You will agree with me that it is easier to grab your brush, run it through your hair, and when you are through with your hair, all you have to do is continue straight to your beard hair and give it some good brush strokes to straighten and style it just the way you prefer it.
So, the question is: “Can you use your beard brush on your hair?”
The simple answer is YES. You can use the same brush for your hair and your beard hair and trust me, the world won’t end. A lot of us are already doing it, and nothing seems to be wrong with that.
Therefore, you can always use the same brush if you have to, but as a beard enthusiast, the not too simple answer would be NO. “Why,” you ask? This post will help you understand all the reasons why you should have separate brushes for your beard and hair and why you shouldn’t share.
Sharing Might Not Be Caring
Giving both your scalp hair and your facial hair proper care will be met with appreciation from both the hair and the skin under it. Although you don’t have to use different brushes for each type of hair, it is highly recommended. Sharing tools can cause issues if proper hygiene isn’t followed. The problem is that you might be transferring bacteria or spreading harmful chemicals between your head and your face. What may not be harmful to your head skin or hair may cause irritation or damage to your facial skin and hair, so be careful!
Bacteria Transfer
The fact that you can’t see them does not mean that they are not always present. The human body plays host to billions of bacteria, and the head is no exception. There are many organisms such as bacteria, fungus, and viruses (including Covid-19) that could reside on the scalp or hair. Though your brush may look harmless, those organisms are easily transferred to the brush and can be spread from one part of the body to another.
Let’s take staphylococcus (Staph), for example. This particular bacteria lives in the nostrils and is commonly transmitted from one person to another through hair/beard brushes, bringing about swellings and boils on the scalp and skin.
So, when next you pick up your hairbrush, you need to rethink if you should use it on your beard. Even if you have been lucky by not seeing any negative impact, you should also NEVER share your brush with others. A brush is a host to millions of microbes and other contaminants that could easily be transferred to another person.
Clean and wash your brushes frequently, and replace them at regular intervals.
Spreading of Harmful Chemicals
Taking proper care of your beard is more than simply trimming it and making sure it stays that way. You need to do more than that. Your beard will need to be shampooed at regular intervals, properly oiled with good beard oil, and brushed to the desired style.
Many of the materials used for making various beard oils, shampoos, and conditioners are found in similar hair products. However, the materials used for beard hair products are watered-down, cutting out some components that are not suitable for facial skin. They are distilled down to the point that it would mostly not irritate, burn, or cause harm to your fragile facial skin when you apply them.
Some of those hair oils are not so friendly to the face when applied to beard hair. Due to contact with the skin, it may become an unintended irritant. Hence, using the same brush for your head hair and your beard hair will certainly retain some of those oils and other products. They would then transfer the products between your head and your face, causing all sorts of havoc with the health of both.
Bacteria thrives on hair and beard brushes because the human body is warm and the facial skin or scalp which contains hair is a haven for microbes. This is especially true if you use oils for moisturizing, if you sweat a lot, or if you use products that contain edible/highly perishable ingredients like olive and coconut oil.
A friend of mine once asked me why I had more than one brush when he saw three brushes in my locker. I told him, “I use one only for my hair, while the other two are for my beard hair.” That’s because out of the two brushes for my beard hair, one is for applying my beard oil while the other one is for brushing my beard hair. Also, I find it easier to clean my brushes and keep them clean when they are used for these specific purposes.
Owning A Beard Brush
A bearded man will know that a good beard brush is essential to have in his grooming kit. Apart from making it easy to straighten or style your beard, they will help you clean your beard leaving it well-kept and neat.
Your beard grooming journey could be even easier if you have the right brush for every occasion, that is, if you would like to spend a few bucks and invest in good quality brushes. Top quality beard brushes are enjoyable to use, will make your beard feel really comfortable, and make you feel confident when you sculpt and style your facial hair with ease.
Parts of a Beard-Brush
There are many types of beard brushes out there, so it pays to learn a bit about them before you invest your money. Let’s discuss brush types and what you should consider when getting a brush for your beard hair.
1. Brush Material
Most brush handles are usually made of wood or plastic. They both have their advantages and limitations. Wooden brushes, especially those made of bamboo are usually of great quality and feel really nice in the hand. Plastic brushes on the other hand are water-resistant and are easier to clean. With a wooden brush, you should avoid soaking the wooden part of the brush with water for extended periods of time.
2. Brush Bristles
Brush bristle material should also be considered a very important part of choosing a brush. Brush bristles are usually made of either synthetic or natural materials like horse or boar hair.
A good brush bristle should have a superb density. This will ease the brushing of hair with stubborn tangles with less need to pull strongly, risking breakage.
Brush bristles made of natural materials are usually better at spreading oil all around your beard to give it that desired shine and softness. Another advantage of natural bristles is that they help massage your skin, exfoliating it while also removing impurities from your beard and leaving both skin and beard clean.
3. Brush Handle
Beard hair brushes come in different shapes, design, and sizes. Some of these brushes have a long extended handle protruding from the brush body, while some brushes don’t have handles at all.
While there are both advantages and limitations to having a handle, your personal choice of brush will be the major determining factor here. As long as it fits your hand exactly how you want it, then you should go for it.
4. Brush Stiffness
The stiffness of a brush bristle is also very important when choosing a good brush. For instant boar hair bristles are quite stiff and are good for straightening beard hair tangles and give you that neat appearance.
Stiffness can be a good thing, gents, including when it comes to your beard brush’s bristles.
Making a choice for the best brush for your beard hair, is basically choosing a brush that is much comfortable when using it, a brush that can spread oil, and a brush that can really brush your hair and get rid of tangles.
Cleaning Your Beard Brush
Having a good brush is awesome, and you need to learn how to clean and maintain your brushes. Keeping your brushes clean will make them last longer and contribute to maintaining overall good hygiene. Besides, maintaining and taking good care of your brush will contribute to good beard health.
-
How Often Should I Clean My Brush?
When it comes to cleaning of your brushes, there are really no iron rules regarding how often you need to clean them. It mostly depends on the types of beard products you use and how frequently you use them. If you are the type that regularly uses oil, gel, wax, spray, or styling cream, then you should endeavor to clean your brush at least once in a week.
-
How To Clean Your Brush
To remove oil, dirt, and hair products that might have built-up on your brush, you will need to clean your brush the right way. Hold the base or handle of your brush and swirl the bristles around in warm water (do not dip the wooden part into water if you own a wooden brush).
After swirling it for a few seconds, add a few drops of a mild shampoo to the bristles of your beard brush and then use a toothbrush to gently scrub the already wet and shampooed bristles of your beard brush. Rinse by swishing the bristles in warm, clean water. Once fully rinsed, then let it dry by leaving it with bristles facing upward. You can find the full article on How to Wash and Clean a Beard Brush in 5 Steps here.
Conclusion
Beard brushes are more than just minor accessories and grooming kit tools. They are essential for every bearded man! In order to achieve and maintain a healthy, neat, and clean looking beard, you definitely want to have one.
Remember not to share your brushes with another person. If you have been in the habit of using your beard brush for your hair, or vice versa, it will be a worthy investment to acquire and use separate brushes. You can avoid lots of issues with your skin and beard by doing just that.
No matter what type of brush you use for your beard, remember to always keep it clean!
