So what’s a brother to do? Thankfully, all hope is not lost. Whether you’re trying to learn how to manage your ‘fro or need guidance on shaping up your beard you grew out during quarantine, we’ve got you covered. Peep our 5 key grooming tips below for looking in tip-top shape in between your barber visits.
Keep Your Hair and Beard Moisturized
Coconut oil and Shea butter ain’t just for the ladies. These magical moisturizers are great for keeping your curls, coils and kinks fully drenched and hydrated, and they’re great for beards, too. Hit up your local food store for some of this good stuff or a drugstore near you and apply some to your locks and beard every couple of days (or daily if you have dry hair). You could also treat yourself to a hair balm suited for your hair texture (the thicker your hair, the thicker the cream it should be) from Black-owned brands like Bevel who make grooming products for Black men or a bomb leave-in hair cream from, which will leave your ‘fro and beard feeling nice and luscious.
Pass on The Harsh Shampoos
Jumping off the first tip, well moisturized hair is happy hair — and harsh shampoos can mess up your mojo. Start incorporating sulfate-free shampoos and hair cleansers rich in hydrating ingredients like jojoba oil in your grooming routine. They’ll clear away all that gunk and product buildup on the scalp without stripping your ‘fro and locs of much-needed moisture. Your hair will thank you and after doing this consistently, you’ll notice a clear difference as your strands will feel super soft.
Embrace the Scruff and Shape It Up
Not down with the idea of buzzing your beard off and rocking the fresh faced look?
No worries. There’s nothing wrong with embracing the scruff, just make sure to shape it up often. Trimming some inches off hair here and there will take you from scruffy caveman into the latest Monday Crush Monday to know – and who wouldn’t want that? Once a week, take a comb to detangle any knots in your beard. Then using hair shears from the beauty supply or the like and your comb as a guard, trim along the perimeter until you get your desired length and shape. Insta feeds here you come!
Exfoliation Is a Must
When you look good, you feel good is a popular saying for a reason. There’s something mood-boosting about looking and feeling fresh and when your skin feels silky smooth. If you’ve been struggling with ingrown hairs or pimples, exfoliating your face 1-2 times a week can help get rid of them and prevent future ones from popping up like an annoying old-ex. Just remember to use a gentle acid exfoliator or physical exfoliator (emphasis on gentle).
Brush Your Beard Regularly
Boar-bristle brushes help keep those waves on swim and your man scruff in check. Every day, show your beard some love and massage it with. Doing this daily will help improve blood circulation which can boost hair growth. It also feels real good and is another great way to exfoliate your skin and get rid of any dead skin clogging your pores that cause breakouts and ingrown hairs.
These tips and tricks will come in clutch for those times when you can’t fit in a barbershop visit and need to tame any new growth. Follow through on these and you’ll be looking fly in no time for your Zoom meetings and at-home Insta flicks during the first-ever virtual HBCU Homecoming.
