The beard, a significant charisma asset. Whether it is short or long, it must be taken care of if we want it to remain beautiful, shiny, healthy and very dense! Gentlemen, here are some tips for taking care of and thickening your beard!
Zoom on the beard and its characteristics
The beard is, by definition, a set of hairs that covers the chin, cheeks and jaws of men. Beard hair is different from hair. It has a part buried under the skin: it is called the hair follicle or “root” of the hair. Another visible part corresponds to the hair shaft or fiber, which is made up of three concentric shapes. These are the cuticle, cortex and medulla.
Beard hair is firmly rooted approximately 4 millimeters below the skin. It is within a cavity that the hair follicle is formed by an assembly of several types of cells: melanocytes and keratinocytes (yes, these are barbaric names), which multiply by rapid successive divisions. During the life cycle of the hair, keratinocytes harden to form the hair shaft, then eventually die. The bulb of a hair has one melanocyte for approximately thirty keratinocytes . It is the melanocytes which transmit melanin, responsible for the coloring of the hair, to the keratinocytes. It is for this reason, and because melanocytes disappear with age, that the hair shaft grows pigmented before becoming white.
Enough with scientific terms, let's keep it simple: the beard is unique, and the composition of its hair differs from that of hair.
Our tips for taking care of your beard and making it denser
A healthy lifestyle plays a big role in the health and development of the beard: it is important to have a good diet and restful sleep. We also reduce the use of razors and go to the barber from time to time for a little trim!
Beard nutrition
In addition to using a special shampoo for beards, you should think about nourishing the hairs. Vegetable oil and butters are perfect for this: they contain fatty acids, minerals and vitamins essential for hair and its maintenance in full health. All barbers say it: the secret is in the maintenance. So, after taking care to comb your beard well, apply nourishing care to it regularly. A natural vegetable oil nourishes hair and skin deeply and lastingly.
To nourish the beard, you can also use specific masks which repair it and protect it from external aggressions. We always favor natural products, without colorings, without synthetic perfumes, and without synthetic preservatives. We use the nourishing treatments on damp hair and leave it on for fifteen to thirty minutes ideally, until the nutrients penetrate the hair and skin. Then rinse with cold water, preferably.
Beard hydration
While it is essential to nourish the beard hairs, you must also take care to moisturize them. There are balms and natural solutions to deeply hydrate the beard and help it retain moisture. This allows you to have a stronger, thicker, shinier and softer coat. Most often, these solutions are beneficial to both skin and hair. Be careful, commercial balms often contain vegetable butters and oils which nourish the beard without hydrating it.
Besides beard balm, you can use a day cream, a mask and cold water to moisturize the beard. Patience, we will offer you some DIY solutions to achieve this! Remember that hydration care must be regular, and even daily. Your beard, gentlemen, needs water every day.
Brushing: essential for taking care of the beard and making it denser
Brushing your beard is one of the essential maintenance actions to take care of facial hair. Barbers are unanimous on the question (we haven't asked them all, we shouldn't exaggerate). It’s also one of the pieces of advice they give the most to their clients! Exit the plastic comb, and make way for horn combs and boar hair brushes. The keratin found naturally in boar hair provides a lustrous appearance and shine to beard hair.
If you're not a fan of the idea, there are vegan alternatives that are just as effective: use natural materials that stimulate the hair at the roots.
Also take advantage of the production of sebum, which will protect and repair the hair: avoid daily washing with soap, because the latter removes sebum, which is nevertheless beneficial.
Final advice: always comb in the direction of growth, in order to discipline. And don't hesitate to massage from root to tip!
Prevent and slow down beard loss
Good maintenance will be essential to prevent beard hair loss, or slow it down if it has already caused some damage. Brushing, moisturizing care, nourishing care... This is the formula to apply daily. The care you give to your beard, in addition to a healthy lifestyle, can help stop hair loss.
To limit beard hair loss, there is also our Resolution No. 3 : anti-hair loss serum. As the name suggests, it reduces hair loss ( or hair loss, depending on the application) by anchoring the bulb in the scalp or facial skin. In short, the best ally for thinning beards and emerging bald spots.
Stimulate beard growth
Massages using vegetable oils (such as castor oil) activate the skin's microcirculation and help nourish beard hair. This has the effect of stimulating beard growth. Foods that contain vitamins B1, B6, B8 or B12 can also contribute to faster hair growth.
Our Monsieur beard and hair gummies are a simple and effective solution to stimulate the growth of beard hair. They contain vitamins and minerals essential for beard health, but also bamboo extract, biotin and a few other nutrients concentrated in two candies per day. Please note that the gummies are suitable for all types of beards and hair, in addition to being vegan and made in France. And what's more, they also limit the fall, ideal for reinforcing the effects of Resolution No. 3. What more ?
Densify the beard by taking care of it
Beards prone to heavy hair loss can be sparse and have fairly significant differences in density. To remedy this, you must try to increase the density of facial hair. For this, regular care and brushing are essential. But there are complementary solutions such as Resolutions N°4 Booster Elixir, our active regrowth roll-on to apply in sparse areas. It helps stimulate hair regrowth and activates blood circulation in the skin.
For a visually fuller beard, it must also be trimmed regularly, with a hoof trimmer. However, you will need to be patient to see the results appear. Using products suitable for beards can also give a little boost in this area!
DIY: treatments to thicken the beard
A 100% natural homemade beard oil
For this first recipe, we opt for a mixture of vegetable oils beneficial for the skin and hair. You will need to mix two tablespoons of each of the following oils: argan, jojoba and virgin olive. To this, add two tablespoons of aloe vera juice and castor oil. Mix everything in a bowl before pouring into a spray bottle, and that's it! All you have to do is spread the treatment over the beard and focus on the thickest areas. With the right dose, you won't need to rinse: the idea is to make the mixture penetrate well.
A beard balm to take care of it
Beard balm is essential and you can definitely make it yourself. For this you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of shea butter;
- 1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil;
- 3 tablespoons of beeswax;
- 1 tablespoon of jojoba (or avocado) oil;
- 1 tablespoon of castor oil;
- 2 drops of vitamin E essential oil as an optional natural preservative;
Melt the wax and shea butter in a bain-marie and add the vegetable oils off the heat. Transfer to a pot and wait around ten minutes for everything to cool. Finally, place it in the freezer for a quarter of an hour so that the preparation sets properly, and all that remains is to heat a dab of balm in the palm of your hands before applying it to your beard!
And you, team beard or daily shave?
