No Shave November: How to care for your beard!

[wolfmanxiii]

A while back I started growing my beard back out for Halloween (lumberjack) and now I'm halfway into 'No Shave November'. I myself have posted as well as noticing others posting and inquiring how to take care of your beard. So, I did some research on a beard forum and tested their methods on myself. So far, so good. So here's the information I got:

Cleaning: If you clean your beard it is only recommended to do it once per week unless necessary. When you do clean your beard it is recommended not to use regular shampoo or soap, but instead to use a Castile Soap (Bronner's, Kirk's etc etc.). When you rinse, make sure to rinse well as leaving residue behind can make your itching and flaking worse.

Conditioning: Some use conditioner in their beards (I personally have stopped since I started only washing it once per week and using beard oil). If you use conditioner be sure to find one that doesn't leave a lot of residue behind (the same reason Castile Soap was recommended) and again rinse well. Another popular item I've seen used for conditioner is diluted Apple Cider Vinegar; you'll want to be sure to rinse well to avoid smelling like it.

Beard Oil: This has made a world of difference for me. I'm using it every day and it's working great. You can buy beard oil if you would like, but I chose to make my own (less expensive and I get to choose my own scents). You just put a few drops in your palm, rub your hands together and spread it around your beard. Afterward I use a soft boar bristle brush to help evenly distribute the oil and to tame the beard. You could just use any of the oils I list here straight (excluding the scent oils), but it will be a very YMMV sort of thing since some find that they don't like certain oils used alone since they absorb differently (some less easily than others)

My Beard Oil Concoction:
For all ingredients I used Now Brand which is what I found at my local organic/health-food store.
All came out to make 1fl. oz. so you can vary ingredient quantities if you are making more or less.

2 dropper-fulls of Jojoba Oil
4 dropper-fulls of Grape Seed Oil
4 dropper-fulls of Sweet Almond Oil
4 dropper-fulls of Apricot Kernel Oil
I then added 10 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil and 10 drops of Orange Essential Oil for scent. (the scent got girlfriend approval, she says it reminds her of an old cabin and that she likes it)

I hope this helps you guys make it through the rest of November without scratching your faces off

 

[gronnelg]

Nice post!
I've only tried jojoba oil so far. Not really sure if it makes a difference for me.
What's the difference for you?
I'll also have to check out those others oils you mention.

Edit: Oh wait, is this for beards that are still in the itchyfase?
What about later on (after about 3 weeks my beard stops itching), does it still make a difference?

 

[wolfmanxiii]

It helps relieve the itching and flakes for me. Even after the initial itchy stage I get what I call 'beard-druff' or beard dandruff and it tends to get itchy when this happens. The oil helps to moisturize the skin beneath the beard as well as helping to keep the beard itself healthy and manageable. I would say you can use it from that itchy phase on, you just have to vary the amount you use; the more beard you have the more oil you'll want to use. This will also vary based on the thickness of your beard. I tend to use more than recommended because I have a thick beard and it takes a bit more to penetrate it.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Last shaved on the 20th of December (not including some neck clean-up).
The itching has almost stopped, now I'm hoping the patchy spots on my cheeks fill in a bit.

SWMBO-approved, by the way. Highly approved!