People often look after the beard and rarely the skin it covers. Yet that is the skin that feels tight, flakes or reddens after you tidy the outline. A short routine is enough, as long as your products actually reach the skin.
In short
Under the beard, the skin needs the same basics as the rest of the face: gentle cleansing, a moisturiser that reaches the skin and sunscreen on the exposed areas. For the shaved outline, the moves are those of a good shave: wet beard, with the grain, sharp blade. An exfoliant can be added as a regular step, with sunscreen during the day.
Morning: cleanse and moisturise
- Gentle cleansing. A non-harsh facial cleanser, with lukewarm water, massaged right down to the skin with your fingertips. Rinse well: leftover product in the beard can be bothersome.
- A moisturiser that reaches the skin. In her review of male skin, Zoe Draelos recommends a moisturiser based on glycerin and emollients. On a beard, a light texture (gel cream, lotion) gets down to the skin more easily: apply it against the direction of the beard with your fingertips, then smooth it back down.
- Sunscreen on the exposed areas. Forehead, nose, cheekbones, upper cheeks: the beard does not protect them. To choose yours, see how to choose a face sunscreen.
The outline: the moves of a good shave
Cheeks, neck, jawline: this is where the skin suffers most, because this is where you shave. The rules are those of the American Academy of Dermatology: wet the skin and hair to soften them, apply a gel or foam, shave with the grain, rinse the blade after each stroke and replace it regularly. Without stretching the skin. The review by Gray and McMichael (2016) notes preliminary evidence in favour of hydrating before and after shaving: a moisturiser straight afterwards is part of the routine.
If you tend to get small bumps after tidying the outline, the habits covered in ingrown hairs on the face will help.
Evening: keep it simple
Gentle cleansing, then the same moisturiser. If the skin under your beard tends to flake or get ingrown hairs, you can add an exfoliant with glycolic or salicylic acid a few evenings a week, as a regular step. In that case, morning sunscreen becomes essential: see AHA or BHA: which exfoliant to choose.
When to get advice
If the skin under your beard itches a lot, bleeds, or if some bumps become painful, hot or swollen, see a doctor or a dermatologist.
The last word
Cleanse, moisturise right down to the skin, protect what is exposed, shave the outline with care. Four habits, and both beard and skin feel more comfortable. For a routine that takes your skin, your beard and your budget into account, start with the free skin quiz: your photo, a few questions, and you see your skin type.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special beard product?
Not necessarily. A gentle cleanser and a light moisturiser with glycerin are enough for the skin. Beard oils and balms are mainly about how the hair looks.
How do I get cream under a thick beard?
Choose a light texture and apply it with your fingertips, against the direction of the beard, to reach the skin. Then smooth the beard back the right way.
Do I need sunscreen if I have a beard?
Yes, on every area the beard does not cover: forehead, nose, cheekbones, upper cheeks and ears.