It's no secret that we think growing a beard is a wonderful thing for a man to do. We just cannot urge you enough to not be fooled into thinking these things simply take care of themselves. All those enviable #beardselfies you scroll through daily on Instagram for inspiration? - The showcase of a continually nursed and expertly maintained end product. Having patiently grown a beard to a satisfactory length and had it expertly trimmed by your barber to set a defined shape, the harsh truth is that the job is far from done in terms of looking after it. Natural phases of itching are to be expected along the way, a topic our barbers have dealt with firmly in the past. The last thing any bearded man wants to develop though, is the dreaded dandruff...

What is Beard Dandruff?

Firstly, if you are a sufferer, take comfort in knowing you're far from the only person who's been caught out by specs of snowy dust on that clean new jumper. Not to be confused with small crumbs of your morning pastry however, the ugly truth of beard dandruff's cause can be put down to untreated, dry and trapped skin behind your facial hair and in slightly more severe cases, the development of yeast (Seborrheic dermatitis), which causes inflamed redness, scaling and flakes. Environmental elements such as cold weather and stress are rumoured to have an impact too, but we're fairly certain that most bearded men who work outdoors in the Antarctic and happen to have a bit of an off day don't immediately develop an outbreak of flakes around their face.

Cure 1: The importance of a regular wash

Whatever the extent of your dandruff, do not under any circumstances try to cure the issue with your regular (albeit anti-dandruff) hair shampoo. Those harsh detergents that we've warned you about in the past will lend no favours here beyond aggravating the sensitive skin on your face and clogging pores while temporarily appearing to solve the problem. Do remember that the next time you try to cut corners in your morning routine! Instead, you need something that's going to treat the issue whilst nurturing the skin underneath your facial hair. This was key inspiration when developing our Beard Shampoo - blending together a pH-balanced formula without harsh detergents that works to remove environmental pollutants from facial hair while remaining gentle on skin. Be sure to dig deep when massaging shampoo into your beard, extending beneath and down to your skin.

Cure 2: Thorough Skincare

Don't overlook the value of products not tailored to beards! Applying a good Face Scrub once every few days can contribute greatly to clearing away dead skin cells that clog within facial hair and also cleanse the surface behind your beard of any oils and dirt.

Cure 3: Daily treatment with a specialist Moisturiser

Nobody should ever be too proud of blowing their own trumpet, but when the likes of GQ Editors and grooming industry experts decide to honour one of your products with certified acclaim, you can't blame us for wanting to mention it every now and then... As such, our GQ Award-winning Beard Moisturiser has become a daily essential for the well-groomed modern man - and for good reason. With a uniquely light and grease-free formula, Beard Moisturiser penetrates facial hair and absorbs easily into skin - softening, hydrating and protecting it from all the nastiness that can lead to dandruff developing. This also helps to minimise skin irritation AND combat brittle hair at the same time - something that cleansers not tailored to beards cannot claim to do.

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“All the softening qualities of a beard elixir with none of the greasiness you get with oil."

- Charlie Burton, GQ's Commissioning Editor

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Cure 4: Don't forget to brush

Use a beard brush to firmly comb from top to bottom while your beard is still damp. This will easily free up any tangled hair and clear blocked areas. This is also just a great way of isolating any rogue hairs to swiftly trim off before leaving the house.

Final Tip:

When you're applying something to your face on a regular basis, you probably don't need us to warn you about using anything containing synthetic additives and colouring, but such ingredients are rife within beard products and can naturally influence bad skin reactions. Do be wary! The wellbeing of that handsome face is on the line and your beard deserves to feel its softest and healthiest. For a thorough, personalised consultation on your beard growth and condition, be sure to visit one of our expert barbers who will be happy to impart their wisdom.