Beard Comb vs. Brush: How and When To Use Them for Your Beard

The men you see walking down the street with those gorgeous, manly beards weren't born that way. 

Sure, genes play a significant role in the beard you grow, but it takes meticulous care to create an environment where a beard can thrive. It takes even more work to style that bad boy!

Many men aren't in the tax bracket that allows for bi-weekly trips to the barber for beard maintenance — which is where The Beard Club comes in. Our community advocates for healthy facial hair, and we won't stop until every man who needs help gets the help they need. 

An essential aspect of beard health and growth is styling tools fit for the job. The two main tools most people already know about are the beard comb and the beard brush. If your beard is the bread and butter of your look, these handheld weapons of mass attraction are the knife.

You may wonder: "Why do I need both a beard comb and a brush? I only use one or the other for my hair, which always seems to work fine. Don't I only need one or the other for my beard too?" 

Here's the thing: the hair on your head is drastically different from the hair on your face. You probably notice this due to differences in color, thickness, growth rate, and growth patterns; however, there is much more to it than that. Where your beard hair grows matters because your face's skin needs more care than your scalp. 

While hair styling may call for situations where you only need one tool, beard care is entirely different. The comb and brush don't only have unique styling methods, but they also directly impact your beard's health.

What's the Difference Between a Beard Comb and a Beard Brush?

A beard comb gets its initial use right out of the gate. 

When you exit the shower having cleaned your long, luscious beard with some quality beard shampoo, you might find that your beard got tangled up and knotted in the process. It's the price you have to pay for a clean beard,

Luckily, a beard comb works wonders by untangling any unruly knots. The comb helps you out after a shower and keeps helping until you put the finishing touches on your beard. From detangling your clean beard to shaping and styling it, a beard comb is a lifesaver.

The beard brush takes a different approach and helps beards in its own way. After that beard is clean and patted dry, you need to put your beard growth oil on it. However, an issue many bearded men run into is getting oil on the entire beard. If you use a beard brush in this process, the brush distributes products evenly throughout your beard.

The brush isn't just ideal for oils either; it works with beard balms and beard waxes as well. The oil contains all the essential nutrients for your beard, so you want them evenly spread throughout it. 

You know how your beard always seems to itch? The beard brush is the perfect alternative for scratching that itch by hand. Instead of scratching and itching, try brushing. The brush's soft bristles can gently get the job done while giving you a clean, groomed look.

Beard Comb Breakdown

Now that we've hit a general overview of the beard comb and beard brush differences, let's dive beard-first into the beard comb's uses so that you can know how and when to pull this tool out of your grooming kit.

Beard combs are indeed a product for men with long beards. Even though all men's beards grow at different rates, it is usually best to invest in a beard comb after a few months of your scruff growing out. This is when styling and detangling become increasingly tricky feats to accomplish. 

We love combs for longer beards because they are easy to handle, which is especially helpful if you take showers in the morning and are prone to grogginess. A sleepy bearded man needs all the simplicity and help he can get. Plus, packing a folding comb up for traveling or sliding it into a pocket when you're on the go is easy.

As we discussed earlier, the comb easily detangles your beard after you finish washing it in the shower. There's nothing more frustrating than being in a rush and dealing with painful knots in your beard that won't seem to come out. Just grab the comb and work it through those knots from bottom to top.

If you trim your beard, a comb is essential because you can line up your beard hairs length-wise and give them an equal trim across. It works excellently for swooping beard styles that need bulk amounts of hair moved in one direction or another.

To summarize, these are the crucial times to use a beard comb:

1. When your beard gets long.
2. If you need simplicity.
3. When you need something that can travel.
4. Detangling your beard after getting out of the shower.
5. Trimming your beard.
6. Styling your longer beard

Beard Brush Breakdown

The beard brush is not better or worse than the beard comb; it simply covers the bases that the beard comb doesn't. 

These two tools are a pair and work mighty fine together. If you are considering growing any length of beard, then you'd better invest in a beard brush. It's not just a styling agent; as we'll see, it's an essential dermatological tool. 

While it is essential to shampoo your beard regularly, you can also use a beard brush as a cleaning agent. Brushing out your beard exfoliates the skin underneath and spreads out any oils collected or diminished throughout the day. This process works similarly to how a cat keeps itself clean with its rough tongue.

It works well for styling shorter beards because it can drag the hair in any direction you want them to go, whereas in this situation, a comb would be almost useless since the hairs aren't long enough for it to move them. The beard brush can start to train your beard how you want it to grow.

Finally, as mentioned previously, the beard brush works amazingly with oils, balms, and waxes. Applying those supplements with your hands would take forever, so the beard brush is an efficient tool.

To summarize, these are the crucial times to use a beard brush:

1. For exfoliating your skin.
2. Styling shorter beards.
3. Training your beard's growth direction.
4. Even application of beard oils, balms, and waxes.

Summary

A beard brush and a beard comb aren't items you need to choose between. Both are essential to your beard's health and appearance.

The beard brush does essential direction training while keeping your beard healthy and looking its best throughout the day. In contrast, the beard comb styles long, unruly beards better than anything else and protects you from a tangled mess — even on the go.

As your beard grows, you'll find that you need both tools often, and you'll be happy you invested in them. If you stayed true from the beginning and took the necessary steps to protect and cultivate your beard, then before too long, you'll be the man walking down the street with that gorgeous, manly beard.

The beard comb and beard brush are like peanut butter and jelly. They're solid by themselves but perfect together.

Sources:

Human Hair Morphology: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study on a Male Caucasoid and a Computerized Classification of Regional Differences | Utah State University

Best Essential Oils for Your Beard | Genesis College

Are Beards Good or Bad for Men's Health? | University of Utah

The deep-cleaning power of cat tongues | AAHA