Who knew that growing and keeping a healthy beard was a tough job? Well, no one ever told me that it was this tough. As a bearded gent, keeping a clean and healthy-looking beard should be more like a fun routine, not a chore. Once you get the hang of it, it is fun!
I have been asked several times: “What to do after applying beard oil?”
You could do several things after applying beard oil, but it’s mostly dependent on factors such as your type of beard, length of your beard, and the time of application.
The good news is that today I have decided to talk about how vital beard oil is to your beard. We shall also be covering some essential details like:
- Why use beard oil?
- What should you do after applying beard oil?
- How long should you leave it on your beard?
- When should you start using beard oil?
- How often should you use beard oil?
These answers to common questions about beard oil will give you a good foundation.
Read on! Let’s explore this simple guide on what to do after applying beard oil? Trust me, you shouldn’t skip this over. Find out why.
Why Use Beard Oil?
A lot of bearded gents have ended up shaving off their beards because it won’t stop itching. Whether long or short, when your beard starts itching nonstop, you will feel the urge to shave it off and be done with it, even though you have put in lots of effort to grow it.
One of the easiest and most effective solutions to soothe an itchy beard is to apply good beard oil. Your beard can become itchy if your facial skin, pores, and facial hair are not adequately cared for. Beard oil can moisturize your facial skin, soften your beard, and alleviate itching, making it healthier and sleeker.
Let me highlight a few reasons you need to use beard oil.
- Beard oil is a moisturizer: Beard oil moisturizes your beard, the skin underneath, as well as the follicles. Harsh climates can cause beard dryness and brittleness, but applying beard oil will keep your beard moisturized and well hydrated.
- Acts as a conditioner: Washing and conditioning your beard is good. Instead of using a leave-in conditioner, use beard oil instead. That way, your beard will retain its sheen throughout the day, looking smooth and shiny. Beard oil is a better conditioner because it contains essential oils and leaves your beard smelling really good.
- Makes beard manageable: When your beard is well oiled, it becomes easy to manage when you comb, brush, or style it. A beard can be quite stubborn to tame if it is not properly oiled. It can become knotted and tangled, especially when your beard has grown longer. Running a brush through a fully grown beard without oil can make you grumble, making the grooming process painful.
- Beardruff prevention: Beard oil can prevent your face from dryness, flaking, and that awful itching that is usually tied to beardruff. Just like dandruff, beardruff can make your look rough and unkempt even after combing and styling.
| For more on the subject read my detailed article 8 Reasons Beard Oil Is Totally Worth It |
What To Do After Applying Beard Oil
First you need to know what is the best time to apply beard oil? Applying beard oil after you’ve had a warm shower when your beard is all soft and clean and all your pores are open is the best time to apply it. That way, you will see the oil get absorbed easily. You should dry your beard properly so that any leftover water won’t prevent the oil from being absorbed.
You can now fetch the required quantity of your beard oil and start working it into your beard. Massage it in properly and let it sink in and get absorbed.
After applying beard oil, what next? Let’s answer a few questions below on what to do after applying beard oil.
How to Use Beard Oil and the Right Quantity?
The amount of beard oil you use is relative to the texture and length of your beard. The weather and climate condition of where you live can also play a great role in the number of times you may need to apply your beard oil.
Note that a little oil can go a long way. If you have a medium-length beard, you will need approximately five to six drops daily. So, don’t think because the oil bottle looks small, it won’t be enough for your full-length or long beard. Using five to six drops of oil on a medium-length beard will require about 100 applications to exhaust an ounce of oil.
For those that would prefer a stubble beard instead of a full beard, no need to worry as you can still apply beard oil to your beard to keep it clean, looking sleek, and healthy. One should be enough for your beard.
As you become familiar and more experienced with beard oil, you will find your equilibrium and then adjust to the right amount of beard oil that’s best for you. If you are new to grooming a beard or are not sure of the right amount of beard oil to apply, then you can start by following a guideline that can help you until you find what measurement is right for you and the exact amount of beard oil you are comfortable with.
In the end, it all depends on individual choice.
| Beard Growth Month | How Many Drops Of Beard Oil | When To Be Applied |
| No beard to month one | Two to three drops | Two to three times in a week |
| Months one to month three | Four to six drops | Four to five times in a week |
| Months three to twelve | Six to eight drops | Daily application/treatment |
| Months twelve and above | Eight drops and up | Daily application/treatment |
Do I Wash Out Beard Oil After Some Time Or Just Leave It In The Beard?
NO! You don’t need to wash it out. After showering and applying it, you can treat it as a leave-in conditioner. Beard oil helps to condition and keep the facial skin soft, keeps the beard soft, moisturized, and could act as a styling agent.
Washing out beard oil will be rather counterproductive to why you have to apply it in the first place. A good quality beard product should contain essential oils that are quickly absorbed into the beard and skin.
If you have a longer beard with several months of growth, this is even more effective on your beard as a leave-in conditioner. If you have a shorter beard with a few months of growth or live in a humid environment, you might feel the need to apply beard oil only about two to three times a week. On the other hand, if you live in a place with a dry climate, you may feel the need to apply beard oil daily, or perhaps morning and evening.
Applying beard oil at night before you sleep will not harm your beard. Rather it will allow it to do its thing while your body rests, and when you wake up, you will be meeting a fluffy and well-moisturized beard.
Caring for Your Beard After Applying Beard Oil
Now that you know that washing out beard oil is counterproductive let’s discuss how to get the most out of your beard oil after applying it.
Massage The Face
Why massage the face, and with what? After applying your beard oil, you can use the residue on your palms to gently massage your face. Yes! You read right. A good quality and well-formulated product with Vitamin E will soothe and work effectively on your face as well. Most people think that beard “oil” will leave greasy residues that will clog the pores of your skin. That’s only true if you use them incorrectly. Premium products won’t clog your pores when you apply them properly.
Always read the ingredients in any beard oil product and be sure there are non-comedogenic ingredients, especially if you are concerned about acne or have oily skin.
Combing Your Beard
As a bearded man, you should already have a good quality comb in your grooming kit. If you don’t own one, I suggest you get one as it plays a great role in applying your beard oil.
Combing your beard is not just done to make it look neat and fanciful. It has other benefits, such as:
- Helps you evenly distribute the oil you have applied
- Helps prevent ingrown hairs
- Helps to control and direct hair and keeps strays away from entering your mouth
- Helps in lining up the hairs to make them look fuller and smoother
- It helps in the process of styling and trains the beard to grow in a particular direction
Comb Slowly
You need to be gentle, slow, and steady while you comb your beard. After all, you are not in a horse race here. You should comb slowly after applying beard oil to untangle any knots and straighten your beard.
Doing this will help you spread the oil and help you give your beard a direction to follow. If you encounter any hitch, don’t force it; instead, remove the comb and try it again over and over (gently) until you can run the comb through the knot without you pulling out your beard in the process.
A quick note: Always comb your beard downward.
Conclusion
Applying beard oil may not be complicated, but there are techniques that can help you achieve optimal results with little effort when done correctly.
From knowing the right amount and the frequency of application, to what to do after applying the oil and the essence of combing, there is much to know. These fundamentals are key to getting the most benefits from your beard oil, while at the same time, achieving a clean, sleek, moisturized, and well-refined beard that doesn’t itch day after day.