Beard Goals: Essential Tips and Tricks for No-Shave November and Beyond!

If you’ve spent most of 2024 beardless, your first step is to prepare for lift-off – aka beard growth. (If you’re already rockin’ an Instagram-worthy beard, skip ahead to the next section.)

While you could sit around, do nothing, and wait for the hair to grow, the better option is to prepare so you can have striking facial hair by the end of the month.

Here are three top tips to prepare for beard growth:

• Start with a close shave: Prior to starting your beard-growing journey, give your face a good, close shave. This will help to stimulate the hair follicles, resulting in a better beard overall. 

• Take care of your skin: Before your facial hair begins growing, it’s essential to take good care of your skin. A clean canvas is ideal for healthier, thicker, and stronger beard hair. That said, use a high-quality cleanser and moisturizer.

• Eat right: Ever heard of the phrase “you are what you eat?” Sure, you have – and it’s relevant to your beard growth. Ensure you’re eating a nutritious diet loaded with vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats.
• Consider supplements: If you know you struggle with beard hair growth, now’s a good time to add a supplement to your daily routine. Most individuals opt for biotin supplements, but other hair growth-specific supplements can work wonders, too. 

Just like your vehicle, your beard needs to be maintained. Otherwise, you may end up with a scraggly-looking beard that’s anything but envious. 

Maintenance is relatively simple. Just do the following:

• Wash your beard regularly: Your beard should be thoroughly washed two or three times per week. Anything more may dry out beard hairs, leading to breakage and split ends. Use a high-quality wash explicitly designed for beards. 

• Dry after washing: Did you know leaving your beard wet adds stress to the hair, which negatively impacts growth and appearance? With that in mind, always make sure you dry your beard after washing. Some people air dry, while others use a towel. Some go the extra mile with a blow dryer.

• Don’t forget to moisturize: Nobody wants their beard to feel like a rough disaster. Apply a beard-friendly moisturizer and conditioner daily to combat dryness and a rough texture. You can also use beard oils or balms. 

• Brush/comb daily: Beards are not resistant to tangles and knots, especially if you have a long beard. To avoid a tangled, knotted nightmare, brush or comb your beard daily – several times a day, if needed. A brush or comb designed for beards will help you get the best results.
• Trim when necessary: Finding a few split ends? Noticing that some hairs are longer than the others, and it doesn’t look good? No problem – that’s where trimming comes into play. Use a pair of hair scissors or a beard trimmer to trim and shape to your liking. You can also have your beard professionally managed.

Some men enjoy the way their beard looks without any “extras.” Others like to style their beards to appear a certain way. For example, you may have a lengthy, curly beard but prefer a straighter and smoother style.

Whatever the case may be, you have options to achieve the perfect look.

• For those who want to style their beard without changing the texture too much, a good beard wax or cream will do the trick. These are great for managing flyaways and obtaining a more polished, clean-cut aesthetic.
• On the other hand, those who wish to straighten their beards will need to use a good heated brush or a comb and hair dryer using the warm setting. Be careful not to apply too much heat to your beard.

When growing and maintaining your beard, you’re bound to run into problems – everyone does. That doesn’t mean you have to walk around with a sub-par beard you can’t be proud of. Here are some of the most common beard issues and how to manage them:

• Flyaways

Flyaways are a pesky problem that haunts, well, just about every man at one point or another in their beard journey. The best thing to do is to apply a beard balm, oil, or cream to help the flyaways stay in place. Brush the flyaway so it’s less noticeable and “in line” with the rest of your beard hair. 

• Split Ends

Yes, just like the hair on your head, beards can end up with split ends. If you find split ends, go ahead and grab your shears and cut right above the damaged area. Prevent future split ends by adequately nourishing your beard, staying away from heat, and brushing/combing gently.

• Dandruff

Struggling with the dreaded dandruff? You’re not alone. Combat flaking and dryness in your beard hair by properly moisturizing. Use a top-tier beard oil, conditioner, or balm and use it regularly. Wash your beard regularly with the right products and always dry it before applying moisturizer. 

• Patchiness

Ah, a man’s worst nightmare: a patchy beard. While noticing patches may seem like the worst thing that could ever happen, the good news is that it can be fixed. Luckily, most patches fill in over time. But if you’re struggling with chronic patchiness, consider using thickening beard products and supplements to combat the issue. 

• Itchiness

Another common problem? Itchiness. This is most likely to occur when you first start growing your beard, such as during no-shave November. Keeping your skin and beard hydrated is the easiest way to stop itchiness in its tracks. Hydrated and soft skin/hair will prevent itching.