When you set out to grow a beard, you’re committing to spending the time, effort and patience to grow something great. When I first started growing mine, I figured I’d just have to stop shaving and wait and I’d grow a glorious mane right there on my face. Boy, was I wrong. Within 2 weeks, I had the itchiest, most irritated face I’d ever had and my beard was patchy, dry and just plain horrible. I was determined to grow a beard but the temptation to shave was lingering in my mind the whole time.
I knew that people wouldn’t do it if this is how it was for everyone, so I set out to find out why it felt so bad and how to fix it. I had to scour the web watching videos, reading articles and joining forums to find the answers I needed. This guide is meant for people in that same place who are just starting to grow their beard and looking for everything they need to know. But this time it will all be in one place! You can thank me later.
More Than Just Products
You’re probably expecting me to list out a bunch of grooming tools and products that are going to help you on your journey and send you on your way. I will be listing tools, but there’s something way more important that I want to cover before I get into all that. Growing a great beard is about way more than just going out and buying products. You need mental fortitude to get through the tough times, ignore the remarks from the unbearded when you hit that awkward stage and to avoid those beard habits that have a tendency to ruin beards right from the start. Growing a great beard is a trial of your ability to go against the grain and test your own willpower when times get tough.
To be successful in your beard growth journey, you’ll need a community of like-minded men who are somewhere further along the path you’re setting out on to give you advice as you hit new points in the journey. You’ll even want to find people who are at the same point as you so you can talk about what works and what doesn’t as you both learn. Fortunately for you, we’re building that community right here. All of our efforts go to helping you grow your beard and have someone to talk to when you need some guidance or want to share a new accomplishment! You can join the community on any of our social media channels, follow our blog by joining our newsletter, and you can always reach out to us directly at hello@jcgrooming.com and we’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.
You may also want to read through our blogs and watch our YouTube channel to get some solid advice on things like beard oil basics, how to style your beard, and the difference between beard oil and beard balm. We have all kinds of great educational content out there to help you grow the beard of your dreams.
The Products You’ll Need
When people ask me what they need to start growing their beard, I always tell them not to go out and buy everything all at once. If for whatever reason you decide that it’s not the right time, it doesn’t make you feel great or if you find out you have to shave it off for other reasons, you don’t want to be stuck with tons of products you can’t use. On the other hand, if you’re certain you want it and having everything you need will help you see it through you may choose to go all in and get everything you need.
I’ve broken down the products by beard age so you know what you’ll need in the beginning (bare minimum to get started, low risk investment) to get yourself started the right way and then once you know you’re going to keep it you’ll be able to get everything else you need to make it work.
Months 0-3
For a young beard like this, you’re going to really want to focus on keeping the hair soft and the skin moisturized and exfoliated. This will keep your hair from getting itchy, dry and scratchy against your skin. It will also prevent flaking and help promote healthier growth in the young beard.
The products I recommend for a young beard are:
Boar’s Bristle Beard Brush
The beard oil will be your best friend. Applied once to twice daily, it will keep your beard moisturized and keep the skin beneath it healthy to prevent thin brittle hairs, itchiness, redness, and flaking skin.
The beard butter can be applied the same way as the beard oil, but it works really well over top of the oil as part of your evening beard care routine. It will coat the hair and skin and create an invisible barrier between your beard and the elements to trap in moisture and condition your hair and skin deeply. Butter will even give just enough hold to help you style it as it gets a bit wild.
The boar’s bristle beard brush will be the key to training your growth in a uniform direction and exfoliating the skin. It will help you lay wild hairs down and even encourage blood flow to the face to help spur growth! There are tons of other reasons to use a boar’s bristle beard brush, so definitely look at picking one up as your first beard grooming tool.
Months 3+
After 3 months you’ll have a good idea of how your beard will look and if you want to keep it. You’ll probably also be looking to get it trimmed for the first time and start styling. That’s why I recommend getting some styling products in addition to the products you already have from your 1-3 month beard.
The products I recommend for a full beard:
Boar’s Bristle Beard Brush
Wooden Beard Comb
Natural Soap or Beard Wash
The balm will provide some styling power and another way to condition the hair in your beard. Paired with a wooden comb you’ll be able to style your beard and give it that nice controlled look people love with added fullness.
The natural soap or beard wash should be used 2-3 times a week to keep your beard healthy and clean. Make sure you use it sparingly and always follow it up with a beard oil to keep oils in the beard for moisture. Using it too frequently and forgetting to use oil right after will cause a very dry beard.
I really hope this is helpful for those new guys out there looking to grow a beard or those friends and family members that support them on their journey. I encourage you to look for natural products to make sure you’re not hurting your beard more than helping it. At The Gentlemen’s Lounge, we’re proud to hand-craft every single product we sell. All of our products are made by hand, packaged, and shipped in-house so that we can maintain complete control over the quality of our products. We’d love to be a part of your beard growth journey. Click here to see our full collection!
