How to Keep Your Beard Straight and Prevent It from Curling Up

Discover the best tips and tricks for keeping your beard straight and well-groomed with our expert guide

There isn't a single key to keeping your beard straight and preventing it from curling up. Doing it is however not that difficult and with a few simple tools and techniques your beard would be in a far better place! Finding the perfect beard style can be challenging, but keeping it that way can be even more difficult. If you’re one of the many men who have struggled to keep their beard straight, look no further! Here are some of the best ways to keep your beard straight and prevent it from curling up into unmanageable curls. 

Groom with Both Hands

In order to get the desired results with your beard, use both hands while you’re doing your grooming. One hand should always be on top of the beard, while the other hand should be at the bottom. This way, you can spread out the hair evenly and make sure that there are no areas of skin showing. You will also have a better understanding of how long your beard is with this technique because you won’t only see what is in front of you. Remember to move down one section at a time as well so that it will be easier for you to control where you’re going with your grooming.

Comb Wet Hair

To keep your beard straight, you will need a wide-tooth comb. Use the comb when wetting your hair so that the natural curl will loosen and loosen. Towel dry hair before combing in order to dampen any waves caused by towel drying. To straighten your beard, follow these steps: Use the widest tooth on the wide-tooth comb as a starting point and pull away an inch or two at a time. Put the long strand of hair into place by pulling downward and smoothing over with your other hand's fingers in an upward motion. Pull another section of hair using the same technique. Continue following this process until all of your hair is under control.

Use a Leave-In Conditioner Before Styling

Finding the right brush is important because the wrong kind of brush will either pull at your beard or not hold enough water. Some brushes can be too big for your face, leaving it feeling too rough, while other brushes are too small, making it hard to get in some spots. Brush bristles also need to be soft so they don't irritate your skin, and there needs to be size appropriate for your facial hair. A general rule of thumb is that if you're dealing with shorter hair (less than 1 inch), then a fine-toothed comb or standard toothbrush works best. If you have longer hair (1 inch or more), a stiff-bristled boar's bristle brush usually does the trick nicely.

Find the Right Brush

Wet your beard before you start brushing so that the bristles can go deep into the beard. Be sure not to apply too much pressure on your skin or you'll risk breaking capillaries. If a brush is available, use it instead of a comb as it's gentler on hair and skin. If you're using a boar bristle brush, be sure to rub in small circles going with the grain of your beard--not against it--to prevent hair breakage.

First off, we want you to prepare by wetting your beard with water beforehand so that the bristles of your brush or comb can get deep into the roots of your hair without causing any damage.

Don’t Overdo Waxes

There are a few ways to straighten your beard. Waxes, or glazes, can be applied like you would with other facial hair. You can also use a natural pomade or oil like spartan beard oil, which is something I recommend doing if you want to get that just stepped out of the shower look all day long. I think beard brushes are an underrated tool because they really do help keep hair looking neat all day long. Using oils or waxes on your whole face (beard included) will allow for easier growth and prevent flakes as well as ingrown hairs, so it’s a win-win situation!

Trim Occasionally

Despite your best efforts, there will be some beard hair that curls up after you shave. You should always trim these hairs in order to prevent them from growing too long and turning into a rat's nest. The way you'll want to trim these is by using the opposite hand. For example, if you're left-handed, hold the scissors in your right hand and cut with your left hand. This ensures that you won't accidentally over-trim or make jagged cuts when trying to keep everything looking neat.

You may notice some stray hairs sticking out of the side of your neck while trimming your beard. If this occurs, simply use your fingers to adjust any hairs so they are nice and straight against the edge of your jawline.

Drink Lots of Water!

People will always tell you that drinking lots of water is a good thing, but did you know that your beard can benefit too? Excess thirst will often result in a more flaky beard due to dry skin. Drinking water on the other hand can result in hydrated skin which will often lead to fuller beards with reduced flaking. Take care of your bearded face and try adding an extra glass of water to your day!

Pat it Down, Not Rub it Down

An electric beard straightener can speed up the process of preventing beard curls, but using a regular brush or comb is also a good alternative. Hold the brush at an angle with one hand while you run it through your beard with the other. This will help make sure you're distributing your natural oils across your entire beard evenly, giving it some much-needed moisture in between washes. You may need to do this a few times before going all out with the heat styling options so that your hair doesn't snap back once you go over it again.