Have you noticed how men with salt and pepper beards get a lot of adulation for embracing their age? They are described often as distinguished, graceful, secure and somehow people automatically assume that they belong to old money.
If you are fascinated by salt and pepper beards like I am, then you belong to one of the two categories of bearded men that I have come up with.
The first category comprises of those fellows who are growing white beards prematurely. It also includes those gentlemen who have age-appropriate beards, but they age them in a way that they dislike. These men look more like Sir Richard Attenborough’s character from Jurassic Park (the original and not the disappointing sequels) than Steve Carell’s character from The Morning Show.
The second category comprises of those 30 something fellows whose youthful looks may have done wonders for their personal life but which acts as a hindrance in their professional life. Simply put, they look too young to be taken seriously. There is an irritating term for such kinds of faces – Babyface. Admit it, you have been called a babyface at least once in the last month.
Now, for readers belonging to these two categories, salt and pepper beards are going to be a game-changer.
If you are wanting a more mature look, why not try the salt and pepper look. This easy to implement beard dye style will make you look older yet fashionable in no time!
The items you’ll need for the job –
- Beard Dye
- Disposable towels
- Vaseline
Follow the instructions carefully on the beard dye box. Cover the outline of your beard with vaseline to ensure your skin is protected from the dye. Use the disposable towels to place the dye on while applying. Dab small amounts of the dye throughout your beard to obtain the salt and pepper look. And there you go!
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How to Achieve the Salt and Pepper look if you are a Silver Fox
If you are already a gray beard wizard, then read on.
Things to Buy:
Beard Dye: You need to buy a good quality beard dye which is specially designed to give you a salt and pepper look. No, you can’t use hair dye on your beard and the reason will be explained later in the article.
We recommend Just for Men Touch of Gray Mustache and Beard Color. This is a pocket-friendly dye which is ammonia and peroxide free.
The complete list of ingredients of Just for Men is below:
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Steareth-21, Decyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose, Ethanolamine, 1,2,4-Trihydroxybenzene, Ceteareth-20, Fragrance, P-Phenylenediamine, Dicetyl Phosphate, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, N,N-Bis(2-Hydroxyethyl)-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, m-Aminophenol, Erythorbic Acid, p-Aminophenol, Sodium Sulfite, Toluene-2,5-Diamine, Etidronic Acid.
Just for Men is also known to work well on coarse beard hair. It comes in a box which also has a tray and an applicator. Most hair dyes come with a tray and applicator, so you don’t need to worry about buying dyeing apparatus separately.
Still, If you are cautious about hygiene and staining then I will suggest that you buy this barber kit from Amazon. It has everything – brushes, dipping bowl, hand gloves, protective earmuff, and barber’s cape among other things.
Disposable towels: Dye staining is common and can leave a stain for many days. The staining can even harm your skin. So, buy a bunch of disposable towels and keep them handy so that as soon as the dye comes in contact with your bare skin, you can immediately wipe it. As you would be dyeing your hair every 6-8 weeks, I suggest buying this pack of eco-friendly salon towels from Amazon. They are soft and biodegradable so you will be doing your bit for the environment while looking ruggedly handsome at the same time. It’s a win-win situation, really.
Vaseline: You can avoid staining the skin by smearing a good amount of Vaseline on the borders around your beard. Don’t use the Vaseline directly on your beard or the hair will not lock the color.
Can You Use Regular Hair Dye on Your Beard?
I would advise against using regular hair dye on your beard hair for several good reasons. Firstly, you have to understand that your facial skin is a lot more delicate when compared to your scalp. The chemicals in a hair dye might be too harsh for your face. I have friends who have used regular dye on their beard only to suffer from itching, allergies, and redness later.
Secondly, beard hair is thicker than the hair on your head and coarser, so you need a special hair dye. Not to forget that your beard gets washed more often than regular scalp hair so a more long-lasting product will be needed to keep up with the rinsing and then shampooing.
Pre-dye Beard Care
Start Using A Beard Shampoo: If you have been using a 3-in-1 shampoo that also acts as a facewash and a bodywash, then it’s time to throw that shampoo bottle in the garbage bag.
You cannot, rather you must not use regular hair shampoo on your beard. The chemicals in a regular shampoo are simply too harsh for your beard and the delicate skin beneath it. If you have been breaking into a rash around your beard or getting itchy, it is most likely because your shampoo is adversely affecting your skin.
In the last 5 years, the beard grooming industry has burgeoned because men have finally realized that they can no longer do with scraggly itchy beards. The first step to grooming your beard is investing in a nice beard shampoo that will not strip your hair of sebum and natural oils. Your beard will feel soft and it will style easily giving you a groomed appearance. There are many options available in the market for all kinds of budgets. The choices are innumerable, and you will get a shampoo for every whim that you have whether you want it to be parabens free or one that stimulates beard growth.
Should You Or Should You Not Trim Your Beard?
This is a difficult question. You could trim the beard before dyeing it but beard hair grows really fast and before you know it, the undyed hair will start showing. This means that you will have to touch up your roots soon. On the other hand, a lot of people say that the color on a trimmed beard is likely to last longer. I tried to google this query to find better answers but there are a lot of conflicting opinions out there on the internet.
From personal experience, I have to admit that it’s easier to dye a beard that has already been trimmed to a style that you would like to maintain. However, I think that this is more of a judgment call.
If you want a beard style that is dramatically different and needs an expert’s touch then visit a salon. However, beards are just so easy to trim at home. Not to mention just how expensive these salon visits can get. I can recommend a few trimmers that are simple to use and more importantly compact enough to travel with. The cordless trimmers, in particular, are top-notch:
- The all in 1 trimmer for your choice of beard, head, body, and/or face hair styling with 23 pieces...
- The DualCut technology offers maximum precision and includes 2x more self sharpening blades that...
- To deliver maximum torque and power, the all in 1 trimmer includes a full metal motor and a drive...
- Memory settings - Stores previous trimming lengths.Memory settings - Stores previous trimming...
- Motorized Comb - Up to 175 Length Settings with .1mm increments displayed on the digital touch...
- Fully Washable - easy cleaning and maintenance
- MORE EFFICIENT: Sharper, faster, more efficient vs. all previous generations of Braun beard trimmers
- UNLIMITED VERSATILITY, ULTIMATE PRECISION: Precision dial for 39 length settings in 0.5 mm step...
- BUILT TO LAST: Lifetime Sharp Metal Blades for even beard trimming and hair clipping
- Precision cutting blade results in smooth and sharp finish / Waterproof design
- Acute 45 degree edge blade made of stainless steel
- Curved easy grip ergonomic design / Use corded or cordless
Dyeing Prep – Things to Remember:
Take the Patch Test
There have been instances when people have experienced allergic reactions to beard dyes. Just do a 24-hour test. Dab a little dye on your elbow or behind your ear and let it sit for 24 hours. If you see no redness or experience zero irritation, then the dye is good enough to use.
Even the National Institute of Health highlights a lot of stress on patch tests when it comes to using cosmetics of any kind. Do not skip the patch test thinking that you are too tough for allergies. Your facial skin is a lot more delicate than your scalp and it needs to be tested for allergic reactions.
Don’t Wash your beard before coloring it
Do not wash your beard with shampoo for at least 2 days prior to dyeing it. The shampoo will strip your beard of essential oils and sebum. This is bad because when you dye your beard, the oils present in the hair will protect the hair from drying out. Just as the dye you use on your head dries out your hair, in the same way your beard hair becomes dry on coming in contact with the dye.
I would strongly advise that you don’t use any external products like beard wax for 2 days prior to dyeing it because the dye in the beard might react to coming in contact with synthetic chemicals present in your beard grooming products. That said, you can wash your beard with normal water because hygiene is also important, and you need to wash off the breakfast bread crumbs.
Face Prep Before Application of Dye
Once you have cleared the Patch Test, you are all set to dye your beard. Before you apply the color, spread an ample amount of Vaseline around the edges of your beard so that when you dye the corners of your beard, you do not stain your facial skin.
I would like to emphasize that a normal petroleum Jelly would suffice. You can buy any of the following products from Amazon:
Application of Dye – A step-by-step guide
The application of the dye is much easier than you think it is. If you have bought Just for Men Touch of Gray Mustache and Beard Color then the box will have the following contents:
- Tube (This contains the dye which is premixed and ready to be used)
- Dipping Tray
- Brush
All you need to do now is to squeeze the dye from the tube onto the dipping tray. Dip the applicator in the dye and brush it gently on your beard hair. Ensure that you dye all your beard hair and not some of it as the dye seeks to give you a salt and pepper appearance. Wipe away the stains immediately with the disposable towels if you manage to get some formula on your bare skin.
Let the dye sit for 5 minutes. If the color hasn’t locked yet, then you can let the beard dry for another 5 minutes. Now use lukewarm water and Beard shampoo (more on this later) to wash your beard. You will notice a smattering of gray amongst the black and voila you have yourself a salt and pepper look.
Generally, this dye lasts for 6-8 weeks so you will have to repeat the process every 2 months or so.
Post-dye Beard Care
You are putting a lot of chemicals in your beard hair which is already coarse and perhaps even dry. So, even if you manage to color it salt and pepper, you are still a step away from achieving that distinguished look because now your beard needs some grooming.
The grooming starts with investing in a good quality color-protect shampoo. Now that you have colored your hair, you can’t continue using the same $5 shampoo that you would also use to wash your face with.
A normal scalp shampoo would strip your beard hair off sebum and your hair will become dry, coarse, and lackluster. The more you prolong the use of a harsh shampoo, the flakier your beard will become. Yes, you read that right – you will get beard dandruff.
There are several color-protecting shampoos to choose from, I recommend these three which are available on Amazon too. Clicking on these shampoo names will take you to Amazon.
- Keeps hair color vibrant longer
- Gently cleanses without stripping color-treated hair, helping keep hair color vibrant longer
- Leaves hair silky, soft and shiny when used together
- Locks in Hydration: GK Hair Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner Set Hydrates Hair from root to tip...
- Color Protection: GK Shampoo and Conditioner is designed especially for Color Treated, Dry Damaged,...
- Natural Ingredients: GK Hair shampoo and conditioner set is hypoallergenic products that works for...
- Set incudes (1) color freeze conditioner 33.8 ounce
- Gently yet effectively cleanses colored hair
- Helps to prevent color fading
Once you have invested in a good color protecting shampoo, it is time to buy a Beard Oil. Beard oil is essential to use after coloring your beard because the beard hair becomes very dry. Using a conditioner helps but your skin can actually get itchy and flaky. To prevent this, I would advise that you oil your beard daily for the first 2 weeks at least till your beard regains its natural oils back. The ideal thing to do would be to oil your beard before going to bed so that the oil can work its magic overnight.
Many people ask me if I use regular hair oil but I don’t for the simple reason that I don’t like how these hair oils smell and how heavy they are. On the other hand, beard oils smell nice without becoming overwhelming and they are of a lighter consistency. I have experimented quite a bit with beard oils and would recommend the following brands. As before, clicking on these names will take you directly to Amazon.
There will be people who would still feel their face and beard go dry no matter how much they splurge on conditioner and beard oil. For dry skin, I recommend a beard balm. While they seem like another expense a balm not only acts as a leave-in conditioner but also helps in taming your beard and adding some volume to it. You can use an oil as well as a balm to get some extra moisture.
I recommend these beard balms:
Finally, growing, coloring, and maintaining a beard is not easy but the result is totally worth it. Once you get into the habit of oiling and conditioning your beard, there will be no stopping you. It becomes so much easier to style a beard that is healthy and moisturized so that you will soon fall into a beard grooming routine.
How To Get A Salt And Pepper Look If You Have A Black Beard?
So, like you, I have a baby face, a term that irritates me to no end. Even when I grow a beard, I still manage to look young and green. So I have figured that if I have to be taken seriously, I might just have to age a few years deliberately. Salt and Pepper beard to the rescue!
There are several temporary ways to go about this.
You can use gray hair wax. It gets washed away as soon as you rinse your beard with shampoo. So, the bright side is that you can wash it quickly if it hasn’t been done right, the flip side is that you will have to keep dyeing your hair every 2-3 days. Also, when not done correctly, it can end up looking fake.
Gray Hair Wax
I can help you get the salt and pepper look just right with hair wax. As far as choosing the wax brand goes, I would recommend Mofajang which is easily available on Amazon.
Now, once you have purchased the wax, you need to decide whether you should apply it to a wet beard or a dry beard. Personally, wet hair works for me, but my friends prefer applying wax to a dry beard. So you may need two applications to decide which method works out best for you. Buy an applicator to brush the wax onto your beard. I know that people use their fingers to directly massage the wax into their beards, but we are looking for a smattering of gray and not going completely gray.
After 2-3 days, wash your beard with a beard shampoo and re-apply the dye.
Eyeshadow
Yes, you read that right. Raid your girlfriend’s makeup kit or buy one online. The application is super simple and less messy.
I can recommend a few good quality gray eyeshadows with their Amazon purchase links:
- Urban Decay Eyeshadow, Loaded – This is a favorite. It is expensive but long-lasting. Also, it delivers a rich velvety finish which gives your beard a natural look.
- Yves Rocher Eyeshadow Trio Palette Gray – There are three shades in this palette. You can test all three and find out which suits you the best.
- Belle Beauty by Kim Gravel Shero Shadow Stick, Stella Gray – This one is the easiest to use. You don’t need an applicator, just slide it across your beard. Also, it is cruelty-free.
- L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Eye Pocket Palette Eye Shadow, Silver Couture – This is again a palette that gives you ample options to decide which shade of gray looks the most natural on you. It is also fairly inexpensive compared to other brands.
- Golden Rose Waterproof Eyeshadow Crayon (colors 1, 2, and 3) – This is easy to apply and doesn’t have parabens.
Of these two ways, I prefer using an eyeshadow. It’s easy to apply especially if it comes in the form of a crayon and it doesn’t create the kind of mess that a beard wax would.
I have also noticed that eyeshadow has little or no effect on my hair quality after repeated usage whereas whenever I have used wax, it has left my beard a little brittle and dry. Not to mention that if the wax is not applied with expertise, it looks like your beard has been painted on.
Should You Dye Your Eyebrows?
A dark eyebrow to match the black in your beard is the preferred way to go. If it were a completely gray beard, I would have advised you to color it gray. However, with a salt and pepper beard, a dark shade looks good.
Closing Thoughts
A salt and pepper beard is a great way to get that distinguished gentlemanly look whether you are aging prematurely or whether you look young and immature.
It comes with its share of problems once you have colored your beard because you would have to fall into some kind of routine to manage the color and quality of your beard.
However, the compliments that you will get on your new graceful appearance would make all the investment, of both time and money, totally worth it.
Are you currently rocking the salt and pepper style? Let us know the responses you’ve gain from friends and family!
Have you tried any of our recommendations? Tell us which ones you prefer!
Meet Mo Parker, the visionary founder of The Beard Brotherz. Mo's passion for redefining modern masculinity led him to create a platform that celebrates the diverse interests and journeys of men today. With a commitment to authenticity and inclusivity, Mo's entrepreneurial spirit and dedication shine through every facet of The Beard Brotherz. From grooming and fashion to tech and wellness, Mo's multifaceted approach mirrors the platform's essence, offering a welcoming community for all to embrace their unique paths in the modern world of manhood.
