Dudes have been growing beards since the dawn of man and they have gotten along just fine, right? So why do you need to start using oils, balms and waxes on your whiskers now?
It’s all about taking things up a notch. Yes, your wiry scruff is fine when you are hanging out with a bunch of hard-tails. However, most of us enjoy the company of the fairer sex from time to time and the ladies usually don’t want to feel like they are hugging a scratchy wool blanket or smooching a Brillo pad. This is where beard products come into play. Following is a general description of the main beard and mustache products, what they are good for and how to use them.
Beard Oil
Beard Oil primarily moisturizes your beard and the skin underneath it. I have seen some guys with beards glistening from the large volume of beard oil they use. This is not how beard oil is intended to be used. There is no need to use excessive oil. For an average beard up to about 2 inches in length, 4 to 6 drops of beard oil are plenty to condition the hair and moisturize the skin underneath your beard. Place the drops into the palm of one hand then rub your hands together to spread the oil evenly over your palms and fingers. Starting at the base of your beard, apply the oil and work it down to your skin. After applying the oil, brush or comb your beard to help distribute the oil evenly and style your beard. Beard oil will help reduce itching when initially growing out your beard and will help minimize “beardruff,” the dandruff-like flakes that men sometimes get in their beards, particularly in dry weather.
Beard Goo (Balm/ Butter)
Beard Goo is Fuzzy Booger’s version of beard balm or beard butter. There is a subtle difference in balms and butters, but they generally perform the same function. Beard Goo, like Beard Oil, conditions your beard hair and moisturizes the skin underneath. Additionally, because Beard Goo has beeswax, shea butter and/or cocoa butter, it provides some hold. If you tend to have a frizzy beard or stubborn hairs that just won’t lay down, you should consider Beard Goo. Some people use both Beard Oil and Beard Goo. This is generally overkill. One exception is described after the next paragraph, which explains how to use Beard Goo.
To use Beard Goo, using the top of your thumbnail, scrape out enough product to cover about two-thirds of your thumbnail. Rub the product between your palms to emulsify (liquify) it. You don’t want any chunks here. Make sure it is spreadable, but don’t rub it all into your hands. When melted, as with the beard oil, rub into your beard from the base of your beard up to your cheeks. Use your finger tips to work the product down to your skin and spread evenly through your beard. Use a comb or brush to style. Thanks to the wax and butters in Beard Goo, you will get some hold from them. We’re not talking hair gel quality hold, but Beard Goo will help tame the scruff. Over time, both Beard Oil and Beard Goo will soften your beard hair and make it more manageable and much more appealing to your lady friends.
Some people have concerns about the waxes and butters in Beard Goo clogging pores. Shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil are good for the skin and, used in moderation, should not cause any problems. Theoretically, there could be a problem for people with sensitive skin. In this case, consider using the Beard Oil and skipping the Beard Goo. If you still want the control of Beard Goo, you could apply Beard Oil first, focusing on your skin and then apply Beard Goo, focusing on the hair. If you still have issues with clogged pores, you will likely need to stop using Beard Goo. I would not expect this type of problem for the vast majority of people.
Mustache Wax
Another category of whisker product is Mustache Wax. Mustache Wax is the stuff that allows us to separate the mustache from the beard and to keep those lip hairs out of our mouths. For shorter mustache styles, wax may be unnecessary. However, most longer styles will require the use of some product to hold the ‘stache in place, particularly when you want to get fancy such as with some type of handlebar or other updo.
Most companies offer at least two strengths of wax. There’s the standard wax that allows a bit of flexibility and potential re-shaping. Then there’s the fixers that make the ‘stache rigid with lots of firm wax. Changing the shape with these rigid waxes typically requires re-heating the wax to re-mold. Unless you are planning to enter a beard and mustache competition, or you are very active in your daily life, the rigid, fixer level is probably not necessary. Fuzzy Booger offers two strengths, Gentle Nudge, which should cover most people’s mustache wax needs and Stay Dammit! for the more difficult ‘staches.
BeardPoo (Not shampoo, but beardpoo…too far? Maybe, but I’m running with it!)
(I don’t want “sham”poo! I want real poo!) On my way to learning the finer points of beard care, I have found that everyday shampoo designed for the hair on top of our heads is not exactly appropriate for use on our facial hair. This is because shampoo is designed to remove oils. These oils make the hair on top of our heads look greasy and flat, but those same oils are good for our thicker, wirier beards and ‘staches. Many articles I have read recommend only shampooing and “beardpooing” every-other day or as little as 2 – 3 times a week. Sorry guys, but I like being really clean and I am washing mine every day. If the hair falls out, so be it. If you can stand the every-other day routine, I’m sure that will be fine. At Fuzzy Booger, I am currently researching and developing what I am calling BeardPoo. It will be available very soon. Keep in mind, too, that I make all of our products in house and test them all on my beard and ‘stache before going to market.
Thanks for visiting FuzzyBooger.com. I hope you find both the information and our products helpful. Please let me know your thoughts on both.
Fuzz-on
Ed F. HFBIC