Beard Maintenance...

[dharma bum]

so i have a beard. it takes a lot more up-keeping than other hair does. for instance, a few days of not washing it and i get face dandruff, raw face and lots of split ends. i hate shaving and have a philosophy(not really) that either you shave, or you don't. and i don't. i've brushed it, trimmed it and even conditioned it, but nothing ever seems to work for more than a week.

does anyone have any tips on keeping your beard not so nasty on the road?

any feedback will help.
thanks,
db

 

[Dial]

Using dandruff shampoo on it a couple of times a week would help a lot. And massage a bit of baby oil into your beard, so it gets down to the skin underneath your beard.

 

[Mid]

I've heard of guys using a lighter to trim theirs and/or from growing back faster.

 

[dharma bum]

baby oil? really?? i can see how that's good for your skin (and believe me, my face can get absolutely RAW under the beard that it itches sooooo much), but i can see it being good for hair also.
thanks for the info.
as to those split ends (usually around my chin area), how can i avoid them without trimming? (it looks like i have lice on my face from a short distance... not now though; just everytime i try to really grow it out).

so... baby oil. thank you dial.

any other suggestions?

 

[uncivilize]

When I grow my beard out I just let it grow. I don't wash it everyday, just comb it. I scrape the beard dandruff off as I see it. After a while of not babying your face/beard your face will toughen up and get used to it; it's an adaption process; gotta build up your road armor . I stopped using shampoo completely about 8 months ago, only rinse out really well, scrub my scalp and face thoroughly; the natural oils have balanced out, and I have less dandruff than ever before. Now I think dandruff shampoos actually make it worse, they'll clear it up for a few days and then come back with a vengeance. The only shampoo that worked incredibly for me was tar shampoo, though I never see it anywhere and I think it's pretty expensive. Good stuff though, kept the dandruff down for weeks at a time, and it's made from natural tar, smells like train tracks.

 

[dharma bum]

tar shampoo??? tell me more.

 

[theitchtohitch]

Do you have a general hair or skin condition, or is this just limited to your beard? Because I normally have the opposite problem, the hair on top of my head takes more maintenance than my beard. Maybe just try the conditioning once a week?

 

[dharma bum]

nope.. no kind of conditions. my face just gets irritated when i don't really wash good for a while. usually, when i feel it coming on is when it's time to wash up. after that, it feels better for another week or so.

but seriously... WHAT THE HELL IS TAR SHAMPOO?