Whether you’re having some problems growing the beard of your dreams or you’re just preemptively researching the mistakes to avoid when growing and grooming your facial hair, we’ve got the most comprehensive list of “don’t”s that you’ll find anywhere online.
Without further ado, we bring to you, the biggest list of beard-related things you should not do.
1. Don’t Get Impatient
Rule number one of this set of rules that are actually in no particular order is to be patient.
Don’t give up after a few weeks because you’ve yet to magically sprout your dream beard. Growing a beard takes time. Keep following our advice and it will happen, at a rate of around 0.4mm per day.
Let it become a little uneven before trimming the stray hairs, too, or you’re just not going to give it the opportunity to grow. As a general rule, newer beards should be left for around a month before you pick up your beard trimmer.
2. Don’t Ignore Your Neckline
The neckline of your beard, which is the "bottom border" of your facial hair, gives it form and a neater appearance. An appropriately groomed neckline will make your beard look longer and thicker.
Men have a bad habit of following their jawline, while in reality, for a full beard, the beard neckline should wrap under the chin, closer to the Adam’s Apple.
3. Don’t Get Carried Away With Your Top Line
Easy does it.
When you’re working on your beard’s top line, it sometimes pays to not be too particular.
The more you work away at it to even it up, the closer it gets to becoming a chin strap. But hey, if that’s the style you’re going for then go for it - we’re here to offer advice - not judge!
People will probably judge, though. Don’t upset your nan. Come on, get rid of that thing.
4. Don’t Forget To Brush Your Beard Regularly
When we’re brushing our beards, we’re not only making them look tidier, we’re also training hairs to grow in a particular direction.
Using a beard brush regularly will encourage your facial hair to do as it’s told much quicker.
In addition, you’ll be clearing away all the dead skin cells from the skin underneath that are getting in the way of your beard growth and causing beard itch.
5. Don’t Comb Before Brushing
Unless you’re one of them pain enjoyers.
Brushing your beard before getting the beard comb out will help untangle some of those bigger knots and prep the beard for a good combing.
If you have a long beard, a beard brush will straighten up the situation and make way for the beard comb to come in and finish up the job at a finer level.
6. Don’t Brush Too Much, Either
Every time you brush and comb your beard, you may be making it look neat and tidy, but you’re also putting it under a small amount of stress.
Brushing and combing your beard regularly is fine and you will not be causing any problems, but doing it too often can eventually lead to hair loss, countering all the hard work you’ve put in to get it to its current stage.
7. Don’t Believe The Beard Misinformation
A long time ago, we’re assuming at a particular stage of evolution where the first few men became a little less hairy, these men used their fragile masculinity to create a few myths about beards.
“bEaRdS cOnTaIn MoRe GeRmS tHaN…” Naa, mate, I wash mine - and there is absolutely no problem with not being able to grow a beard, you’re, like, more aerodynamic and stuff.
Further beard misinformation includes believing “the speed of beard growth is 100% genetic”, and that “shaving will help your beard come back thicker”.
Shaving does not increase your beard hair follicle count.
8. Don’t Skip The Beard Oil Or Balm
Beard oil can do so many wonderful things for your beard, from the initial beard growth phase to the eventual beard grooming - and everything in between.
Beard oil keeps the skin hydrated, locks in moisture and gives your beard a healthy gloss, preventing split ends. It makes the hair softer. Despite all of these advantages, many beard-wearing gentlemen neglect to apply it, and this may lead to a slew of issues.
The same applies to beard balm, and with so many exquisite scents available, you could be missing out on smelling even better than you already do, too.
9. Don’t Use Too Much Oil Or Balm
When you apply too much beard oil to your beard, it clings to your skin. This is when your beard and skin develop an excessively oily build-up.
It will not only get on everything you come into contact with, but it will also sit over the pores, meaning any dirt or filth becomes trapped and has a place to rest, causing red patches, acne, inflammation, and infected follicles.
Plus, you’ll only end up spending too much money.
10. Don’t Use Poor Quality Beard Products
Cheaper, more basic beard oils, quite frankly, are no better than just rubbing some baby oil on your face - and in some cases can even be dangerous.
They provide none of the many benefits that can be offered by premium oils which contain many natural oils like Argan oil, almond oil, Inca Inchi oil, as well as nutrients like vitamin e.
Better quality products are also much more likely to be cruelty-free. They’re also much less likely to contain poorly-filtered or harmful ingredients that can damage your skin and harm your health. If you’re thinking about putting that £5 ($7) bottle of oil you bought on Amazon on your face, think again.
11. Don’t Blow Dry Your Beard with hot air
Just like with head hair, excessive heated blow-drying will cause much more damage than you think.
The high heat will swiftly dry out your beard - far quicker than the hair on your head - and you'll be left with itching, dandruff, and split ends as a result of an excessively dry beard.
Unless you are in a rush for something more important than your beard (nothing is), there’s absolutely no reason to ever risk using a hairdryer on your beard. Instead, towel dry it, be patient (rule one) and let your beard live its best life.
12. Don’t Trim The Moustache Too Short
Trimming the moustache is a pretty easy task. Unfortunately, it’s maybe a little too easy if anything.
Just a little more this side… then even it up on that side… and before you know it, you look like a cunning leprechaun, especially if you’re sporting a longer beard style.
Your overall beard shape is dictated by how well you trim your beard neckline around the Adam’s Apple, as well as how well you can match it to your moustache.
13. Don’t Neglect The Sideburns
If you have one of the longer beard styles, you’re more likely to be able to get away with this, but not paying attention to where your sideburns end and your beard begins can really mess up your style and change your face shape.
A good blending between the head hair and the beard hair can make all the difference to your final look and complete your overall post-grooming appearance.
14. Don’t Let Your Beard Grow Out Of Control
Facial hair does not grow out evenly or in a uniform manner.
Whilst it's ok to leave your beard untended during the first few months of growing, after that you need to start putting in the groundwork.
If you don't, it's quickly going to become unruly. Trim your longer flyaway hairs, and tidy your moustache on a weekly basis to stop it getting involved with anything that comes into contact with your mouth. Then, give it a more thorough, style-focused trim once a month.
15. Don’t Trim Your Beard Too Often, Either
Put the beard trimmer away and give it a chance!
This rule ties in a lot with rule number one, where if you’re not patient enough you can find yourself trimming too often, which just doesn’t give your beard an opportunity to actually grow.
Plus, the more often you trim it, the more likely you are to make a mistake and ruin your whole look.
16. Don’t Use The Wrong Tools
There are a variety of very valid reasons why beard brushes and beard combs are available.
Hairbrushes are often made of synthetic bristles or plastic prongs, which are far more prone to yanking out beard hairs if they become tangled in them.
In addition, they're rather abrasive. Even if they don't manage to rip out beard hairs, they'll do significant harm to them, including splitting the ends of the hair.
17. Don’t Use Head Shampoo
It says “Head & Shoulders”, not “Head, Shoulders & Face”. And don’t give us that “ACKCHYUALLY the face is on the head” rubbish because science is on our side here.
While head shampoo strips the natural oils from hair and replaces them with its own, beard shampoo contributes additional oils and nutrients to work alongside the natural ones, which is much less harsh on your follicles and such.
Beard shampoo is far from just a beard devotee’s luxury product - it’s a necessary tool for keeping your beard in the best condition possible.
18. Don’t Trim A Wet Beard
Before you trim your beard and moustache, always give them a good wash first - ideally with beard shampoo - then brush and comb.
Don’t turn that beard trimmer on right away though, because trimming while it’s still dripping wet is never a good idea.
For the most accurate results, towel dry your beard before the trim begins while the facial hair is still a little damp. This is the closest the beard shape will be to your beard styling goal.
19. Don’t Use Plastic Combs
Whether you have a wide-tooth comb, a fine-tooth comb or a double-sided delight, your beard comb should always be made from high-quality, smooth wood.
Plastic combs are not as smooth as they may seem and are much more rigid at a microscopic level, which can result in snagging while you comb.
Furthermore, plastic combs can build up static during use, which can make your facial hair look more out of control than before you began grooming.
20. Don’t Continue Using A Damaged Brush
If you can’t get a proper grip on your beard brush anymore, or if half of the bristles have fallen out, it’s time to get a new one.
Wear and tear are going to happen eventually, even with the most premium beard care tools. So, if any item in your beard grooming kit is damaged, it’s important to replace it immediately, as you won’t continue seeing the full benefits of using those products anymore.
21. Don’t Groom Without A Mirror
It doesn’t matter how much of a rush you’re in, or how simple your beard style may be to work with, you should always have a mirror in front of you.
This beard grooming mistake is pretty self-explanatory. If you’re doing anything with a beard trimmer, combing or styling, you need to be able to see what you’re doing, otherwise, you run the risk of looking even more unkempt than you would have if you’d just left your beard alone in the first place.
Not to mention, if you’re using grooming scissors you’ll be putting yourself in harm's way.
22. Don’t Ignore The Skin Beneath Your Beard
Unless you want beard dandruff, you need to pay as much attention to the skin underneath your beard as you do to the beard itself.
A well-groomed beard is just the tip of the iceberg. For the healthiest beard possible, you need to worry about the skin beneath your facial hair as well.
A few drops of beard oil on your beard daily will be everything you need to keep your face moisturised, healthy and comfortable, even if you possess the irritable sensitive skin and stubble combo.
23. Don’t Forget The Rest Of Your Face
We’re not here just to offer beard grooming tips, but any further tips that can assist with making the beard stand out a little more, too.
As well as looking after your beard length, beard line and sideburns, your beard grooming session should also consist of trimming your nose hairs and preventing that ever-persistent monobrow from reaching its final form.
Any stray hair anywhere else on your face can seriously detract attention from your well-worked facial masterpiece. Beard styles are ruined by poor grooming elsewhere far too often.
24. Don’t Store Your Beard Oil In The Sun
The way beard oil is stored is one of the reasons why it expires early or loses its potency. If you want an oil that works for months to come, bottles should be kept capped and at room temperature at all times. Leaving beard oil out in the sun may quickly damage it and shorten its lifespan.
The bottle of beard oil should also be kept upright to avoid any leaks if the top isn't put on securely enough, which is a mess we wouldn't wish on our closest competitors.
25. Don’t Forget To Stay Hydrated
To keep your beard soft, while also keeping yourself alive, it’s important to always stay hydrated.
Water intake and beard development are linked because staying hydrated improves blood circulation, which ensures that critical nutrients reach the body's biggest organ, the skin.
Healthy skin is the basis of your beard goals, and appropriate hydration keeps that base in top shape.
Dry skin, get in the bin.
26. Don’t Smoke Too Often, If At All
An average length beard might take anywhere between two to six months to develop to its full potential. It may take even longer to grow out that full beard, depending on your genes, nutrition, age, and lifestyle choices.
If you smoke, you may be slowing the development of your beard since smoking affects blood circulation in the body. You may need to make some lifestyle modifications depending on how desperately you want that big beard. Smoking can also dry out your moustache hairs and, over time, give them a gross, yellow-grey appearance.
27. Don’t Tell Other Men What To Do With Their Beards
It doesn’t matter how beautiful your beard is, it will never give you the right to offer unsolicited beard advice.
While it’s perfectly acceptable to suggest things that could help, recommend particular beard products etc., you should never make other men feel uncomfortable about what they’re sporting on their face.
Having a short beard is a legitimate style choice, and just because yours is longer, doesn’t make you any better.
28. Don’t Be Intimidated By Other Beards
You should always be proud of the beard you've developed as long as you're doing all you can to take care of your beard and keep it looking as nice and tidy as possible.
Your beard style is an important part of who you are, so remain confident, even if it isn't as long or full as you'd hoped.
29. Don’t Spend Too Much Time Grooming Your Beard
Washing your beard should only add another minute to your time in the shower.
Trimming your beard should be actioned carefully and precisely but not overdone either as being too particular for too long can result in a detrimental loss of length.
Applying beard oil or beard balm should only be another minute or two.
If you’re brushing too often or for too long, you’ll be putting your beard under too much stress, leading to possible damage and hair loss.
30. Don’t Forget That Your Barber Can Help
Conducting your own beard maintenance with your own beard kit seems the best way to look after your facial hair, but if you find yourself struggling to get things right or you’re not sure exactly what you should be doing, your barber can save the day.
Not only have most barbers trimmed and styled beards a thousand times before, but they can also offer a different point of view that can provide much better results.
Your barber may even be able to recommend a particular beard oil or beard balm based on your specific needs.
31. Don’t Let Those People At The Bar “Feel Your Beard”
“Can I touch your beard”, Mission Beard owner, Alex, is asked most Friday nights.
While these people only mean well, you have absolutely no way of knowing where their hands have been.
Remember when they stopped serving free peanuts at the bar immediately around the time that people claimed there may or may not have been a study that found urine samples in the bowls? This is a similar situation.
Whether this experiment did happen or not, let’s be honest, it’s not a particularly farfetched claim.
Pub people can look at the beard but they cannot touch the beard. You shouldn’t even be touching it too much yourself!
32. Don’t Forget To Thank The Compliments
When you’ve followed all of the beard grooming tips above and you’ve put your heart and soul into developing the best beard you can possibly grow, your friends, family and bus driver will be sure to notice.
Be proud, be humble, and remember to thank those that compliment your efforts.
Do Love Your Beard
We may have sounded a little bossy up until now, but look - here’s a “do”!
Whether the compliments flow or not, just be sure to be happy with what you’ve achieved, and love every single strand of hair that sprouts from your mug.