Mastering the Art of Beard Training: A Comprehensive Guide

Beards. They look great when under control, but not so amazing when they decide to do their own thing. You don’t have to suffer from wayward beard syndrome. It is possible to get your beard back into line and it just takes patience and persistence. 

We are going to run you what causes beards to go astray, how to fix those ugly split ends and how you can teach your hairs to grow out strong and healthy.

So take that bag off your head and face the world with fresh confidence because your beard is going to look incredible.

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What causes your beard to go every which way

Let’s get one thing straight about beard hair: it has a natural tendency to grow out in all directions. You need to accept that fact and not be worried when you see your beard looking like it’s just gone wild on you.

That doesn’t mean you have to shave it off and forget about your beard growing attempt.

With the proper tools and maintenance, you will have your beard looking like it knows exactly what to do. It’s all about helping your hair strands know which way they should go and you will have an amazing set of whiskers.

Training your hairs

You want your beard to look as full and uniform as possible. Once you have a good length (which could take between 3-5 weeks of growth as you move from stubble-length to short beard territory) you should start trimming your hairs. 

This initial pruning is the first step in training your hairs. It will allow your hairs to grow out in the right direction

1. Cleaning your skin

Great skin under your facial hair can do wonders for the overall growth and health of your beard. By exfoliating the skin regularly you are opening up the pores so that your hair can grow out unhindered. 

Give your face a nice steam bath once a day or use a warm towel to soften your beard and skin. Then get a face scrub and work it into your beard and skin. Rinse out the scrub and follow up with an defoliator.

Looking for a great beard shampoo, our top recommendations here

2. Use a beard oil 

Okay, technically a beard oil does not affect the direction of your beard hairs. So, why mention oils? It’s because they can provide your beard and skin with the nutrients and proteins that are needed. 

Skin issues such as eczema, acne and infected hair follicles all affect your beard growth. Also, a lack of sebum can result in your beard becoming dry and brittle. 

Beard oils are the first step in any beard grooming session and you have a range of carrier oil options to choose from.

Jojoba oil, argan oil, sunflower oil, castor oil and coconut oil are all viable choices for you and which one you decide to choose is determined by what you are wanting out of the oil. Is it to help promote beard growth, alleviate skin issues, or provide more moisturising to your dry hair? 

When buying a carrier oil, you want to make sure that it’s of the highest quality possible. Ask if it has been manufactured by cold-pressing rather than heat-pressed. The antioxidants in the oils suffer from contamination due to the heat and machinery used in heat-pressing.

3. Brush daily

Your dentist (and your parents) tell you to brush daily so that your teeth are in tip-top shape. You also need to apply that same discipline when it comes to training your beard. By brushing or combing your beard every day trains your hair to grow in a specific direction. 

You need to be selective about which brush or comb to buy. Don’t just grab any old one and think it’s going to be fantastic. 

4. Beard Combs

Consider the width of the comb’s teeth. A wide-toothed comb is great for working at the knots and tangles in your beard and a narrow tooth comb is ideal for training your hairs. 

Avoid buying a plastic comb as they are susceptible to static buildup and that could mean havoc for your beard as the hairs stick to the comb and poke out every which way.

Don’t even think about a metal comb as they also can create static electricity and the sharp edges and uneven cuts in the design can rip and tear at your beard. Your best option is either rubber or wooden combs. Rubber combs are easy to keep clean and wooden brushes are solid (just make sure that the finish on the wood is smooth).

5. Beard Brushes

Consider the material that the brush is made of. Typically it will be plastic or wood. The wooden ones are the better option as plastic brushes can bend and you may not get an even brush. One thing to be aware of with wooden brushes is that they can get wet and water isn’t their friend. Make sure you thoroughly dry out your wooden brush.

The bristles of the brush will either be made from hair or a synthetic material. The great thing with hair bristles (which are typically boar or horsehair) is that they are both stiff and can bend. They make it easy to massage the skin under your beard to promote hair growth as well as helping your beard hair learn which direction to grow in. Synthetic bristles can be just as sturdy as their animal hair counterparts and offer a cheaper alternative if you are looking for a beard brush but are on a budget.

Talking about saving money, you need to be careful not to go too cheap with the beard brush. Cheaper brushes can suffer from static buildup and we have touched upon that when talking about beard combs. Another reason why you shouldn’t go cheap is that you will find that the less expensive brushes can damage your hair.

The length of the bristles is also something else you need to consider. If you have a longer beard, you are going to get frustrated pretty quickly when trying to brush with short bristles. Match the length of the bristles with the length of your beard. Short bristles for short beards and long bristles for medium to long beards. 

Which way should I brush? 

With brushing your beard you may wonder which way is best. Up? Down? Sideways? The ideal direction for brushing your beard is in smooth, downward strokes. This will train your hairs to grow down and that will add length to your beard. On top of that, gravity likes to act as a natural downer so use that to your advantage.

Taking care of the small hairs

You are going to spot tiny fly-away hairs and other little wayward strands that seem to want to do their own thing. You may feel the urge to pluck those hairs out (which is the worst thing you can do as it will only lead to damaged hair follicles). See them as baby’s that have just appeared in the world and need your loving care to teach them what to do. 

Earlier we talked about your daily combing session and that is what is needed to get these tiny hairs under control. Be vigilant about your combing and you will find that everything falls into place (literally).

Grow out your beard and then trim it back 

Sideways growing hairs can be very noticeable in the early stages of your beard growing adventure. This can lead you to feel disheartened and want to give up. However, perseverance is the key. 

A great way to train your beard is to allow the hairs to grow out first and then grab your trimmer and trim them back. This is a method that will do wonders for those of you that have hairs that like to grow out rather than down. 

Let your hairs do their thing (i.e. grow out) and then bring them into line with your trimmer. Eventually, your hairs will learn to grow in line as you trim along the sides and teach them to go with the flow. 

Beard balm and beard wax keep things inline

Beard oil provides your beard with the goodness that it needs, yet it won’t keep your hairs staying in line. Beard balm and wax are usually the second part of any beard care regime. Acting as styling agents, they offer support to you beard hairs, ensuring that they stay together and hold throughout the day. 

Using beard balm or wax and massaging it throughout your beard with a brush or comb can aid in training your beard hairs.

How can you distinguish between cheap beard balm or wax and a product of higher quality? The first step is to look at the ingredients on the container. Also, ask about how the product was manufactured. As we mentioned with the oil, check to see if the carrier oils in the balm or wax were cold-pressed. 

You want your beard to have the best product you can afford and going as cheap as possible can mean you purchase an inferior product that will only damage your beard and your skin.

Turn up the heat

There are a couple of products that you can use to help keep your beard on the straight and narrow: heated beard brushes and beard straighteners. When applying heat to your beard you have to be careful as you can end up frying your hairs (sucking the moisture and nutrients out of them). 

Beard brushes look just like a standard brush with hot air being blown out through the bristles. Think of them as hair dryers for your beard. Sure they work, but make sure you carefully check out the reviews online before you fork over your cash. 

Beard straighteners are another option to consider if you are wanting to tame those unruly hairs. These are hair straighteners designed to keep your hairs from being all curly. Like we mentioned with heated beard brushes, check out the reviews and even pop over to forums to get informed about what are the best straighteners. Yes, everyone has their preference, but it still pays to check out other people’s opinions and advice.

When using the heated beard brushes and straighteners you don’t want to go with a temperature that is higher than 185⁰ C (365⁰ F) as this will damage your hair and you will have to trim out those areas and start again. 

A beard training session you can follow

So we’ve run you through a lot on the different options in training your beard, but let’s get more hands-on and give you a step-by-step session that you can do to have all your beard hairs stay in line like well-disciplined soldiers.

1. The first step is to determine exactly what length of beard it is that you want: short, medium or long.
2. Take a shower or, if you’re in a hurry, wash your face with warm water to open up the pores of your skin. Grab your exfoliator and massage it throughout your beard and skin. Leave it in for 1-2 minutes to allow it to be absorbed into your skin. Rinse thoroughly.
3. Shampoo your beard, rinse and then shampoo again. Follow up with a beard conditioner. 
4. Pat your beard dry and then get your beard oil. Pour a small amount of oil into your hand, massage it into the skin under the beard and also work it through your beard starting at the roots. Give your beard a comb through (in a downward direction) to distribute the oil.
5. This step is optional depending on if you use beard balm, cream or wax. Scoop out a small amount of your balm or wax (about the size of your fingernail) and warm it up in the palms of your hands until it starts to melt and becomes a liquid.  Massage it throughout your beard and again get your comb or brush to spread the balm or wax evenly through your beard (using downward strokes).
6. Style your beard the way you want it. This is also where you can use you heated beard brush or beard straightener to seal in the style. The cream or wax will be pliable and soft and you can straighten out those crooked hairs.

Repeat this process at least once every day and you will find that your hairs will seem to remember which way to go. Brushing regularly gives your hair shafts a helping hand to remember which way to grow. 

Start your brushing at an early stage of your beard growth (maybe after a week when you have enough stubble to work with). Brushing also stimulates hair growth through increasing blood circulation under your skin. Be careful not to over brush as this can cause your hair follicles to be damaged which will affect both the hair growth and the direction of the hair. 

Does all this work even if I have curly hair?

Some guys have naturally curly hair. It’s simply a matter of genetics and typically it is African-American guys that are more prone to having curly hair. That doesn’t mean that you can’t train your beard to fly straight. 

Follow the daily process we listed above and you will find that as if by magic, your curly hair has become straight and your beard looks amazing. 

However, there are some don’ts we recommend to abide by (even for guys that don’t have curly hair). Avoid using harsh soaps of chemical products, especially alcohol-based cleansers, on your face or beard. That will suck the moisture and natural oil out of your skin and beard. We have mentioned already about applying heat to your beard. Guys with curly beards may be tempted to reach for the heated beard brush or beard straightener, which is fine. Just remember that high temperature is the enemy of your beard, so be gentle and don’t overuse the heated brush or straightener.

Use a relaxing cream

A relaxing cream is specifically designed to take the curls out of your hair. The main ingredient in a hair relaxing cream is an alkali, which can be an issue for those of you who are averse to using non-natural products in your hair. 

If you have skin issues then using chemical products should be avoided. For those of you that are okay with using a relaxing cream you have two options to choose from: lye or no-lye (go with the latter if you have sensitive skin)

The strength of the relaxer you use all depends on how coarse and thick your beard is. Use a low strength relaxing cream if you have a short or thinner beard. Longer, fuller beards will require medium to high strength relaxing cream to get it straightened out. 

Applying hair relaxing cream can be quite a process (after all you are working with a chemical) so there is some preparation needed. You will need towels, a cape and gloves. Also, make sure that your skin hasn’t been irritated or scratched in the past week as this can cause a reaction from the cream. 

1. Put on your protective gear (cape and gloves) and get ready to apply the cream.
2. You want to make sure that your skin is going to be protected, so use a base cream to create a defensive layer between your skin and the relaxing cream. There are plenty of base cream options available so it’s merely a matter of which one you prefer.
3. Mix the relaxing cream in a bowl to allow the chemicals within the cream to blend.
4. Section off your beard and apply the cream in small doses using a comb or brush. Make sure that you cover the entire area you have sectioned off and then move onto the next area. Take your time and don’t rush this process.
5. Use the back of your comb or a small wooden applicator and go over your beard once more to straighten out the hairs.
6. Use your towel to mop up any spills.
7. Wait for 10-15 minutes before washing out the cream.
8. You want to make sure you remove all traces of the relaxing cream, so it pays that you take a shower for this next step. Shampoo your beard, rinse and repeat at least another one or two times.
9. Pat dry your beard and then use your heated brush or beard straightener to add the finishing touches. 

To maintain your relaxed hair and keep it straight you should use your cream at least once every month. This will take care of the new growth in your beard. Also, make sure that you moisturize your skin and beard regularly as relaxing cream tends to dry out your hair.

Relaxing creams can also cause split ends in your hair, so make sure you give your beard a good trim every week so that it looks top-notch. 

You may be tempted to keep any leftover relaxing cream that you didn’t use. Don’t, as it goes off after 2 days. If you find that your first attempt at straightening your curly beard wasn’t a complete success, wait a month before trying again. In the second try, focus on those areas that need it.

It takes time and patience

Training anything such as cats, dogs, children, and adults is always a process that can be both rewarding and frustrating. It’s the same when it comes to training the hairs in your beard to all head in the same direction.

You will be met with triumphs as you see an amazing beard and then there will be those heart-breaking moments when you spot those odd hairs that seem to be the rebel and refuse to do what it’s told. You can always cut those down to size.

By being persistent and faithful in your beard grooming regime, combined with daily brushing, you will find that your hairs will all fall into line, eventually. Yes…there will always be one or two hairs that will refuse to obey. That’s life…

Let us know your beard training successes and frustrations by commenting below.