While the sun does provide all sources of life to our planet, it can still have its setbacks when it comes to your skin. Skin experts advise everyone to apply sunscreen. Nevertheless, you might be wondering if your facial hair can protect your face from the sun’s side effects.
Applying sunscreen on your beard is still worth it. The sun can penetrate through shorter beards and stubbles, leaving the skin vulnerable to sun damage and aging. Longer beards may provide stronger protection, but sunscreen is still advised by most skin specialists.
Focusing on your skin protection from the sun is crucial. Stick around to get a better idea of why sunscreen is worth applying to your beard and more.
Can You Really Apply Sunscreen on Your Beard?
In some cases, men’s skincare is somewhat overlooked. Your skincare routine might just consist of soap and water. It’s time to consider a more well-rounded regimen.
Sun protection is specifically more vital for men’s health. According to a study, men are usually more susceptible to melanoma. Men aged 65 are twice as likely to get the skin disease as women of the same age.
The research delved into why this is and found that men are less aware of how harmful sun rays can be to their skin. Since most women’s skincare and cosmetics also contain some quantity of Sun Protection Factor (SPF), it’s understandable why men are more likely targets of melanoma.
When it comes to your beard, SPF is worth considering for several reasons. Believe it or not, hair sunscreen is a real thing, and it can offer the best protection for your beard strands and the skin under it as well.
Unsurprisingly, the sun can dry out your beard. A dry beard is an itchy one that can worsen conditions like beardruff.
Can Your Beard Offer Sun Protection?
You might not reach out for the sunscreen lotion if you believe your beard is thick enough. It would be wise to rethink that habit.
Picture your skin as some sort of wool mask around your face. Now, the Skin Cancer Foundation only provides its seal of approval if clothes and fabrics offer at least 30 Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF).
Even the bushiest of beards only offer around 20 UPF. A mere stubble can give you 2 UPF. With that in mind, we hope you’ll reconsider and reach for that sunscreen more often.
Can the Sun be Harmful to Your Beard?
The answer can go both ways. On one side, the sun can supply your beard with the essential vitamin D it needs to develop a healthier growth state. That’s mostly because vitamin D helps in testosterone production, which is the hormone largely responsible for your beard growth.
On the other hand, too much sun exposure can suck all the moisture out of your beard. Even if you have some beard oil on as a layer, the sun can easily burn it off and continue to perforate through your beard hair.
Having said that, you need to find the perfect balance between getting the essential vitamin D dosage and protecting your beard from drying out. You can stay in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes per day, but not more than that.
Research indicates that the best time to get out and about in the sun is during noon, when the sun is at its highest. If your work or lifestyle requires you to always be outdoors, then sunscreen is a necessity.
How to Apply Sunscreen to Your Beard
If you’re new to skincare, you might be thinking about the order in which you should apply each product.
The good news is that it’s a short process that mainly involves three important portions of every beard care routine: cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting. Check out our easy guide on how to apply sunscreen to your beard.
Step 1: Cleanse Your Beard
We always recommend starting with a clean slate. First off, you’ll want to give your facial hair a good wash to get rid of all the buildup from previous products applied and pollutants.
The best cleanser you can use is a specified beard shampoo. You can do this while in the shower or getting ready for work. Just make sure to gently scrub your beard to get the most out of the products you’ll be using next.
Step 2: Moisturize Your Beard
After cleansing your beard, it’s time to reintroduce moisture to your facial locks. You can first use a conditioner to detangle your beard. Then, make sure to wash it off and pat your beard dry.
Step 3: Apply Sun Protection
Here’s where you might be wondering, should you apply sunscreen or oil first? Both ways can be suitable, but you would get more benefits from the sunscreen if it’s applied first.
Putting sunscreen on freshly washed facial hair will allow it to last longer as opposed to applying it on slippery oily strands.
Step 4: Repeat
Skin and facial hair care are all about consistency. If you follow the routine every once in a while, you won’t achieve the same results as following it daily.
If you leave your beard unkempt for a while, simply slathering on sunscreen and calling it a day might not cut it. A proper routine will ensure you get the most out of each product you use.
What to Consider When Applying Sunscreen to Your Beard
Before you go ahead and purchase sunscreen, there are a few points worth considering. Here are some of them below.
- Your average skin sunscreen might initially feel unpleasant and greasy when applied. We advise opting for a hair sunscreen for better results and feel especially spray-on options.
- Check the SPF on your sunscreen and make sure it’s at least around 30.
- If your beard is color dyed, then make sure to focus on your beard’s moisture after putting on the sunscreen or find a highly moisturizing sunscreen product.
- Go for the chemical sunscreens rather than the physical ones. The latter tends to have a white cast finish that might peak through darker beards.
- Applying a chemical sunscreen would mean that you need to wait at least about 15 to 20 minutes before exiting your home. The sunscreen will need some time to soak up on your skin to deter all the sun rays from coming your way.
- Make sure to apply the sunscreen liberally. Generally, your whole body needs about an ounce, so 0.04 oz should be enough for your facial hair. Apply more if your beard is longer or thicker.
To Conclude
Being kind to your beard will show. Applying sunscreen to your beard is worth it to protect it from all the damaging rays that can leave the facial hair feeling brittle to the touch.
By taking the needed considerations, you’ll be able to pick out the right hair sunscreen to keep your beard be shiny and healthy, especially for the summer months.
Check out our article, “Does a Beard Protect Your Skin? Here’s the Truth!” to know more about the advantages of having facial hair.
