A beard care routine is important for your beard’s hygiene, appearance, and overall hair health. Cleaning your beard prevents bacterial growth that can cause itching, irritation, or even infections, and conditioning and moisturizing your beard will ensure it is soft and hydrated. Stay on top of regular beard trims; they’re an opportunity to cut off split ends, trim your sideburns, and keep up a polished, neat look. Lastly, a well-maintained beard can be a source of pride.

A consistent beard care routine is rewarding in many ways. Just check out this list of beard care routine benefits before we dive into the rest of our expert beard care tips:

• Fewer ingrown hair
• Softer hair
• Better beard growth
• Reduced risk of bacterial growth on skin
• More polished look

Without proper beard maintenance, you could experience common beard issues such as dryness, itchiness, flaking, and uneven growth. To combat dryness and flaking, moisturize and condition your beard. Soothe itchiness with moisturization and regular cleansing. Exfoliation will reduce flakes, and regular trims will prevent uneven growth. Our beard care routine below, which details everything you should do step by step, will help you avoid the beard issues we just mentioned. 

This beard care routine is a general guide for beard maintenance, covering everything from cleansing to trimming. When shopping for beard care, select items that suit your hair type and growth stage.

Your beard can trap oil, food particles, saliva, and dirt, so you need to wash it regularly as part of beard maintenance — two or three times a week or more depending on build-up. Use a sulfate-free beard wash for a gentle cleanse that removes impurities but won’t dry out your skin or beard. 

Beard conditioner softens hair and prevents breakage, similar to the way regular conditioner works for hair on top of your head. Use beard conditioner once or twice a week after shampooing.

When it comes to moisturizers, you’ve got options. Beard butters like Magic Grooming Beard Butter provide beards with softness and definition whereas beard balms offer hold and lock in moisture. Beard oils seal in moisture and deliver high shine. No matter your choice, your moisturizer should be applied after washing or before styling as part of your beard care routine.

Beards are prone to tangles due to factors including dryness, texture, length, or even friction against a pillowcase. Comb or brush your beard daily to keep it tangle-free. A natural boar bristle brush is excellent at evenly distributing natural oils throughout coarse beards. Long or very thick beards should be detangled with a wide-tooth comb.

Trim your beard once every one or two weeks, adjusting the frequency for your beard’s growth rate. 
To trim your neckline, follow the natural shape of your jawline. Start at the center of your neck, moving the clippers outward. 
To trim your cheek line, visualize a line with one end starting where your ear meets your face and the other ending at your mouth corner. Remove any hair above the invisible line. Magic Grooming offers razorless cream shaves that prevent razor bumps and remove hair. 
When using electric clippers, trim along the grain, i.e. the direction your hair grows, to prevent irritation.

Once or twice a week, gently exfoliate under your beard to get rid of flakes and clear clogged pores. Use a beard-friendly exfoliating scrub or silicone exfoliating brush.