Gray hair has come to be associated with wisdom, but not every man wants to be identified as a sage from their beards! Dyeing your beard could be because your beard is the wrong color, or you want to look younger, have patchy stubble, or simply want to stand out from the crowd. Whatever your reasons for dyeing your beard stubble, you may want to learn how to do it properly to prevent potential embarrassment or self-consciousness, if that is how you feel.
Dyeing your beard stubble is not complicated, but you should know how to do it correctly. Here’s how:
- Perform a patch test.
- Clean your face and beard thoroughly.
- Apply Vaseline to your facial skin.
- Prepare the beard dye if necessary.
- Apply the beard dye on your stubble.
- Assess your results.
- Wash your beard with a beard cleanser.
There is more to dyeing your stubble than simply buying a beard dye and slapping it all over your beard hair! Some dyes contain chemicals that you won’t want anywhere near your body, let alone your face. And there are certain tests involved in dyeing your beard. This post will take you through all you need to know about dying your beard stubble.
Can You Dye Beard Stubble?
Certainly!
Dyeing is not reserved exclusively for long-bearded men; you can dye your beard to any color of your choice, whether it is a short beard, medium stubble, or a fairly long one like an Amish beard.
The only thing you need to keep in mind is applying the dye moderately to give your stubble a natural look.
Is It Safe to Dye Your Beard?
It is absolutely safe to dye your beard, as long as you use the right type of product for your skin type. Of course, irritation, redness, and other allergic reactions can occur if you use a product that doesn’t match your skin type.
Fortunately, before you finish reading this blog post, you will have a good idea of what products are safe and which ones to avoid at all costs.
What’s In a Good Quality Beard Dye?
Not all dyes are created equally. The best options are those with natural or organic ingredients. Consider buying another brand if you find any of the following ingredients in a dye:
- Ammonia
- P-phenylenediamine
- Peroxide
- Resorcinol
- Diaminobenzene
- Toluene-2, 5-diamine
These chemicals can cause severe allergic reactions. If you don’t want to end up with nasty redness all over your beard area, it is best to go for dyes that contain natural and organic ingredients.
How to Dye Your Beard Stubble
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to dye your stubble like a pro.
First, you’ll need to get organized before you start applying dye to your stubble. That means you should gather all the supplies you need and keep them handy throughout the process.
The materials you’ll need include:
- Beard dye.
- Vaseline.
- Rubber gloves.
- Applicator (some products come with a mascara-type brush).
- Paper towels for cleaning up mess and stains.
- Tint remover or alcohol-based wipes (to remove dye quickly from areas of your skin that you colored inadvertently).
- Old T-shirts or any clothing that you don’t mind staining. Alternatively, you can go topless.
Step 1: Perform a Patch Test
Mix a bit of your dye and apply it to a less-noticeable part of your body. Inside your forearm or behind your ear are perfect spots. Leave it on for an entire day before washing off with soap. Choose another product if you notice inflammation, redness, or any form of irritation.
Step 2: Clean Your Face and Beard Thoroughly
Your face has natural oils in it that can make it difficult for the dye to stick to your beard hair. Washing your face will remove any oil coating on your face and allow the dye to do its thing effectively.
Step 3: Apply Vaseline to Your Facial Skin
Apply a thin layer of Vaseline carefully around the area you want to color. This will prevent the dye from leaking onto your bare skin.
Step 4: Prepare the Beard Dye If Necessary
Put on rubber gloves and mix the base color and color developer in a small container (many brands come with a dish-like container).
Make sure to mix the quantity that will color your beard just once. You can repeat the process if the first coating is not enough.
Step 5: Apply the Beard Dye on Your Stubble
Dip the tip of the applicator into the mixture and rub it on your stubble. Ensure that you work the dye thoroughly into your beard to coat all visible hairs.
Step 6: Assess Your Results
Each dye has a recommended waiting period. Be sure to wait for that period before checking your results.
Wipe off a small portion of the dye from your beard to see if it is your desired color. If it is not, reapply the dye and wait a couple more minutes.
Step 7: Wash Your Beard with a Beard Cleanser
The last step is washing your beard. Start by rinsing your beard with cold or warm water—even using both will work just fine. Rinsing will remove excess dye.
Now wash your beard. However, using just any beard shampoo won’t work; you don’t want to use hair shampoo either because that can wash off all the hard work you put into getting your new look.
A mild beard cleanser, such as the Luxe Beard Cleanser, will be perfect for washing your newly dyed stubble. Besides giving your beard a gentle cleansing experience, it contains green tea extract that acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to protect your skin against free radicals. The manufacturer, Mister Beard Wash, did a really great job with this beard cleanser.
On the other hand, just in case you don’t want to use a beard dye but still want to change the color of your stubble, the next section will show you exactly what to do.
How to Apply Brush-on to Your Beard Stubble
A brush-on is a great alternative if you don’t want to use a beard dye on your stubble. However, even if you used a permanent dye, your beard will start to grow eventually, and the natural color will start to show.
In that case, it is not necessary to go through the process of dyeing your beard all over again. You can simply use a brush-on to touch up your stubble quickly and restore the color you want. Here’s a great instant brush-on that is guaranteed to do the trick. It doesn’t have a strong scent that will be in your nose all day, and it comes at a great price.
A brush-on is a great way to learn the ropes of dyeing your beard if you’re new to dyeing. It is simply applying color to your beard superficially, and it only lasts between 12 to 24 hours.
Applying a brush-on is quick and easy, and you can follow the simple steps outlined in the next few sections.
Step 1: Cleanse Your Face
As explained earlier, you don’t want the natural oils on your face to repel the brush-on. Give your face a thorough rinse (at least) before you start applying the temporary dye.
Step 2: Apply the Instant Brush-on Color
Brush the product in deeply and apply the color on your beard stubble. Apply as much as you need, but make sure to keep things moderate. You want your beard hair to look as natural as possible. It goes without saying that you will need a mirror to do a perfect job.
Step 3: Use a Beard Brush to Brush Your Beard Stubble
Run a beard brush over your stubble—doing so will even out all the flecks on your beard and give you a perfect blend and smooth finish.
If you missed a spot, simply apply the instant brush-on to the area and blend with the beard brush.
Make sure to use a beard brush with fine, firm bristles. Here’s a really cool, sturdy, and portable beard brush that you will love. I like the general feel and quality of the brush, how easy it is to handle, and how it is made from wood.
Step 4: Dab Beard Oil on Your Stubble
Apply two to three drops of beard oil on your palm, rub your hands together, and pat your stubble lightly. The oil will give your newly colored beard a natural gloss.
But, as you know, not all beard oils are created equally. The best oil to use is one that contains jojoba and argan like the Brickell Men’s Beard Oil. It is 100% natural beard oil with certified organic ingredients, including argan, vitamin E, lavender oil, jojoba oil, and others. These ingredients are excellent at softening and hydrating your beard and moisturizing the skin underneath.
Here’s how to know if the instant brush-on color you choose is of good quality or not. If it smears on your hands while you are dabbing oil on your beard, it is low quality. The opposite is true if it doesn’t rub off.
Step 5: Wash Off the Color Before Going to Bed
Remember to wash off the color before you go to bed, or else it will come off and stain your sheets.
Keep in mind that brush-on color is not the same as beard dye. Even if it gives you similar results, it is just for a short time.
If you have a few minutes and prefer seeing a live demonstration, this quick video will show you exactly how to apply a brush-on color to your stubble:
Recommended Beard Dyes
Picking a beard dye is not the easiest thing to do. There’s a world of dyes out there; some great, whereas some others are not so great.
Here are my top 5 picks in order of preference. Keep in mind that I’m recommending these products based on my experience with them and several reviews from a large number of men who’ve also used these dyes. I strongly suggest that you check to be sure they suit your skin type before using them.
1. Godefroy Professional Hair Color Tint Kit
My top pick for beard dye is the Godefroy Color Tint Kit, and for good reason.
For starters, the kit comes with everything you need to get started, including 20 pre-measured color capsules (so you don’t need to guess the amount you need), a crème developer, mixing cup, and one reusable applicator brush.
Another cool thing about this product that any man would love is its creamy formula. With this product, you don’t have to worry about spilling or dripping dye all over the place; simply dip the applicator brush and paint your beard.
Whether you want to cover a tiny spot on your face or dye your beard, this color tint can do the trick. It can be applied to beards, mustaches, temples, sideburns, and just about any area that needs to be colored on your face (apart from your eyebrows and eyelashes!).
Godefroy dye is ammonia-free with lots of natural ingredients. You can choose from three colors, including medium brown, light brown, and natural black.
2. Just For Men
It may come as a surprise for someone who knows about beard dyes to see this product coming in second place.
No doubt, Just For Men Mustache & Beard Coloring is arguably the most popular beard dye on the market—and it is, indeed, highly effective. It will give you results in five minutes, and, thanks to some of its ingredients, such as vitamin E, protein, chamomile, and aloe, Just For Men will nourish your beard while giving it a fuller and thicker appearance.
So, what’s the kicker?
Here it comes: the product contains some harsh chemicals that may be harmful to people with sensitive skin. There’ve been quite a handful of adverse reports, ranging from redness, swelling, and itching for some men.
But hey! We don’t all have the same type of skin, right?
I suggest you do a patch test before using the product on your entire stubble to prevent allergic reactions.
3. Dark Brown Henna Hair Color/Dye
Next on the list is a product of the highest premium grade from The Henna Guys. Dark Brown Henna Hair Color/Dye is chemical-free, pesticide-free, alcohol-free, and has zero metallic salts. It is an excellent natural dye that is formulated for folks that prefer a brown or dark brown beard color.
The dye contains several natural ingredients, including neem powder, amla powder, and false daisy powder, to prevent hair and skin damage.
If you want to take your beard dyeing to a whole new level, consider buying the product together with the specially formulated Indigo Powder and Natural Henna Powder. Together, they can give you the perfect dark brown hair coloring you want.
4. Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye
Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye is another all-natural and organic dye with no harsh chemicals. Its ingredients make it a unique hypoallergenic beard dye, and it is best suited for brown beards.
If you want a truly permanent beard dye that doesn’t come off unless you shave your beard, the Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye is the dye to go for. Instead of going deep into your hair follicles (and causing irritations), the color stays on your beard’s surface.
Here’s something about this product that sounds a bit counterintuitive. It doesn’t apply uniformly—wait, what? Yes! This dye is formulated to adapt to the coarseness of your beard hair, such that it gives it a natural look by setting in various shades throughout your beard. Now, that’s brilliant!
5. RefectoCil Cream Hair Dye (Natural Brown)
Last—but still equally great—is a dye that is so versatile that it works well for beards, eyebrows, and eyelashes.
RefectoCil dye is the best choice if you’re looking for a long-lasting beard dye that will match a natural brown or brunette hair color. This is one of those rare dyes that is less likely to cause irritations and allergic reactions.
It is smudge-proof and waterproof, but you’ll have to wait for a minimum of 10 minutes before you wash your beard. However, it is worth the wait because your stubble will come out looking naturally brown.
Although the tube is small, the dye can last for about six weeks before requiring you to reapply.
Note that the product doesn’t come with a developer—you will have to buy a developer separately if you choose this product.
Conclusion
A new look—a new you! And you can do it in seven simple steps, as outlined above. You can choose to use permanent (long-lasting) dye or go for a temporary brush-on if you are just starting out with dyes, or even if you just want a quick touch up of your beard stubble.
Make sure you carry out a test before you use any product on your entire beard. Remember to assemble all the supplies you need before you start applying your preferred beard dye. Doing so will save you from making avoidable mistakes.
Whether you want to look unique, or your man mane is churning out more grays than you want, dyeing your stubble is a great way to improve your appearance. And, just in case your beard is turning red, check out this post to know why that is happening and what you can do about it.