The role of proper beard care in the development of a healthy beard is of vital importance. Just like hair care, the beard also needs to be have proper grooming and conditioning.

There are four simple steps that make the entire process a breeze:

Step 1: Wash your beard daily or at least as often as you wash the hair on your head. The beard accumulates dirt and grime faster and may come in contact with different types of foods as well. Use a mild wash or shampoo, preferably one that is designed specifically for facial hair for optimum results.

Step 2: While the beard is still wet, comb it downwards for a neat look, so that when it dries it doesn’t puff up. Brush out the tangles with the comb or as an alternative run your fingers through the thickest part of your beard as you move downwards.

Step 3: Apply either conditioner or oil, and if you don’t want to use a specially formulated product, the best choice is olive oil, which is soothing to the beard and has been the natural conditioner of choice for centuries. For best results, massage thoroughly along the jaw line until you are sure that you have penetrated to the roots of your beard.

Step 4: Resist any inclination to scratch the skin beneath the beard, and try to soothe it with shea butter which is known for its moisturizing properties and is also known as an anti-inflammatory agent. This or another moisturizer of your preference will also assist in reducing the notorious beard itch that is all too common in new