Brace Your Beard: Winter Grooming Guide

Have you ever seen those images of Game of Thrones male cast without facial hair? Then you must know what we mean when we say they look quite dorky without their famous beards. Since winter is coming, for years now in Westeros, those bad-ass men must have prepared their facial hair to look equally staggering (or even better) as in the first warm season. Although winter isn’t nearly as harsh in our world as it is in the Seven Kingdoms, the low humidity, cold air, and merciless wind can still have a negative effect on your beard. Here are some tips that will help you alleviate those effects and sit on the beard throne throughout the winter.

“Knowledge Is Power”

Remember when Littlefinger said this famous sentence to Cersei Lannister? Ok, her answer was quite on point, but not when it comes to beards. Knowing your specific skin and hair type will help you decide how often you should wash your beard and which products suit you best. Oily skin/hair will require more frequent wash (every day or two) while dry type should be washed about twice a week. However, all this depends on the elements to which your facial hair was exposed.

Washing the Beard

Before you start washing your beard, you must find a suitable product. Beware of the shampoo that strips the beard of its natural oils and leaves it dry and damaged. Facial soaps are also not a very good choice since they tend to leave sticky residues behind. Beard wash and shampoo bar are your best options as they clean the beard gently and reach the skin underneath, thus leaving both the skin and hair soft and hydrated.

Conditioning

Just as you would condition your hair after rinsing off the shampoo, you should also apply a cleansing conditioner on your beard. This is a winter must-have because it soothes the skin below the beard, thus making the beard look healthy and shiny. The product should be rubbed mostly into the roots and left without washing for a couple of minutes to half an hour.

Moisturizing

As we’ve already mentioned, facial skin and body skin can really dry up during this winter period. Counteract the negative effects of this cold weather with beard butter. It is a product that locks in the moisture inside your skin and provides a perfect shield from the harmful winter sun.

Beard Oil

Another nourishing product that has many benefits, including keeping the moisture inside your skin and hair. Good beard oil will not only make your facial hair look good, but it will also make it smell great. Also, it can prevent some of the common problems of bearded men – dandruff, dry and flaky skin. Apply the oil like a leave-in conditioner and your facial hair will be nourished, easy-to-shape and hydrated.

Treat Your Face

The best and most expensive plant won’t grow on a poor arid land. Make sure your face is the perfect groundwork for fabulous beard by undergoing cleansing and nourishing facial treatments, such as chemical peels, exfoliation, facial rejuvenation, LED light therapy, and anti-aging laser treatments. All of these will make your skin look younger, reduce your pores, and address specific problems, such as acne breakouts and cracked skin. As a result, your beard will grow faster, stronger and healthier giving you the look better than bearded John Snow, Rob Stark, and Jamie Lannister combined.

Winter is here. And only those prepared to deal with all the hardships it carries will have a hydrated and nourished beard that will make all the boys green of envy and all the girls’ weak at the knees. Follow these tips and you’ll be one of them.

Peter is a men's grooming and lifestyle writer at The Beard Mag and High Street Gent magazine from the UK. Besides writing he worked as a grooming consultant for many fashion events around the UK & Europe. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.