Why You Should Wash Your Beard Often

If you ask 3 people how often you should wash your beard, you will get at least 5 different answers. The following is just my take on why you should wash your beard often. While it works great for me I trust you'll experiment and find what works for you.

Before I offer my $.02, I know guys with amazing beards that swear by weekly shampooing, some that wash their beard every other day, and others that go daily.

As you can see, it is not like one or the other is a complete no-no.

I clean my beard every day but I use a soap specifically designed for beard hair, instead of a soap or shampoo with harsh chemicals and I always use conditioner.

The common belief is that if you wash your beard often it will lead to breakouts, dry skin, and strip it of it's natural oils. But the reality is that the opposite happens.

Washing your beard will nourish your skin and improve your skin’s ability to retain a healthy balance of oils.

However, you don't want to wash your beard daily. Washing it 2-4 times a week is the generally accepted rule of thumb. 

Your beard is one of your dearest friends.

Your beard hair unlike the hair on the top of your head has higher levels of sebum, and pheromones.

This results in the production of a distinct smell, or your signature smell.

As people started to wear their beards long, they discovered that beards are made of keratin, which is found in the outer layer of your skin. These keratin fibers are pretty difficult to remove with water or soap, but that's what aloe was made for.

Some benefits of using a beard wash or soap specically made for your beard include:

• Replenish and nourish the dry skin underneath
• Add moisture and shine to your beard
• Promotes beard growth
• Has anti-fungal and anti-viral properties

Many guys believe that having a beard makes them look tougher and more manly.

Some guys take this attitude too far, limiting their grooming time to just five minutes before an important meeting or leaving their beard to be unclean for too long.

Washing your beard regularly will help minimize the amount of junk, dirt, and microorganisms in your beard, meaning less time for grooming is needed.

More importantly, washing your beard regularly also improves your skin's barrier function and thus, your skin's resistance to bacteria and fungi.

The majority of men wash their facial hair a 1 - 2 times a week at the most.

They claim that it's a hassle or that their facial hair is already clean enough since they shower every day.

Despite adopting this time-saving habit, it is possible to wash your beard the recommended 2 - 4 times a week without having to spend a lot of time doing it.

 A new research study suggests that men with facial hair have more germs on their beards than dogs.

This bold claim made it into the study presented in 2019 that discovered that every sample of beard hair collected during the study was covered in bacteria.

Nearly half of these beards had bugs or bacteria considered hazardous to human health. The dogs that were tested had fewer microorganisms, a bacterium that can cause disease.

Beards need to be well-groomed and free of debris, but what makes a beard's care regimen a must is the use of a beard wash.

The oils and conditioners a beard wash provides a beard can keep a beard clean while adding a sophisticated scent that serves as a daily reminder of a man’s self-care routine.

While we might not realize it, we can all benefit from learning about the several reasons for washing our beard more often.

Until it is thoroughly clean, our beard is prone to excess sebum and bacteria buildup. What makes a beard wash unique is that we can use it often without harming our beard.

Not only does washing our beard often keep it clean, but it also helps keep the skin underneath clean and healthy.

These reasons and others, might just be enough reason to change your lather and rinse routine and clean it up.

Looking for something to help clean and condition your beard? Check out these products.