Taming a wild beard is easier than most men think. We’ll show you all the ways to straighten out a scruffy and unruly beard. All it takes is proper beard care and some heat. By the way, having a curly beard is not necessarily a bad thing. The curls and waves can give character to a beard and create a unique look.
Why some men have a curly beard
As with many other things, genetics plays an important role in this regard. The beard hair follicles differ from person to person and may cause the beard hair to grow wavy and curly. Asymmetrical hair follicles are those which grow in an oval pattern and curl up more and more with increasing length. There are many methods to tame your beard, but in the long run, they will always go back to their original shape. To get them straight again, it is necessary to invest some time.
Apart from your DNA, nutrition can also influence the shape of your whiskers. Too much zinc and too little iron in your body can contribute to a curly beard. The proteins within your hair also depend on your diet and can influence the shape.
Pros and cons of a curly beard
It should also be said that many men with a straight beard want the opposite. People always want what they don’t have. However, curling a straight beard requires a lot more effort.
How to straighten your beard
Wash the beard daily
Before we start looking at the different methods of beard straightening, it is a prerequisite to wash the beard and get it wet. Maybe you are familiar with the situation of not combing your hair directly after showering and then having a wave in your hair for the rest of the day. No matter how often you comb it again, the hair will return to its original position after a short time. It’s the same thing with the beard. The moisture reduces the elasticity and texture of the beard hairs for a brief period, making it easier to flatten them.
Also, make sure that you use beard shampoo regularly. The beard shampoo removes all dirt and grime such as leftovers of food or other styling products from the beard and thereby not only keeps it healthy but also makes it look well-groomed.
Avoid using the beard shampoo more than two to three times a week. If you wash your beard too often with a beard shampoo, it will dry out the skin and cause itching. And by the way, it’s not a good idea to use a regular shampoo, as it is too aggressive in most cases and irritates the skin under the beard. In general, when choosing a shampoo, you should make sure that it does not contain any chemical ingredients, as these can have a long-term damaging effect on the health of your beard hair. After washing the beard, pat it with a clean towel until it is just damp. Never rub it!
Massage beard oil into the beard
The next step is to apply beard oil to the beard. Not only will the beard oil make your beard soft, but it will also provide the beard with important natural oils that keep it healthy and supple. Depending on the oils it contains, it can also have other positive care properties. Furthermore, it makes the beard smell pleasant. But that is not all. To straighten out that curly beard, we’ll soon be applying heat to it. The beard oil encloses the beard hairs and acts as a protection against heat exposure.
For daily use a few drops of beard oil are sufficient. Just massage a small amount into your beard, after rubbing it into your palms. Your goal should be to spread it evenly and put a protective layer of oil on most of your beard hairs.
If you can’t decide on a beard oil among the wide range of products, we recommend you choose one with jojoba oil. This carrier oil is especially compatible with most skin types and provides the skin with valuable nutrients. If you want to go the DIY route, you can even make your own.
In case you want to straighten a short beard, the beard oil in combination with a beard comb might already be sufficient. However, if you don’t get the desired result yet, the next step is to grab a hairdryer.
How to straighten the beard with a Hairdryer
In most cases, straightening a scruffy beard with a hairdryer is all you need and you probably already have the necessary tool. If you own a hairdryer yet, get a model with heat regulation and a styling nozzle. The styling nozzle allows you to concentrate the heat in one place at a time and the heat control ensures that you don’t dry out your facial hair by excessive heat.
After the beard is only damp and the beard oil is applied, brush and comb the beard in the desired direction and follow with the hairdryer. Keep a distance of at least 6 inches with it and set the temperature to medium or lower to avoid damaging the beard due to the heat. Using a round brush makes the whole procedure much easier.
How to straighten the beard with a Flat Iron
Until now, you probably only know the flat iron from your girlfriend’s bathroom cabinet, but this tool is not only useful for straightening the hair on your head, but also for the beard. So grab your girlfriend’s flat iron or buy a small one, which heats up quickly.
The correct use of the flat iron can be seen here:
We generally recommend using the straightening iron only for certain occasions and not for daily use. Despite taking precautions, the beard is subjected to a lot of stress due to the intense heat and too frequent use can cause long-term damage. Furthermore, there is always the risk that you put the straightening iron on for too long and burn the beard hairs.
How to straighten the beard with a Straightening Brush
Straightening brushes or so-called beard straighteners are thermal brushes, which have recently been marketed to the male demographic. Aside from that they work perfectly and flatten the beard without any problems. The operating principle is the same as for the flat iron: Due to the effect of heat, the beard hair becomes soft and can be molded into the desired shape.
The correct use of the straightening brush can be seen here:
As with the flat iron, the straightening brush should only be used at your own risk and ideally not for daily use.
How to straighten the beard with Styling Products
If you already are suffering from dry skin, you can also use various beard styling products to straighten your beard without a flat iron or hairdryer. Mustache wax is a traditional product and is often used to twirl the upper lip beard. Thanks to its composition of wax and solid fats, it ensures that the beard maintains its shape throughout the day.
Beard balm and beard wax, on the other hand, are lighter and like beard oil often contain additional care properties due to natural ingredients. It is perfect for giving structure to the beard and taming individual wild beard hairs. As an alternative, you can also try a beard pomade, which often only differs slightly. A few of them are more designed for styling and can, therefore, be used to handle a large full beard.
To apply, rub a small amount of the product into your hands. Then massage it into the beard and shape the desired parts of the beard. After a while, it should harden and the beard should stay in place for the rest of the day.
How to straighten the beard with a Home Remedies
There is no substitute for daily washing and regular use of a beard oil to get the beard somewhat straight. You can make the beard oil yourself and some have reported that they have achieved a similar result with olive oil. In any case it is worth a try.
You can even make the beard balm yourself. The procedure is very similar to that of the beard oil, but you additionally need beeswax or shea butter. If you also use a beard comb, nothing should stop you from obtaining a perfectly straight beard.
Every now and then you will come across a couple of hairs that are extremely stubborn and just won’t lie down. In this case, do not hesitate to cut them off with a beard scissor. That way the beard will look much tidier.
How to straighten the beard permanently
Although not widely used, there are a couple of methods to permanently straighten your beard hair. But before you do a permanent straightening, you have to ask yourself if it’s even worth it. In our experience, it doesn’t take too much time to straighten your hair once you have found the right method for yourself and have had some practice. Nevertheless, we do not want to confine the possibilities available to you and have therefore summarized the common procedures.
Beard straightening with Keratin
As already mentioned, part of the hair consists of the protein keratin. This protein surrounds the beard hair and causes it to be straighter and shinier. In a keratin treatment, the beard is first treated with a special beard wash. Afterward, a solution of keratin is applied to the beard. A little while later the opened hair pores are closed again with a flat iron. Such a treatment can cost between 200 and 400 dollars at the hairdresser and keeps the beard straight for two to six months.
Chemical straightening of the beard with the CHI method
The approach of the CHI method is very similar to the keratin treatment. However, instead of keratin, a silk preparation is incorporated into the beard. The treatment will cost you between 300 and 400 dollars and the beard will remain perfectly straight for about eight months.
No matter if it is the keratin or CHI method, as soon as your beard comes into contact with chemicals, it can damage your facial hair in the long run. As the skin under the beard is more sensitive than the scalp, skin irritations cannot be ruled out. Be aware of the risk and consult your hairdresser beforehand.
Beard straightening with a Beard Relaxer Cream
During our research we came across Beard Relaxer Creams, but we have not yet been able to test them. These products usually promise to straighten the beard within minutes and that this straightening will last for several months. However, they do not explain how this is supposed to happen or which ingredients are involved in the process.
Apart from that, we are also uncertain whether it works at all since the feedback and reviews are often negative or non-existent. We also do not see the need to use these creams, as the methods we have outlined should be sufficient to bring the hairs that stick out back into shape. So better leave it alone!
Conclusion
In the beginning, we talked about the fact that a curly beard will always stay curly. That’s not completely true. When exposed to the heat of a hairdryer and flat iron, the connections between the hair cells are weakened. As a result, the beard hair loses its elasticity and becomes straight. If this happens often enough, the hair “remembers” this position and tries to take it up again. This may be a long process, but after a while, you will definitely notice a difference.
If you are often on the road and your beard keeps losing its shape during the course of the day, it might be a good idea to carry a small beard comb. You can always pull it out of your trouser pocket to bring the sticking out hairs back into position and apart from that it will also feel nice.
All the above-mentioned methods for beard straightening can of course also be combined. Just experiment with them and find the right approach that gives your beard the necessary hold and fits into your schedule.