Winter Beard Care - Essentials Guide
As you may already be buried in snow for the year, switching up your beard care routine to match the weather at hand is essential. Winter is not a particularly fun time for either your skin, or your beard. Cold weather and lower humidity means that the wind and cold air around you is stealing moisture away from your skin, every second of the day.
Luckily for us (and our beards!) there is some easy habits to bear in mind to make the coming months much more comfortable and easy to deal with.
1. - Wash with warm water
For me, this is the hardest habit to keep in mind. There is nothing better than going from the cold outside, straight into a piping-hot shower. However, the hot water can strip oils of your skin and hair and dry it out. So, especially when washing your face and hands, turn that knob a bit towards the blue.
At least once every few days, use your favourite beard wash and scrub the skin under your beard to remove dead skin and refresh it. Especially if you like to wear scarves or balaclavas, dead skin can build up more than it does during the rest of the year, and can cause dandruff, itchiness and ingrown hairs. Don't forget to care for your skin!
2. - Don't forget to moisturize!
Right after the shower, be sure to follow up with your favourite moisturizer. For your beard, a good Beard Oil is the perfect thing. The oils will penetrate the hair strands and deeply condition them to repair damage. The skin underneath will also benefit from the moisture boost.
If you have normal to dry skin, warm a few drops of beard oil in your hands and smooth it over the rest of your face to combat dryness and to help your skin retain moisture. Oil-based moisturizers are a better pick than water-based ones during the winter months, as they can help your skin to hold onto the moisture better, which is key during dry weather.
Beard Oils with Jojoba Oil are best, as they can help to normalize any problem skin that your might come across during the colder weather and are light enough to not leave any heaviness on your skin.
3. - Keep drinking water
As the temperature drops, and we turn to warm drinks, we tend to drink less water. Bear in mind that your body also needs to hydrate from the inside out, and the benefits of getting your 8 glasses could easily fill a book! Additionally, eating foods with plenty of water, like fruits and veggies can also help to boost your intake of both water and vitamin C.
A favourite trick of mine is to drop a lemon wedge or two into boiled water, and let it cool to just above room temperature. It's warming, and refreshing, all in one!
4. - Avoid allergens and irritants
Washing your beard, and maintaining it with milder products during the winter months can make a big impact on sensitivity and irritation. If you find that your skin can become inflamed and irritated, especially after washing your beard, or using a specific product, switching things up with a milder product, free of ingredients like synthetic scents, parabens and silicones can make a big difference.
5. - Seal in that moisture
For me, using a product that forms a breathable barrier on your skin and hair is my secret weapon to keep everything hydrated and comfortable. Beeswax is the most common natural ingredient in beard care products, and works well on it's own. The wax allows your skin to retain more moisture than it otherwise would, while still allowing it to breathe properly. As a bonus, most grades of beeswax won't clog pores, and are actually relatively light, so using a balm on a shorter beard during the winter months won't leave your skin feeling heavy or clogged.
Bonus points if you can find lanolin in the ingredients list. Lanolin is derived from wool production, and if it's sourced responsibly (like we do!), it's an awesome addition to your beard care regimen. Lanolin will work to heal and protect chapped skin, and will coat each hair in a protective coat to keep your beard softer, longer.
Have any tips for winter beard care yourself! I'd love to hear about them below.
Thanks for reading!
Tyler at Peregrine