BEARD[ED]UCATION

What. When. How.

WHAT IS BEARD OIL, BEARD BALM, BEARD WASH AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

BEARD OIL - Probably the single most important of all beard products. These pack the biggest bang for your buck. These oils will hydrate and condition your beard while moisturizing your skin underneath which is just as important! Dry, brittle hair? Itchy? Dry skin, beardruff? Yeah. Beard oil.

BEARD BALM - Balms are a nice addition to the lineup. They help condition the beard hair but more importantly, they help lock in the moisture. They also help tame the beard a little by offering some styling properties and hold. WBC's is a light/medium hold and will help with those pesky strays throughout the day.

BEARD BUTTER - Butters are great for extra moisturizing power. Almost always without wax, they generally do not have a level of holding strength. Some can be more firm or dense but others, like mine, are whipped. Whipped butters are light, fluffy and emulsify extra quickly within your hands and is easy to apply. Some men like to add it to their morning routine and others like to use it before bed. The choice is yours but you will not regret it and your beard will thank you! These are especially vital in the cold, dry winter months.

BEARD WASH - The second most important product that your beard can benefit from. Ordinary shampoo, even all natural versions, is not what your beard needs. Beard washes are specifically formulated with your beard in mind. Beard hair is actually different from the hair on your head and therefore it has a different set of needs. Shampoos will strip your beard of its moisture and undo all the product you worked hard to buy and apply. Beard washes will clean but not strip your beard of its oil, whether natural or purchased. It's meant to be gentle but effective. My wash even has some conditioning power with the use of organic shea butter! To prove its conditioning effectiveness, during its development, I even skipped beard oil for three days **gasp** before succumbing to dry skin and hair! So yeah, it's good!

HOW MUCH OIL, BALM OR WASH SHOULD I USE & HOW DO I APPLY IT?

OILS - First and foremost, beard oil can be used on just about all lengths of facial hair; however, I recommend using it once your facial hair reaches 1/8” to 1/4” in length. From there, I recommend 4-6 drops per 1” of facial hair. Drop oil into your palm and work it around your palms and fingers. Then, run your fingers through your beard from the base to the ends of the hair. If you find that you have an excess amount on your hands, simply wipe it off on a towel or you can even use it in your head hair if you choose to. Otherwise, consider backing off on the amount if you have excess. If you have a beard comb or brush, I recommend combing/brushing before and after beard oil is applied.

BALMS - Scoop out a glob with your forefinger and work it into finger tips and palms until it melts into your hands; then simply run your hands in the direction of your beard and style beard to your liking.

BUTTER - Scoop about a dime-sized amount of butter with finger. Rub into palms, warming the butter until melted uniformly. Work butter into the base of your beard and into the follicles. Evenly distribute the butter into the beard. Comb beard, shape as desired & feel awesome!

WASH - Wet beard thoroughly prior to using. Shake bottle prior to using; then, depending on length of beard, squeeze desired amount into palms and slightly work into both hands. Work into beard until beard is lathered up. Be sure to exfoliate skin underneath with finger tips - rinse. Repeat roughly every 2-3 days or unless beard is dirtier than normal.

WHEN CAN I EXPECT TO NOTICE THE BENEFITS FROM USING THE OIL, BALM OR WASH?

OILS - Typically within 3-4 days of continuous use. After 1-2 weeks you should start to see the full benefits from using the oil. Once you are in the full swing and routine of using it, if you happen to miss a day, it is usually not a big deal but by day two you will notice a big difference.

BALMS - If used with oil, you will notice just as fast; if not, results will vary but are generally not as dramatic or as quick as using oil for the first time.

BUTTER - If you already use oils and/or balms, immediately within 1-day. If no other products are used but you apply butter, you should notice the effects within a few days.

WASH - You should notice a difference the same day or week. This works really well to protect for those night-time shower-ers. The wash helps clean the beard without completely stripping it of all the oils you have been working hard to maintain.

WHEN SHOULD I APPLY BEARD OIL, BEARD BALM, BEARD BUTTER OR WASH?

I recommend using product daily after your shower. This is the best time to comb/brush/groom and apply the oil - it’s best damp but not dry or wet. After a warm/hot shower, your pores open up on your face. Along with your pores, your facial hair will soak up this oil/butter like a sponge. Wisco Beard Co. uses oils that mimic your body’s natural oils & it is essential for keeping your facial hair & skin healthy. If you use balms, wait at least 5 minutes after applying oil before applying the balm - this gives the oil a chance to be absorbed before the balm is applied for conditioning & protection. For butters, some men prefer to apply during their daily morning routine and others prefer in the evening - ultimately, it's up to you when to apply it & whatever works best for you and your beard. I also recommend alternating days of washing/shampooing your beard (every 2-3 days) - all you need to do is rinse, dry & apply your oil, butter or balm...unless of course you were the victim of BBQ sauce or mustard...then by all means, use my beard wash to clean that thing. #beardproblems #beardstruggles

CAN I USE ANY OF YOUR PRODUCTS MORE THAN ONCE PER DAY?

I recommend using oil/butter only once per day; however, there are exceptions. Examples include but are not limited to: after swimming in a pool, during some of the driest days in winter, taking a second shower in one day, etc.

DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT KIND OF COMB OR BRUSH I USE?

One simple answer: Absolutely.

Many guys, whether they use beard product or not, make the mistake by using plastic combs and brushes during their daily routine. I highly recommend to stop using plastic. Not only is there static electricity when using plastic tools, which isn't good, but the very way they are made causes physical damage to your beard. When these are made, there is knife edge of plastic in the middle of each tooth. Regardless of how obvious it is, it will damage your hair. Think of curling ribbon during the holidays...yeah, your beard hair is the ribbon. Yikes!

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. NO PLASTIC. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR COMBING & BRUSHING?

I recommend having both in your arsenal but...

Brushes - One of the best purchases you can make is adding a natural boar's hair bristle brush! Seriously, get one. Not only will you not have the detrimental static but it will do two other things: Detangle your beard without pulling hairs as well as exfoliating your skin underneath.

Combs - Are another great addition to your tool kit. I strongly recommend sanded wooden combs, bovine horn combs and even polished metal combs. Metal combs need to be smooth but can be quite effective and also look phenomenal. Smooth wooden combs are the best simply put followed closely by bovine horn. They will help you style your beard and smooth things out without tearing your face off! Plus, combs will stimulate the skin and improve blood circulation to help direct nutrition to the skin and hair. If you use these after a proper beard brush, it's the perfect 1-2 punch! *wink wink*

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