Here’s Why You Need A Beard Brush In Your Routine

What Are Beard Brushes?

Beard brushes are a grooming instrument that has strong, tough bristles placed on a handle inset. 

The body of a beard brush is generally made of wood, but you can find full plastic ones as well. There are even some models made of ox horn, although they are much harder to find. However, wood or bamboo are the most commonly used materials, as you can see in the Kent beard brushes since they are good to use, durable, and eco-friendly. Plastic beard brushes aren’t uncommon, and while they are cheaper, they aren’t that great to use. They can leave behind static and make your beard hair frizzier, although there are alternative materials like cellulose acetate, which have a flexible, rubbery texture that is durable and easily glides through hair without giving off static. 

Of course, you can sometimes even find beard brushes made of rarer materials like ox-horn. Ox-horn has been an essential part of several cultures all over the world, especially in Chinese medicine. The primary reason behind why it is used to make beard brushes is because ox-horn is made of keratin, which is the foundation stone of human hair, and using the same can make your hair healthier. 

Brushes are usually flat and oval-shaped, with smooth rounded edges. However, you can sometimes get rectangular-shaped ones as well. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to choosing the type, and people generally choose whichever feels more comfortable in their hands. 

The other important part of beard brushes is the bristles, which are either made of natural or synthetic fibers. The natural fibers used are either horse or boar hair, since they help in the proper distribution of sebum all over your skin and hair follicles which is crucial for good hair growth. They also tend to be firmer at the bottom and softer towards the top, which prevents them from hurting your skin. Badger’s hair is also quite popular, as they help distribute beard oils throughout the skin and hair. 

However, most people feel that boar hair is the most appropriate fiber as it combines flexibility and sturdiness like nothing else. These firm bristles help detangle knotted bear hair with ease, and take out dirt and particles without being overly aggressive and hurting you. 

There are also plastic bristles, but as you may have already guessed, they aren’t as effective. They can often be too harsh on the skin, and leave your hair feeling frizzy due to static, instead of in-shape. However, they are cheaper and an animal-friendly alternative. 

Most brushes also differ in terms of bristle sizes. That is, they are either long or short, and it is best to choose bristle size according to the length of your beard. So if you have a long beard, longer bristles are for you, as they can go through the entire length, from root to tips, and entangle hair well. Whereas, if you have a short, trimmed beard, brushes with short bristles are best, as they get the job done without making your skin irritated.

Why You Should Use A Beard Brush?

Now you might be contemplating why you should use a bread brush, and what benefits it could hold for you. Well, here’s a list of reasons that tell you exactly why. 

1. No Knots and Entangles – The most obvious reason why you should use a beard brush is to rid their beard of knots and detangle it, without hurting themselves or leaving their skin scratched and irritated. It also reduces frizziness and split ends, all of which help keep your beard free of painful knots and reduces breakage as well. 
2. Keep Your Beard In Shape – One of the main problems that you face with a beard is the pesky flyaways that stick out in every direction and make your beard look unkempt and shapeless. Using a bread brush can help make your hair more “obedient” and help your beard stay in place, even when it is humid. 
3. Improves Blood Circulation – Using a beard brush regularly can improve blood circulation, and stimulate blood flow by massaging your skin. The improved blood flow helps ensure that your hair follicles get the nutrients that they require, which then helps your hair grow stronger and better. It can help reduce breakage as well and improve the texture of brittle, coarse hair which many people struggle with. 
4. Reduces Dead Skin – Using a beard brush can also help exfoliate your skin and remove dead skin, which gets trapped under thick beard hair. Dead skin can not only clog pores and block follicles, leading to pimples and acne, it can also help in better penetration of products. 
5. Lowers Irritation and Dryness – Beard dryness is something that a lot of people suffer from, which is the flaking of the skin as your beard grows, which leads to itchiness and irritation. On top of that, even when your hair is growing back, your hair follicles can feel itchy, red, and sensitive. Beard brushing can help reduce itchiness and spread sebum from the follicles through the skin and the rest of the beard.
6. Helps Spread Product Evenly – If you use products on your beard, like beard oils, then using a beard brush can help spread out the product evenly throughout your hair, and ensure that the goodness of every molecule reaches from the root to the tip of your hair.

How To Use A Beard Brush?

Despite being an important tool, most people don’t know much about beard brushes, and that includes how to use them. While there is no special rule that dictates how you should brush your beard, following such tips can be helpful. 

1. Whenever you are using your beard brush, make sure that your hair is dry, not wet. Wet beard hair is more prone to breakage, as it tends to stretch out, and effectively getting rid of dead skin with the help of a beard brush cannot be possible when your hair and skin are wet. Using wooden models, such as the best Kent beard brushes, are also at risk of damage if exposed to too much humidity. 
2. Another tip to remember, that can make your beard brushing much more effective, is using some product like beard oil before. Not only will it help your brush go through your hair better, but it will also supplement the natural sebum production of your skin and leave your beard and skin feeling beard. 
3. Most of us tend to do everything in a hurry, which usually works out for us, But beard brushing isn’t something that you can add to that list. When you’re brushing your beard, do it slowly and carefully, to make sure your hair looks nice and neat. Also, make sure to follow the grain and do it according to the direction of hair growth.