No one wants a dry, scraggly, brittle beard, but some men may feel as if they’re cursed to never have any other kind of beard. If your facial hair is constantly looking unkempt, breaking and shedding, and feeling itchy, tight, and rough, dryness is probably the root problem that you’re dealing with. Knowing what’s causing your dryness can often be valuable in helping you combat it! Here are some of the most common reasons for a dry and brittle beard that might be affecting you.
Hair Type and Texture
No two men are exactly the same, and consequently, no two beards are exactly the same either. Some people are blessed with facial hair that produces and retains moisture very well on its own, and some people just aren’t. It’s a sad fact of life, but it’s not the end of the story! There’s still plenty you can do to keep your beard looking and feeling great.
If you find that the skin all over your body often feels tight, flaky, dry or papery, and itchy, especially after a shower or during the winter, you’re probably naturally prone to dry skin. The same goes for your hair– if you have dry hair on your head and body that feels rough and breaks easily, it’s probably just a natural thing to be dry for you, and you need to focus on adding extra moisture and hydration to your routine.
It’s also possible and very common to have oily skin and dry facial hair. This sounds counterintuitive, but a little hair science clears up the reason. Your skin produces hydrating oil called sebum at the base of a strand of hair, and that oil needs to make it all the way along the length of the hair in order for that strand to be well moisturized. If the oil is staying trapped at the root, the hair will be dry and the skin will be oily. It can happen if you have a particularly long beard where the oil just can’t reach the full length of a strand. Adding in moisturizing products like beard oils and beard butters can help supplement the natural oils that your body produces and keep your facial hair hydrated, and regularly brushing and combing your beard can help to distribute the oil that’s already there, nourishing your facial hair and preventing oily skin and beard breakouts!
Lack of Hydration
Your body reflects what’s happening inside on the outside, and your facial hair is no exception. You can slather your beard in all the moisturizing products in the world, but that won’t change anything if you’re chronically dehydrated! Drinking enough water is absolutely essential to growing and maintaining a healthy, good-looking beard, and if you’re not hydrating the inside, you’ll see that dryness on the outside in the form of your hair, skin, and fingernails. Whenever you’re feeling dry, reach for that extra glass of water. It’s the basis of a good care and grooming routine!
Environment
What’s going on around you can affect your facial hair as well. Your environment plays a big role in the health and hydration of your beard and mustache. Winter is a time when most people experience dry skin and facial hair, as the cold, chapping outside and the heated, arid air inside pack a one-two punch. On the flip side, it’s not uncommon to experience dry facial hair in the summer, either. Exposure to pool or ocean water from swimming can really sap the moisture from your beard, and some men can be guilty of over washing in the summer in an attempt to clean away any sweat.
When you start paying attention to how your environment affects your facial hair, you can start to predict when you’re going to be especially prone to dryness or brittleness, and you can take steps to prevent it ahead of time! Adding extra moisture to your routine during the winter or slathering your beard in hydrating beard balm before you take a swim can be great ways to get ahead of the game and stop dryness before it ever starts.
