A great beard is 20 percent genetics and 80 percent routine. The clients with the sharpest beards all do the same four things every week — none of them complicated.
Wash it — but not like your hair
Beard hair and the skin beneath it dry out fast. Wash two to three times a week with a dedicated beard wash, not head shampoo, and always follow with oil while the beard is slightly damp.
Oil daily, balm for shape
A few drops of beard oil keep the hair soft and the skin underneath flake-free. Balm adds light hold for beards with length — warm it between your palms and work it through against the grain first, then smooth down.
Brush, then trim the strays
A boar-bristle brush trains the direction of growth and exfoliates the skin. Trim only strays between barber visits — the neckline and cheek lines are where home trims go wrong, so leave those to us every three to four weeks.
Eat and sleep like it matters
Protein, water and sleep show up in beard density. No oil compensates for dehydration — drink water, and your barber will notice the difference.
Book a beard sculpt every month and follow this routine between visits. Everything mentioned here — wash, oil, balm, brush — is on the shelf in our shop.
Adrian Cole, Transformation ExpertBeard sculpting, color and complete style transformations.