How To Brush Your Beard The Correct Way

With a few bristled tools and a whiskered mane to match, controlling, fine-tuning, and refreshing your beard becomes a one-two step in a world of 12-step routines.

But once you pick up a beard brush and comb, you may find yourself staring into the mirror, wondering how to brush your beard properly. It’s okay to ask questions! Just because these whiskers grew from your cheeks doesn’t mean every bit of beard knowledge automatically sprouted with them.

Follow our quick guide, and you’ll soon know how to brush beard hair like a pro.

A Refresher on Combs and Brushes

Before we get into when and how to comb beard hair, let’s take a quick look at the difference between the glorious beard products we know as beard combs and brushes:

• Beard comb – The wider teeth of a beard comb, put less strain on your beard, which makes them extraordinarily useful for detangling without damage. They are also handy for doing precise styling and especially helpful for those with a longer beard to first detangle before refining with a beard brush.
• Beard brush – Typically made of boar bristles, brushes cover more surface area and will help you define your beard’s overall shape. If used routinely, boar hair beard brushes will also help train your beard to grow in the direction you want. 

We recommend a beard comb with wider teeth if you have a longer beard style, and narrower teeth if you have a shorter beard style,  or for spot styling. As far as the best beard brush goes, a boar bristle beard brush is recommended for all beard types. 

Now that you’ve got your tools in order, let’s get down to combing and brushing. 

A Step-by-Step Guide to Combing and Brushing

Most guys prefer to comb and brush their beards right after showering (or after a long, luxurious bath if that’s your thing). Basically, the best time to brush is during your getting-ready routine.

We recommend the following steps:

• Step 1: Start with a clean beard – Always wash your face and clean your beard with a good beard wash before brushing. You don’t want to spread any grease or food particles around when styling your beard. Maintaining a healthy and moisturized beard will also cut down on beard dandruff, split ends, and other common difficulties.¹
• Step 2: Comb out any tangles when your beard is still wet – This is especially important for guys with longer beards. Using your beard comb gently eases out any tangles or clumps that may have formed during your shower. Remember that your beard is at its most fragile when it’s wet, so handle it with care. 
• Step 3: Let your beard dry and apply the proper beard grooming products – Brushing a wet beard can be stressful on your facial hair, so you want it pretty dry before you begin. If you use beard oil to fight off beard itch and a sooth dry beard hair, now is the perfect time to apply it. The brushing you’re about to do will help distribute that oil around your beard. 
• Step 4: Brush upward first – Whenever we talk about how to properly use a beard brush, the most popular question is whether to brush up or down. The answer is both! You’ll want to start by brushing your beard up and out, beginning from your neck and working up toward the cheeks. This will get all your beard hair facing the same direction and make it easier to style. It will also give you a fun finger-in-the-socket look. 
• Step 5: Now, brush downward – Start at your cheeks and brush downward in the direction your facial hair naturally grows. Go slowly, and don’t force it if you feel any resistance. You want to be styling your beard as you brush, working it toward your desired shape. With routine brushing, you’ll find your beard becomes easier and easier to manage. 
• Step 6: Apply beard balm or beard cream – If you use beard balm or beard cream for that extra hold or its moisturizing properties preventing beard split ends, now is the time to put it on. 
• Step 7: Clean your comb and brush – Now that your beard is on point, make sure to gently clean your comb and brush with a wet paper towel. Letting loose hair and debris accumulate in your brush can lead to bacteria, and you don’t want that on your face. 

Helpful Tips: Longer or more textured beard styles may benefit from a beard balm to keep stray hairs at bay.

How Often Should I Brush and Why Does It Matter?

With a thorough brushing like the one we outlined above, we recommend sticking to a routine of once per day. Anything more than that can stress out your beard.

However, if your beard needs some perking up throughout the day (like after a nap or when you take off a mask), it’s more than okay to use your comb or brush to restyle it. 

Ultimately, brushing your beard hair each day helps to:

• Stimulate hair growth
• Untangle pesky knots
• Clean and style your beard
• Distribute any products, like beard growth oils and moisturizers

Brushing Up With The Beard Club

To maintain your beard, you’re going to need a good beard care routine. Start with a clean, washed slate, then combine the beard-harnessing powers of your brush, comb, and oils to untangle and style your beard.

But you don’t have to grow it alone—that’s our motto here at The Beard Club. And we mean it. We love beards—growing them, styling them, and teaching our bearded bros everything we know about them.

We also have all the styling and men’s grooming tools you need to grow a great-looking beard.

Our Boar Bristle Beard Brush is the perfect tool for gently taming beards of all lengths and textures. And now that you’re a master groomer, you’ll probably want to show off those skills on the go with our Folding Beard Comb. Just wait for the day that some newly bearded guy asks how to use a beard brush—you can whip out your comb and deliver an impromptu lecture.

It’s The Beard Club way, after all.

Sources: 

1. Yale Medicine. Keeping Your Pandemic Beard? Solve Skin Problems Caused by Your Facial Hair. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/beard-mustache-skin-problems