First Beard Attempt

[BadDad]

Hair generally grows quicker in the fall. It's a biological response to protect us from colder weather.

Trimming healthy hair does not improve growth rates. Trimming dead and split ends can improve growth rates by improving the natural distribution of sebum oils throughout the hair shaft.

Brushing and combing, especially with boar bristle brushes and wooden combs, also helps distribute natural sebum oils, drastically improving hair health and growth rates.

 

[August West]

Hair generally grows quicker in the fall. It's a biological response to protect us from colder weather.

Trimming healthy hair does not improve growth rates. Trimming dead and split ends can improve growth rates by improving the natural distribution of sebum oils throughout the hair shaft.

Brushing and combing, especially with boar bristle brushes and wooden combs, also helps distribute natural sebum oils, drastically improving hair health and growth rates.

I have been brushing lately with a synthetic brush and have noticed an improvement in overall fullness and health. I think I may spring for a boar brush if I keep the beard past June.

 

[NesOne]

I brush it every morning too. I picked up this boar brush at Walmart for $2.97. I couldn't wait for the Dollar Beard Club brush that will arrive tomorrow, lol.

 

[August West]

I brush it every morning too. I picked up this boar brush at Walmart for $2.97. I couldn't wait for the Dollar Beard Club brush that will arrive tomorrow, lol.

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I did not realize they could be had so inexpensively. Thanks!

 

[NesOne]

I did not realize they could be had so inexpensively. Thanks!

Me either, I was looking at the regular 'handled' brushes for about $5-$6 when the wife called me over to the next isle where these were located. That brand has different types too; handle, 2-sided soft and hard, etc. I had seen the 2-sided one at a CVS about a month ago, but it was like $7 and I had passed on it. Mainly because I was paranoid about it truly being boar hair, but at $3 I'm okay with risking it lol.

 

[Seraphim]

Jeesh, I bought a $5 handled brush at Walgreens and sawed off the handle, and thought I was being frugal....

 

[BadDad]

Actually, the Dollar Beards Club brush is a really nice brush. 100% boar bristles. Many of the cheap drugstore brushes have "reinforced" boar bristles, meaning the boar is interspersed with nylon for extra stiffness.

The only 2 things I still use from my adventure in the Dollar Beard Club are the boar brush and the wood comb. I carry the comb with me every day, and use the brush every morning before leaving the house, and every evening before hitting the sack...

 

[NesOne]

Actually, the Dollar Beards Club brush is a really nice brush. 100% boar bristles. Many of the cheap drugstore brushes have "reinforced" boar bristles, meaning the boar is interspersed with nylon for extra stiffness.

The only 2 things I still use from my adventure in the Dollar Beard Club are the boar brush and the wood comb. I carry the comb with me every day, and use the brush every morning before leaving the house, and every evening before hitting the sack...

Yeah, I watched a couple of online reviews that gave some praise to the DBC brush and convinced me to give it a try.

Some other reviews on Amazon for other brushes warn about the nylon 'fraud' you mentioned. One person said he bought one, and burned some of the bristles and they curled/melted instead of burning away. Well, this morning 2 strands fell off my brush and I tried it. It burned away, and it smelled like burned hair not "plastic-ey".

Who knows, maybe the 2 that fell were the actual boar hair. I tried googling about this specific brush and couldn't find any reviews about it being fake. The bristles are kind of stiff, but I have nothing to compare it to... yet. When I first bought it, I washed it with Dawn dish soap (I'm paranoid like that, lol) and before it completely dried, I used it and it felt really soft.

When I get the DBC brush, it will be my go to at home, and I'll keep this cheapy one at work as a spare.

Anybody know a for sure way to tell if the bristles are truly boar hair?

 

[NesOne]

Jeesh, I bought a $5 handled brush at Walgreens and sawed off the handle, and thought I was being frugal....

lol, oh yeah, I'm frugal alright. I'm already planning on making my own beard oil so I don't pay $5.39/month (shipped) for .5 oz with DBC.

 

[Screech8710]

So I need a brush then, and a wooden comb. Is there a consensus on when brushing should begin? I know combing can wait since I'm not even a week into this.

 

[BadDad]

So I need a brush then, and a wooden comb. Is there a consensus on when brushing should begin? I know combing can wait since I'm not even a week into this.

When you want to start training the hair in a specific direction...

 

[Screech8710]

Ok, thank you. I guess I have at least another week then because most of my hair is too short to do anything other than stick out.

 

[Seraphim]

lol, oh yeah, I'm frugal alright. I'm already planning on making my own beard oil so I don't pay $5.39/month (shipped) for .5 oz with DBC.

I use, and endorse this stuff:

$8 for 8oz.

 

[NesOne]

I use, and endorse this stuff:

$8 for 8oz.

Thanks for the tip, I will keep this in mind if I get scared with the prices of the buying all the oils separately.

 

[Screech8710]

I read on another forum that jojoba (sp?) and grape seed oils work well too. Have you guys tried them?

Those oils are in a pre shave oil I picked up last winter and I figured I would use that first, before I buy something else.

 

[August West]

I read on another forum that jojoba (sp?) and grape seed oils work well too. Have you guys tried them?

Those oils are in a pre shave oil I picked up last winter and I figured I would use that first, before I buy something else.

I have grape seed in one of my balms.

 

[BadDad]

I read on another forum that jojoba (sp?) and grape seed oils work well too. Have you guys tried them?

Those oils are in a pre shave oil I picked up last winter and I figured I would use that first, before I buy something else.

Jojoba is actually a liquid wax, has an almost infinite shelf-life and is very good for hair. Absorbs slowly and can look super shiny under intense light.

Grapeseed oil is good for hair and skin, but has a relatively short shelf life...maybe a month or 3 before it goes rancid. Light scent, absorbs well.

Argan oil is great for hair and skin and has a very stable shelf life. Absorbs well, light scent.

Hemp oil is fantastic for hair and skin with an indefinite shelf life, a very light odor, and a very light weight that readily absorbs into the skin and hair.

Almond oil, Meadowfoam seed oil, and castor oil all work well, too...

 

[Screech8710]

I'll look for these oils in a beard oil. Thanks for all of the information and advice you guys have given.

Here we are, 1 week in. My cheeks are still sparse but getting there. They didn't show up well in the picture, but there are more hairs starting to come in here and there. My mustache is uneven too, but there is some new growth at the end of the short side.

 

[Razorburn92]

You have pretty similar coverage to me man. My beard comes in a tad bit more dense than yours...but I have patchy area on both sides of my cheeks where my beard is still developing. You have awesome neck coverage...so if a big long beard is what you want, you'll have it! I'm in the process of growing mine out too for the first time in what....2 years.

 

[Screech8710]

You have pretty similar coverage to me man. My beard comes in a tad bit more dense than yours...but I have patchy area on both sides of my cheeks where my beard is still developing. You have awesome neck coverage...so if a big long beard is what you want, you'll have it! I'm in the process of growing mine out too for the first time in what....2 years.

I'm hoping that the new growth will continue and start to fill in my cheeks over the next couple weeks. Does yours fill in mostly or just get covered?

Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to allow my beard to become a massive mane.