Have you recently started growing a beard? Or maybe you're looking for advice on how to care for your beard better. Fear not, you've come to the right place. This is our comprehensive guide to beard care for beginners & veteran beard growers alike.
Table of Contents
- Beard Basics
- Daily Core Routine
- Advanced Upgrades
- Troubleshooting Corner
- Beard Styles & Face Shapes
- Seasonal & Travel Care
- Ingredient Decoder
- Sustainability & Ethics
- FAQs in 60 Seconds
- Your 30-Day Action Plan
1. Beard Basics
1.1 Growth Cycles & Genetics
Your Beard grows in 3 distinct phases. Those phases are anagen (growth), catagen (transition) and telogen (rest). The anagen phase is where you will see your hair grow. Be aware that not all beard hair grows evenly, this is what leads to a patchy beard. Hair grows at different rates, so stick with it and you'll see those patches fill out. You can help to encourage beard growth by keeping your existing hair healthy using beard oils and beard balm.
Check out our guide "Beard Growth: Myths vs Science" to learn more about how to aid your growth, without buying into the latest fad.
1.2 Skin Under the Beard
Facial skin produces less oils than your scalp, but faces more friction from eating, clothes and weather which dries it out faster. You also lose more water through the skin on your face when you sweat, which is why targeted hydration is the most important factor to keeping your skin, and therefore your beard, healthy.
We answered some popular questions about beard itching, which you can find here.
2. Daily Core Routine
Now you know how your beard grows and what problems it can cause, lets talk about what you can do to keep it healthy.
- Cleanse: Start by washing your beard to get rid of any nasty oils or impurities in your hair or clogging your pores. We recommend our Botanical Shampoo, used twice weekly.
- Condition: Use a quality Beard Oil to replenish the important oils in your hair, while conditioning and softening. You can also opt to use a light, water-based Beard Balm if your skin under your needs some extra moisture.
- Groom: Style with your favourite comb and apply Moustache Wax (If you have one) to keep your style locked in for the day.
Check out our "
Pro Tips
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Lukewarm water only; hot water opens cuticles too wide and strips colour.
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Apply oil to slightly damp, towel-blotted hair for maximum absorption.
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Finish with downward brush strokes to train growth direction.
3. Advanced Upgrades
3.1 Microneedling
There is minimal research to show that microneedling can directly benefit beard growth. One study showed that it did help to promote scalp hair growth however, and its positive effect on skin health is well established.
If you want to dry using a derma-roller on your beard make sure to wash your beard and skin beforehand, and stop immediately is you notice any major skin irritation.
You can find a deeper guide to microneedling here.
3.2 Professional Touch-Ups
Even if you’re a beard trimming wizard, we always recommend that you schedule a line up with your barber every 4-8 weeks to refine the shape of your beard, and get some professional advice too. If you happen to be in the South Yorkshire area, why not book an appointment at one of Our Barbershops.
4. Common Beard Care Problems
We know that not everything will go right the first time, and running into these common issues when growing or caring for your beard will feel disheartening. Luckily, all of these issues should be able to be solved quickly with a few tweaks to your daily routine.
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Persistent Itch: Try applying Beard Oil, start with 3 drops. If you're already applying beard oil, you might be better suited towards our Beard Balm, a water based alternative that hydrates and moisturises the skin as well as beard hair.
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Patchy Growth: Be patient, patches are normal especially when starting to grow a beard. Keep your skin and existing hair healthy to promote growth and push your hair folicles into the anagen phase.
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Split Ends: Trim the ends of your beard monthly. Make sure to avoid blow drying your beard, especially with hot air. Hot air blow drying is very bad for beards and can cause major issues.
- Greasy Hair: If you're applying beard oil, reduce the amount you apply. Our Beard Oil goes a long way and most beards only need 3 drops. If you still have overlay greasy hair, try our water-based Beard Balm instead.
5. Beard Styles & Face Shapes
If you need some style inspiration, use our quick fire table to see what works best for your face shape.
| Face Shape | One-Line Hair Tip | One-Line Beard Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Oval | You’re the lucky one—experiment | Keep beard edges neat |
| Round | Height on top, tight sides | Add chin length, slim cheeks |
| Square | Texture & curves soften edges | Round the beard corners |
| Rectangle | Less height, more side volume | Fuller cheeks, trim chin |
| Diamond | Volume at temples | Bulk at jaw corners |
| Heart | Medium length waves | Fill jaw with fuller beard |
6. Seasonal & Travel Care
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Winter: Skin dries faster in winter, and therefore your beard and skin are more susceptible to damage. We highly recommend using our water-based Beard Balm to keep your hair and skin moisturised and hydrated in the colder months.
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Summer: The last thing you want in the heat is a heavy, greasy oil weighing your beard down. That's why our Beard Oils are formulated to stay light in the hair, perfect for the summer. If you want a summer scent pairing, try our best selling Vanilla & Mango Beard Oil for the perfect finish.
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Travel: It's essential to keep your beard in shape while travelling. Differing climates can have different effects on your beard and skin. All Apothecary 87 beard products are under 100ml, so you can keep your beard in good shape on the move.
7. Ingredient Decoder
| Category | Heroes to Look For | Red Flags to Skip |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier Oils | Argan, Jojoba, Sweet Almond | Mineral oil |
| Butters/Waxes | Shea, Cocoa, Candelilla | High-melt petroleum wax |
| Actives | Vitamin E, Niacinamide, Caffeine | Parabens (if sensitized) |
| Fragrance | Natural essential oil blends (≤ 2 %) | Cheap synthetic musks |
For more info, check out our full guide to beard oil ingredients.
8. Sustainability & Ethics
At Apothecary 87 we care deeply about how we formulate and test our products, and we know many Beard Enthusiasts are on the same page. Make sure the products you buy fit your own criteria for sustainability & ethics. Here are a few of the things that we guarantee:
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Cruelty-Free: Apothecary 87 tests exclusively on humans, mostly ourselves! Not only does this mean we avoid bringing harm to any animals, but we also can develop and experience our products first hand.
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Vegan Options: Almost all of our products are completely vegan, check the ingredients to confirm for specific formulas.
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Local Manufacturing: All of our products are made here in the UK, with many being made on-site at Apothecary 87 HQ in our Lab.
Take a look at our signed message from office dogs Bear & Gatsby to see our full stance on animal testing.
9. FAQs in 60 Seconds
Here are just a few of the questions we see regularly on our social media.
| Rapid-Fire Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many drops of oil should I use? | We recommend starting with 3 drops, you can increase this depending on length. |
| How often should I wash my beard? | 2–3 × week with shampoo; rinse daily. |
| Is oil good for short beards? | Yes! Beard Oil will soften and condition any length of hair. |
| How long does a 30 ml oil last? | We estimate that our oils last 1-3 months depending on consumption. |
10. Your Action Plan
Now you have everything you need to start your beard care journey. Here's our quick fire action plan to get started.
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Research: Look into the products you are interested in and pick your favourites. Don't forget the essentials; Shampoo, Towel, Comb.
- Core Routine: Follow the routine shown in Step 3, or use our full beard care routine guide here.
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Have Patience: Good growth takes time. Allow your beard to grow as it needs to, don't fall victim to the temptation of making changes too early.
- Switch it up: Hair feeling too greasy? Maybe your shampoo isn't cleansing enough? Try some different things! Beard care is all about looking and feeling your best, so don't feel like you have to conform to everything we have listed. Always do what works for you.
Challenge: Tag @apothecary87 #the87club with your progress and we'll send you a voucher to use on your next order.
Ready to Level Up?
Everything we've mentioned here lives in our Beard Set — oil, balm, comb, shampoo and more, priced 10 % below individual RRP. Add to cart and start your beard care journey today. Your future beard will thank you.
