The brutal Indian summer is upon us. The mercury has begun rising northwards, and along with the heat, the dryness (in landlocked states), the humidity (in Mumbai and Chennai), and the dust (now that shit is universal), are all on the upswing. With that the modern bearded gentleman faces frizziness, itch, beard dryness and lifelessness of the beard and skin. So what does one do in order to summer proof their beard? Well here is the ultimate guide to care for, pamper and grow your beard, like a pro this Indian summer.
* Beard Wash
It goes without saying that a clean beard is a healthy beard. During the hot summer days you’ll sweat more and the skin under your beard might get irritated. Make sure you wash your beard at least 2-3 times a weak. (It also depends on your job, hobbies, etc.)If you’re thinking about using your hair shampoo – DON’T. It will only make things worse. Hair shampoo contains chemicals that are meant for your scalp and not your face skin.
* Trim Itf you’re really suffering from an irritated itchy skin and beard, a shorter beard will be easier to maintain during the summer.How much you trim is up to you, but I recommend doing it in phases (you can always trim more), and see when you’re feeling there’s enough air flow and your skin is breathing.Although trimming your beard sucks, it does have some benefits. It allows for regeneration, when trimming you’ll get rid of sun-scorched, split ended hair. Once you feel ready you’ll be able to quickly regrow it.
* Beard OilThe summer weather can have detrimental effects to your beard. The sun can dry out your beard hair. There’s nothing in the world like beard oil to remedy that. Beard oils contain carrier oils and essential oils. These will moisturize your beard and skin, soften your beard, reduce itchiness and beard-druff.You can pick the one that best suits you by looking at the ingredients list, each oil has different effects and you can look for those that can address your specific need.
* Wear Sun-ScreenDuring the hot summer days, our bodies tend to lose a lot of water through sweating. Excessive sweating will leave your skin dry and this, for sure, is bad for your beard. Therefore, make sure you drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated.It is also vital to use sun-screen. It will protect your beard, and will keep it soft and smooth.
* Just Shave It OffSometimes we get to a point where we need to go to the extreme. I was there once, my beard drove me insane during the summer and I just shaved it off completely, and it felt GREAT (even the aftershave burn).It was a great opportunity for me to just change my style, I love changes, it makes me feel alive.