Steps To Growing A Better Beard Without Spending A Fortune

Since the dawn of man men have grown beards

So, you want to grow a better beard. You’re probably keeping up with trends but I bet there’s something deeper going on.

Throughout history, the beard has been a symbol of ultra-manliness and power. Just do some Google searches on history in different time periods and you’ll undoubtedly come across image after image of rulers, kings, and warriors sporting some sort of beard.

Beards remain a sign of virility in society. Women still seem to gravitate to a man with a healthy beard. It’s an innate desire to find the best man to not only satisfy them sexually but also to father children. Now, I may get some flack for that comment but like it or not, we are still creatures of our past and our DNA. It’s practically impossible to look at a man with a face full of hair and not think, “Damn, that’s a manly beard.” It is engrained into us that a full healthy beard equals manliness.

We’ve all got that friend who grows a super full and magnificent beard seemingly overnight. It just appears that way. Trust me. It just appears that way. It’s all genetics. If you’re like me you might struggle with growing that dense follicular forest you so desire.

While genetics determine your beard, there are some simple steps you can take to encourage your beard to live up to its full potential.

Read our review of the best beard combs >

Adjust Your Diet

Your diet is very important to the health of your hair: Not only the hair on your head but on your face as well. The easiest (or hardest) way to help your beard come into its own is to change your diet. But what does diet have to do with it? Everything.

To begin with, hair is almost completely made up of protein. If you’re not getting enough protein in your diet, your hair will not be healthy. This leads to split ends. Yes, even in your beard. Split ends cause your body to work harder to repair the damage, thus taking its energy away from growing healthy hair. Why do you think women are always complaining about split ends? It’s the same with your beard.

Many of the same nutrients that we need for a healthy body we need for healthy hair. These include iron, selenium, vitamin E, copper, and magnesium. Adjusting your diet will undoubtedly give your beard the extra help it needs.

There is a long list of foods high in protein to feed your follicles. Dairy, meats, seafood, nuts, vegetables, grains, and even canned foods are some great choices for protein.

Balance Your Life – Reduce Stress

Stress can be one of the biggest contributing factors of hair loss. Not only that but it’s unhealthy for the entire body. You normally think of balding on the head when we talk about stress and hair loss. Remember, it’s all hair. The hair all over your body grows the same way, just in different textures. What affects the hair up top affects the hair on your face. One bonus is that hair lost due to stress will grow back once the stress is removed. Rest will help reduce stress.

Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep increases stress on the body both physically and mentally. The old stand by holds true: aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Turn off those late shows and go to bed. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel. You’ll have a much better attitude and your co-workers and family will thank you. But sleep is not enough.

You also need exercise. Yeah, that spare tire has an impact as well. But you say, “Oh, my buddy is like 300 pounds and looks like ZZ Top.” It’s genetics. This article isn’t for guys like that. Anyway, exercise will not only help you lose weight but it will increase blood circulation. Blood circulation to the follicles is a sure fire way to increase that beard growth, helping it look fuller and fantastic.

Supplements

Before I go any further on this topic, there is NO MIRACLE beard growth potions or pills out there anywhere! Stay away from those high priced products promising you the beard of all beards. It’s crap.

I will only mention Minoxidil (Rogaine) here briefly. The FDA has only approved it for use on the scalp. However, some guys have had good results using it to grow facial hair. It has side effects and you should check with your doctor and do your own research before rushing out and buying it. I have no personal experience with it but it came up in my research for this article.

Anyway, as I mentioned above diet and nutrients are important for that great beard you want. One way to accomplish this is with dietary supplements.

Here’s an abridged list (for a complete list check this out) of vitamins and minerals that are key in cultivating that manly mane: Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Niacin, Vitamin E, iron, and magnesium.

Also in this group is Biotin (Vitamin B 7), a component of the Vitamin B Complex. Biotin is vital for the production of healthy hair and nails. A deficiency of this vital nutrient will result in thinner more brittle hair and split ends, as well as cracked nails. I mention Biotin apart from the others because I take a Biotin supplement and have had good results. More on that in the next article.

Our next step in growing a better beard is perhaps the most important one of all!

Patience

If you’ve decided to grow a beard and you’re starting from a smooth face you may encounter some challenges. But keep in mind that there is a 4-week rule to growing a beard. It generally takes that long to establish a beard well enough to do something with.

In the beginning, you will get that itch and you might even get the urge to shave. Oh, God, it can be unbearable. Shaving it off may be a temptation, but what will that get you? A smooth face again. Moisturizing is important at this stage. I used a quality lotion at this point in my beard cultivation.

Once it starts coming in there are other products that will help your beard look its best. These consist of oils, balms, pomades, and even beard conditioners. I’ll get into more of these in the next article in the series when I discuss my own beard journey. Taking care of your beard, just like the hair up top, will keep it looking fuller, healthier, and drive the ladies wild.

But for heaven’s sake, LET IT GROW FIRST!