a clean line.

Remember to go slow: once trimmed, the hair cannot readily be regrown.

For your cheek line, avoid going too low. Here, you'll want to follow what nature provides closely. Just make sure to trim any outlying hairs, but without giving too definite an edge. That can leave your beard looking over-styled.

Keep the Beard Oiled

You'll want to apply beard oil daily to soften the hairs and keep the beard pliable. If you don't, grooming your beard can become a nightmare. Less beardcraft, more hacking your way through brambles.

The difficulty is finding a beard oil right for you. Luckily, here at Beard Sorcery, we have a phenomenal selection of beard oils from which to pick. So, find the scent that works for you!