How to Comb Your Beard

Co-authored by Timmy Yanchun and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: November 25, 2020 References

Combing your beard is an important step in grooming since it prevents ingrown hairs, keeps hair away from your mouth, and makes it look cleaner. The type of tool you use for your beard depends on its length and how long you’ve been growing it. If you’ve been growing a beard for less than 3 months, you can just use a beard brush to straighten and shape it. If you have thick beard hair or you’ve grown it longer than 3 months, then you’ll probably need a comb to work out deep snags. When you’re finished, your beard will look and feel better!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Beard Brush on Short Beards

1
Get a natural-bristle beard brush to use on your beard. Beard brushes made with natural bristles spread sebum, which are the natural oils your body and hair produces, to help keep your facial hair healthy and soft. The bristles can also help remove dead skin so you don’t develop beard dandruff. Look for a brush made from boar or horse hair to clean your beard the most effectively.^{[1]
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- You can buy beard brushes from the grooming section of big box stores or online.
- Synthetic-bristle brushes are also available, but they may not spread oil or sebum as easily.
2
Put 2–3 drops of beard oil on the brush bristles. Beard oil moisturizes and strengthens your facial hair so it stays soft and grows healthily. Hold your brush so the bristles are face up so you can apply the beard oil. Use the provided dropper to evenly distribute 2–3 drops over the bristles. Once you start using the brush, the oil will continue spreading out so it applies evenly to your beard.^{[2]
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- You can buy beard oil from big box stores or online.
- Apply beard oil 1–2 times daily to keep your face and beard moisturized.
- You can also dip the ends of the bristles in a beard balm, which looks similar to styling gel. You can buy beard balm from a drugstore or online.
- Generally, the fewer ingredients a beard oil has, the better. Argan oil and jojoba oil are both great ingredients to look for in beard oil.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Timmy Yanchun
  Professional Barber
  Expert Interview. 22 January 2020.}
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3
Brush down your cheeks following the grain of your beard. Apply light pressure to the brush so the bristles get between the hairs and touch your face. Slowly pull the brush down the sides of your cheeks so you’re brushing your beard in the direction you want the hair to grow. Work in short strokes, coming down from your cheek and continuing along your jawline to evenly disperse the beard oil.^{[4]
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- Don’t brush your beard when it’s wet since the oil may not absorb as well and you may tear out some of your facial hair.
Tip: If you need to brush a mustache as well, start from the middle and work the hair out to the sides so it doesn’t grow over your lips.
4
Clean off the bristles of your brush when you’re finished using it. Hold your brush so the bristles are face down and tap the back of it to shake out any dead skin or hairs. Run your fingers or another comb through the bristles to get rid of particles stuck between them. Wipe the bristles with a paper towel or clean rag when you’re finished to wipe any leftover residue from oils or balms you used.^{[5]
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- Avoid cleaning your brush in water since you could weaken the glue holding the bristles in place and reduce its lifespan.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Combing Long Beards

1
Pick a beard comb that has wide and narrow gaps between the teeth. Beard combs tend to have one side with wider teeth for coarse hair and another with narrow teeth for fine hair. The teeth also have blunt ends so they don’t get caught in your beard or rip hair out. Look for a beard comb that’s made from wood or rubber since they work the most effectively.^{[6]
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- You can buy a beard comb from the grooming section of a big box store or online.
Warning: Don’t use a regular comb for your beard since you’re more likely to tear out hair or cause damage to your beard.
2
Rub 4–5 drops of beard oil into your facial hair. Beard oil will help moisturize your beard and make it easier for you to comb through. Spread 5–6 drops of the oil in your palm, and then gently rub the oil onto your beard. Work from the tips of your hair down to the skin to distribute the oil evenly.^{[7]
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- You can buy beard oil from drugstores or online.
- Avoid putting oil in your beard if it’s wet since the oil may not absorb into your hair and skin.
- If you weren’t able to spread the oil through your entire beard, apply 1–2 more drops of oil.
- You can also use beard balm in the same way. Use a pea-sized amount of balm for your beard.
3
Start combing your beard up and away from your face to fluff it out. Tilt your head up and start your comb at the base of your beard on your neck. Guide the comb up toward your chin and away from the middle of your face to separate the hairs and “fluff” your beard. Work the comb up slowly toward your cheeks until all of your facial hair points out and away from your face.^{[8]
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- Combing your beard up helps separate the hairs so they’re able to lay flat later on.
4
Pull the comb out of your beard if you hit a snag. If you have a long beard, there are probably going to be a few hairs that get tangled. If you feel your hair pulling as you comb, stop immediately so you don’t tear any of your beard out. Pull the comb straight out from your beard and try going through the area again. Many times, a snag is just caused by 2 hairs crossing one another at an angle rather than an actual knot.^{[9]
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- If you still feel a snag, then you may need to trim the hairs causing the problem.
5
Comb your beard back down to shape and style it. Start from the top of your cheeks when you begin shaping your beard. Work in slow, short strokes to straighten your beard out in the direction you want it to grow. Continue combing down the length of your beard until it’s the shape you want it.^{[10]
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- You can also use a natural-bristle brush to shape and straighten the hair, but it may not work as well on hair growing past your chin.
- Don’t force the comb through your hair since you could rip some of your facial hair out.
6
Work your mustache out and away from the center of your mouth. Start from the center of your mustache and work the comb out toward the corners of your mouth. Guide the hair so it’s not covering your top lip if you don’t want the mustache to grow over it. Continue combing your mustache until you’re happy with its shape.^{[11]
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- If you want to make your mustache look fancier, try twisting or curling the ends with your fingers.
7
Wipe the comb clean once you’re finished using it. Put a paper towel or cleaning rag between the comb’s teeth to clean out any oils or residue left on them. Then start at the bases of the teeth and wipe down toward the ends to clean them completely. Make sure your brush doesn’t have any residue, hair, or oil on it before storing it in a cabinet or case.^{[12]
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- Don’t clean a wooden brush with water since you could decrease its lifespan.