Summer Beard Care 101
How do you take care of your beard come summer? (Photo: Instagram)
Maybe it’s because I don’t have a beard (and likely never will), but I’ve always associated beards with cool weather. It’s not that surprising of an idea to grow your beard in the winter, since facial hair does help keep your face warmer, but it turns out, there is nothing wrong with a beard in the summer.
“The myth of a beard making you sweat more is false,” says celebrity men’s groomer Diana Schmidtke. In the summer, the weather is more humid and you tend to be more active, so you’re likely to be sweating throughout your body, not just in the beard area. She also points out that a cool breeze hitting a sweaty beard can actually be quite refreshing — like having your own personal AC. Now that you don’t have to worry about shaving your beard off before the temps hit 90 degrees, I asked Schmidtke to share some more of her summer grooming tips. Here’s what you need to know about protecting and maintaining your beard in the heat.
Protect
“What’s great about beards is that they help protect against the harsh sun,” says Schmidtke. “A beard actually acts as a barrier, but you still need to wear sunscreen.” She recommends working your normal face sunscreen through your beard for added protection from the sun. As far as protecting your actual beard hair, look for a leave-in spray with UV filters. Schmidtke likes Paul Mitchell Color Protect Locking Spray ($14), the scent is clean without being overpowering and will also help to keep your beard from fading in the sun. Who likes an orange beard? No one.
Wash
“The chlorine and salt water that stays in your hair can be very damaging with the sun,” says Schmidtke. Just like you would wash your hair after being in the pool or ocean, you need to make sure you are washing your beard afterwards. She notes that beard hair is already much more coarse than the hair on your head and chlorine and salt water can dry hair out even more.
Trim
It’s also important to trim your beard regularly, especially in the summer. “I think that some men are under the false idea that growing a beard doesn’t require you to do anything,” she says. “That’s not true. A beard is like a haircut, you have to take care of it.” Check out the video below for more of Schmidtke’s tips for beard maintenance.
Hydrate
After you wash your beard, make sure that you apply beard oil. This will help to shield your beard from the sun and will soften the hair so it doesn’t appear rough or dry. Schmidtke recommends The Art of Shaving Beard Oil ($30), which uses lightweight essential oils and vitamin E to soothe hair and hydrate the skin.
Related:
Pro Tips for Taking Care of Your Beard
