Bearded guys have a more troublesome picture of bad hair days. Adding to their messy crowns are unmanageable beards. Curly beards, for one, are difficult to tame, not to mention the onset of ingrown hairs. The strands are naturally wavy and require more grooming before it finally stays at the right place. Having a curly beard looks a bit doomed, but it actually offers more styling options. Those with curly beards can choose between keeping the waves and straightening it out depending on the occasion. But the question is this: how to straighten curly beard hair.
Here starts the tricky part. There are dudes who use flat irons but we all know that it won’t take much time before the heat starts to take its toll on the strands. Opting for natural ways may not always yield guaranteed results either.
Remember this: not every straightening method works for everyone. But this doesn’t mean it’s not working at all.
But why is my beard curly?
Basically, your hair follicles have an oval-shaped opening that causes the strand to bend. Still, you can have a circular hair follicle, but if the shaft has an asymmetrical distribution of keratin, you can still grow a curly beard. Genetics is usually at play here but you can always straighten it out. It’s something to be happy about since not all dudes get to experience the best of both worlds.
But if you normally have a straight crown, check for beard dryness. There’s a chance that your beard hair is dry which causes it to curl. If this is the case, you should use moisturizers and fix the problem. It’s not healthy to maintain dry beard hair. Soon, it will fade and look rugged.
One more reason why your beard tends to curl is the dirt and grimes trapped in it. You transfer the dirt from your hand to the mane when you touch it. The tendency of the strands is to coil or stick to each other.
How to straighten curly beard hair
1. Brush it
There are curly beards that yield easily when brushed regularly. A brush with boar bristles will be excellent in untangling the snags and distributing the natural sebum of the facial hair. You can also alternate with a wide-tooth comb from time to time. Make sure that you brush into the direction where you want the beard to stay. For the best results, you can brush your beard with a blow dryer with minimal heat.
Don’t use regular brushes with very stiff bristles. It will cause more knots and you’ll end up in tangles with the beard hair and the brush. It will also hurt your skin. Aside from beard grooming, the boar-bristle brush can be used in a number of occasions.
2. Lubricate the beast
If brushing alone didn’t work the magic, pair it with a nourishing beard oil product. This is excellent for those who have dry facial hair. This beard product is a blend of various essential oils like jojoba, grapeseed, castor, argan, and so on. Massaging two drops (or more for long beards) will help in removing snags and shaping it up.
It’s best to apply the oil right after drying the beard. It will lock the added moisture the hair got from the shampoo and conditioner, a good way on how to straighten curly beard hair. Just avoid overdoing it or the facial hair will be too greasy. You can re-apply the oil once the beard feels dry again. But before you try one, make sure that your skin doesn’t have allergic reactions to it.
3. Conditioning and moisturizing
Like what I’ve said earlier, a curly beard could be a product of dryness. When your hair lacks moisture, it withers and kinks. It could fall off if not treated right away. So after taking a shower, use a conditioner and moisturizer. If you can, get a moisturizer that’s also packed with skin vitamins like tocopherol. It’s important that you also nourish the skin where the beard grows.
Re-apply your moisturizer if you’re staying outdoors during very hot and cold days. Extreme temperatures can dry your beard easily. You can use a balm or wax loaded with nourishing ingredients.
4. Apply a relaxing cream
If you’ve made up your mind to straighten your beard for a long time, you can use a beard relaxing cream. It can hold for months or a year depending on what you’ll use on how to straighten curly beard hair. Make sure to choose one that uses natural ingredients like shea butter, almond oil, and beeswax. Beard relaxers can be too abrasive, so proceed at your own risk.
Apply the relaxer on a newly washed beard. Avoid getting it on your skin and use a pair of gloves too. Comb the beard and leave the relaxer for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it with tap water. After that, apply a neutralizer to wash off the active ingredients of the relaxer. You’d have to rinse your beard three times with a shampoo to complete the process. Not recommendable, but a quick fix nonetheless.
5. Beard flat iron
I don’t advise the use of flat irons, but if everything fails to straighten your unforgiving beard, a flat iron will be the last resort. Apply a heat protectant before ironing and make sure that you set the equipment on the right heat level. Remember that the more heat you use, the more damage it will leave to your beard.
Dry your beard first before using a flat iron. If you hear a boiling or sizzling sound, you should stop and blow dry your beard. Glide slowly and don’t let the flat iron reach your follicles. Again, this isn’t advisable but it yields excellent results, I must say.
Knowing how to straighten curly beard hair will make your manly mane manageable. Just be careful with the methods you use to avoid damaging your precious beard.
